The Body Snatching Trial of the Curtises

Detroit Free Press, May 6, 1874

One
mention of a Gonongue [sic] Cemetery is a lead in the right direction
and two instances is a trend. With that I took the impetus to assume
with certainty that the graveyard in question and mentioned in both the article above and below on consecutive days is our beloved boneyard the William Ganong Cemetery.

Detroit Free Press, May 6, 1874

As is stated above in the articles there were two trials for the body snatching attempt of David Randall's corpse from the William Ganong Cemetery in Nankin Township in 1873. The first ended in a hung jury and the second in acquittal of the men accused, Dr. Warren B. Curtis and his father Stephen Turney Curtis, whom should not be confused with the keeper of the County House at that time, Stephen D. Curtis. Though, if one is inclined towards conspiracies he might start one concerning a mix-ups of names but we're already getting far afield of the "facts" at hand as it is.

I say facts with some trepidation since the Detroit Free Press has proven from its inception that it wouldn't let errors get in the way of reporting the facts. This is not a political bias but a proven fact through many run-ins with their errors. In fact, the early details in this two trial saga are often contradictory to both the later testimony of witnesses and alleged participants in the act as well as the writings of the newspaper itself as the "true" details emerged through official sources.

Namely, that the originally stated Daniel Randall became David Randall after the initial story broke and then the name vacillated between the two during the trial. Surely, it was an honest mistake.

The second main detail was that Randall's body had been taken and dropped near the railroad tracks at present day Henry Ruff and Michigan Avenue. The initial report was the only time that this was stated. From what I gleaned of the situation the corpse never made it past the outside of the fence at the cemetery though I might be wrong.

Lastly, and most importantly, the closing arguments of the prosecutor Chambers on January 12, 1874, if they were published on encapsulated in the Free Press are unfortunately lost to us and apparently so is the paper from that day.

*     *     *

Stanislas Keenan mentioned in his history of Eloise the area around
the asylum and County House was ripe picking for medical students at the
University of Michigan and tales abounded of body snatching. Newspaper
articles detailing the robbing of David Randall's grave at Ganong also
note such instances though it was the first and only incident that I've come across concerning Ganong. These stories
prompted watch parties at area cemeteries after interments along with some sort of scandal involving a Wayne resident doctor and alcohol.

Orange Butler and Hugh Austin volunteered to watch over the grave after
Randall's burial on November 14, 1873. They arrived around 8 PM, checked
Randall grave and noticing that it was unmolested hid along the fence
line and waited.

Detroit Free Press, November 18, 1873

Around 9 o'clock two men appeared with a horse
and light wagon. One man exited with a shovel and went directly to the
grave of Randall while the other proceeded to turn the wagon around.
When the digger reached the coffin he opened the lid and tossed it to
the ground. He then walked to the driver, engaged in conversation,
before returning to the grave and snatching Randall's body.

When
the ghoul tossed the body over the fence Butler and Austin sprang upon
him and threw him to the ground. The conspirator regained his feet and
attempted to run but was grabbed by Austin once again and the two
struggled mightily before the bandit drew a revolver, cocked it and
threatened to shoot Austin.

Meanwhile, Mr. Butler approached the
fray and also drew his pistol. His approach must have startled the man
as Austin once again regained control of him. 15 feet away the driver of
the wagon pointed his gun and threatened bodily harm upon Austin unless
he released the prisoner.

Butler once again approached the
scene and told the man that he knew who he was and then fired two shoots
into the air. Austin told Butler to seize the robber's gun and he did
so, then permitted the two men to leave. Butler and Austin returned to
Wayne, sought help and returned to retrieve the body and deliver it to
his brother Jonathan Randall.

Detroit Free Press, January 14, 1874

Despite testimony to that effect Dr. Warren B. Curtis and his father Stephen Turney Curtis were not convicted due to a hung jury in the first trial. They were exonerated at a second trial in May of 1874.

Detroit Free Press, May 16, 1874

Mind you, there is no documented burial for a Daniel (or David) Randall at Ganong beyond this mention. At least I haven't found one yet.

While doing further research I did find a mention of Dr. Warren B. Curtis in Larrie Massie's The Allure of Michigan's Past in a chapter entitled, Coffin Crackers & Body Snatchers. I present said chapter below in e-book format: