Illustrative of Old Cunny’s cleverness are the following incidents
related about him. One night between the hours of eleven and twelve
o’clock he and two of his confederates stopped at a saloon in Carthage
to have a drink. His identity being known by almost everyone in the
environs of Cincinnati and his nightly movements always arousing
suspicion, after he and his helpers had departed several of the patrons
of the saloon organized themselves into a posse and proceeded to follow
the ghouls to the cemetery used by the City Infirmary in the rear of
that institution. The party in pursuit surrounded the cemetery just as
the ghouls were in the act of raising two subjects from their graves and
commenced firing promiscuously at them. His two helpers escaped into an
adjoining woods but Old Cunny stood his grounds and obstinately refused
to obey the command to hold up his hands. Finally when one of the
members of the party drew a bead on him with a rifle which failed to go
off when the cap snapped he reluctantly gave himself up and begged them
to spare his life.
Old Cunny was then piled into his conveyance and accompanied by his
captors was forced to drive back to Carthage. On their return to that
village, he persuaded his captors to stop at the saloon where he bought
them several drinks. When they were properly mellowed, he was released
and permitted to return to Cincinnati with his empty wagon. However,
instead of continuing toward that city, he circumvented the route and
returned to the cemetery, during which time his doughty captors merrily
dispersed to their homes. Meanwhile, his helpers, having been well
trained in their duty, had returned to the scene of their ghoulish task,
had hooked the two subjects from their graves, and placed them in sacks
all ready for transportation to one of the medical colleges.[2]