Cyndi Pote posted the following correspondence from Duke Realty to the
INROOTS group.
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 08:23:53 EDT
Reply-To: CyndiPote(a)AOL.COM
Sender: "Genealogy research mail exchange list for Indiana genealogy."
<INROOTS-L(a)LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From: "Cyndi Pote." <CyndiPote(a)AOL.COM>
Subject: Fwd: Cemetery Desecration
To: INROOTS-L(a)LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU
Duke Realty's reply to my letter to them regarding the cemetery destruction
in
Indianapolis.
From: Webmaster <Webmaster(a)dukereit.com>
To: "'CyndiPote(a)aol.com'" <CyndiPote(a)aol.com>
Subject: RE: Cemetery Desecration
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 16:12:52 -0500
X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.1960.3)
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
The recent article in the Indianapolis Star regarding the Rhoads
cemetery was grossly inaccurate. We have enclosed a copy of our
response to the newspapers which we believe clarifies our position.
While we recognize that you may disagree with this process, we can
assure you that the remains of these people were treated with care and
dignity.
August 31, 1998
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Star
Your editorial in Sunday's Star referred to your coverage of
Duke Realty's role with the Rhoads cemetery as a "public relations
nightmare." We are not concerned with the public relations aspect of
this process because we believe we have done and continue to do
everything possible to respect the dignity of the remains in the
cemetery and have involved trained professionals from the beginning to
insure that fact. What saddens us deeply is that the hundreds of Duke
employees in this community who have spent 26 years building a solid
reputation for honesty and integrity have been unfairly maligned by your
paper with innuendo and incomplete information.
The facts are as follows:
· When we discovered this graveyard over three years ago, it was totally
abandoned and overgrown. It had not been maintained in many decades.
There were no headstones visible. Preliminary research by our
consultants indicated that there were probably six or eight graves at
the site.
· Our first reaction was to immediately involve the professionals that
deal with these matters. We notified the Department of Natural Resources
("DNR") which has jurisdiction over private grave sites and employed an
anthropologist experienced in the process to insure that not only the
legal details were followed precisely but the relocation was completed
in a careful and dignified manner.
· While this was Duke's first experience in Indiana with relocation of a
gravesite, it happens many times a year in this state. As a result, the
Indiana legislature has enacted specific procedures to be followed and a
division of the DNR has trained professionals to monitor compliance.
· The remains were disinterred nearly two years ago by a company
experienced in these types of matters under the supervision of the DNR,
a team of archeologists and an anthropologist. All remains were
carefully removed by hand digging; no machinery was utilized. They were
immediately turned over to the University of Indianapolis for historical
study as required by the statute. Six headstones were discovered during
the disinterment and were carefully catalogued by the team and turned
over to the University as well.
· At this point, the decision as to what finally becomes of these
remains and when it occurs is solely with the DNR. We have asked that
they be returned to us for reinterment in a public cemetery where their
graves will be appropriately maintained in perpetuity. As a result of
the research conducted by the experts, gravestones and proper
memorialization will be erected for all.
While we recognize and respect the opinion of those that believe this
relocation was inappropriate, Duke's intent from the beginning has been
to insure that these remains were treated with respect and that the
statutory process was complied with precisely. If the DNR releases the
remains to us, the conclusion to this story will be that these remains
will have a final resting place that is appropriately marked and
maintained.
We hope even those who disagree with us on this matter recognize that
Duke Realty has been a good and caring corporate citizen in this
community for over a quarter of a century. Our people give an enormous
amount of their time and resources to social, educational and cultural
programs throughout central Indiana. We have learned the hard way the
awesome power of the press, particularly when it is abused.
Sincerely,
DUKE REALTY INVESTMENTS, INC.
Thomas L. Hefner
Chief Executive Officer
TLH/bfs
-----Original Message-----
From: CyndiPote(a)aol.com [mailto:CyndiPote@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 23, 1998 3:28 PM
To: webmaster(a)dukereit.com
Subject: Cemetery Desecration
I just finished reading the Indianapolis Star article regarding the
pioneer
cemetery that your company bulldozed. I am shocked and disgusted that no
one
involved with this project had any compassion for the possible
descendants of
people buried there. The historical signficance alone would dictate that
the
bodies and tombstones be moved to another site, if it was necessary to
use
this one for another purpose. Now it has all been destroyed.
I have lost all respect for your company and would urge others not to do
business with you in the future.
Cyndi Pote