Sunday, October 31, 2021

Newspaper Tidbit: Addendum -- Halloween Prank Ends in U.S. Prison

More than one person has asked if the investigation turned up the "pranksters."  The answer can be found in the following newspaper article --

Richmond Times Dispatch
17 March 1935

HALLOWEEN PRANK ENDS IN U.S. PRISON

One Gets Five Years, Two Others Less for the Despoiling of Grave

[Special to The Times-Dispatch]

QUANTICO, March 16 -- Three Quantico marines must serve sentences ranging from one to five years in the naval prison, Portsmouth, N.H., because they robbed a grave near here and dragged the corpse through local streets October 31 as a Halloween "prank."

Those convicted were Gene Cays of St. Louis, five years; Emil H. Hauch, Jamestown, N.C., two years, and John C. Killingsworth of Fort Gaines, Ga., one year. Hauch's parents reside in Washington.

At court-martial proceedings conducted here last month they were found guilty on charges of removing the corpse of John M. Rainey, World War veteran, from its grave Halloween night. The nude body was found abandoned in a front yard here the following morning.

Formal sentence of the marines came today following confirmation by Secretary of the Navy Swanson.



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