hey found a guard in the cemetery; it was to
their interest not to create a riot, and if they were strong enough to
drive off the watchers, the latter could soon raise a tumult, whereby the
bodily safety of the thieves would be endangered.

Matters did not always pass off so peaceably, particularly in Ireland, as
the following extract from an Irish newspaper for 1830 shows:

"DESPERATE ENGAGEMENT WITH BODY-SNATCHERS.--The remains of the late Edward
Barrett, Esq., having been interred in Glasnevin churchyard on the 27th of
last month (January), persons were appointed to remain in the churchyard
all night, to protect the corpse from 'the sack 'em-up gentlemen,' and it
seems the precaution was not unnecessary, for, on Saturday night last,
some of the gentry made their appearance, but soon decamped on finding
they were likely to be opposed. Nothing daunted, however, they returned on
Tuesday morning with augmented force, and well armed. About ten minutes
after two o'clock three or four of them were observed standing on the wall
of the churchyard, while several others were endeavouring to get on it
also. The party in the churchyard warned them off, and were replied to by
a discharge from fire-arms. This brought on a general engagement; the sack
'em-up gentlemen fired from behind the churchyard wall, by which they were
defended, while their opponents on the watch fired from behind the
tomb-stones. Upwards of 58 to 60 shots were fired. One of the assailants
was shot--he was seen to fall; his body was carried off by his companions.
Some of them are supposed to have been severely wounded, as a great
quantity of blood was observed outside the churchyard wall,
notwithstanding the ground was covered with snow. During the firing, which
continued for upwards of a quarter of an hour, the church bell was rung by
one of the watchmen, which, with the discharge from the fire-arms,
collected several of the townspeople and the police to the spot--several
of the former, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, in nearly a
state of nakedness; but the assailants were by this time defeated, and
effected their retreat. Several of the head-stones bear evident marks of
the conflict, being struck with the balls, &c."

[Illustration: MORTSAFE IN GREYFRIARS CHURCHYARD, EDINBURGH.]

Most of the disgraceful riots which took place in the burial-grounds, were
not between resurrection-men and friends guarding a grave, but between two
gangs of bod