imagine this: Some of them even had their
beginnings right here in the United
States, long before the Bible was ever writ-
ten! For him, the whole notion of Moses
getting the Ten Commandments and
Jews and the Land of Israel and every-
thing else in that book was pure, unadul-
terated hogwash.

The Mystery Solved?

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In 1858, Newark, Ohio, was the site of a
convention for Episcopalian clergy. It was
here, Dr. Lepper believes, that the plot
behind the Holy Stones may have been
hatched.
Among those who attended the con-
vention was Bishop Mcllvaine. This
prominent member of the Episcopal
Church also was an author whose works
included An Inquiry Into the Origins of
the Antiquity of America, published in
1839.
"In this book, he predicts that one day
artifacts would be found that would prove
the Bible true," Dr. Lepper says.
Now just suppose that while at the
Newark convention Bishop Mcllvaine
met up with McCarty and Gen. Dille. No
doubt he mentioned his frustration with
Nott.
Just imagine, Dr. Lepper says, that the
bishop wished some evidence could be
found that would put Nott and his theo-
ries out of business — perhaps an ancient
artifact that would prove that the Bible
was anything but nonsense. Then imag-
ine, Dr. Lepper continues, that Gen. Dille
and McCarty, who was familiar enough
with Hebrew that he made the first trans-
lation of the Keystone, happened to know
a skilled stone carver named Elijah Sut-
ton, whose gravestones still can be seen
in Newark's cemeteries — and bear a re-
markable resemblance to the Decalogue
Stone.
Now suppose that Gen. Dille and Mc-
Carty also happen to know a poor, sick-
ly man — perhaps someone who had
seriously considered the notion that Jews
had, thousands. of years ago, come to
America (so he wouldn't automatically

discount any curious relics he found) —
a man who could greatly benefit from a
remarkable archaeological discovery.
Conveniently, Gen. Dille did know such
a man: his childhood friend, David
Wyrick.
Perhaps it was mere coincidence that
McCarty and Gen. Dille were there when
Wyrick came across the Decalogue Stone
and remarked, 'There it is!" Just like that
really odd coincidence that Col. Whit-
tlesey just happened to be in Newark
when the Keystone was found.
But Bradley Lepper doesn't believe
much in coincidences. In fact, he is con-
vinced Wyrick was duped into finding the
Keystone that very day, so Whittlesey
would be there to authenticate it as soon
as possible. This quickly would disprove
any notions that everything in the Bible
was untrue, because it would show the
existence of Jews and their relationship
with Moses and their receipt of the Ten
Commandments. And if Nott was wrong
about this, surely no one could continue
to believe his ideas about slavery.
The only problem was, there was so
much skepticism about that first stone.
So perhaps McCarty and Gen. Dille fab-
ricated another, a much more sophisti-
cated work that would counter critics of
the Keystone. But the whole question be-
came moot anyway. Lincoln was elected
president on Nov. 6 — five days after the
Decalogue Stone was found. And it would
be this victory — not the discovery of two
"Holy Stones" — that eventually brought
down Nott.

Amazing Coincidences

What in no way remains a mystery is the
fate of John McCarty and Gen. Dille, and
the extraordinary careers of these men
who seemed destined for anything but
greatness.
McCarty, once a "wayward" student,
began dating a singer of questionable rep-
utation. But that didn't stop his promo-
tion to a top post with the Episcopal
Church in Ohio, where, naturally, Bish-
op McIlvaine had tremendous influence.

Israel Dille, meanwhile, ran into a
great deal of financial trouble. Yet he end-
ed up, of all places, with a plum job at the
Internal Revenue Service. Could it have
had anything to do with the fact that
Bishop Mcllvaine was known to have a
few connections there, too?
The only one who appears not to have
benefited from the whole affair was the
man who found the stones.
In a letter to a colleague, Wyrick wrote,
"I wish to God someone else had found
them." He had come to believe, he said,
that "someone has been trying to hoax
me."
On April 8, 1864, four years after the
discovery of the Holy Stones, David
Wyrick died. He had spent the last
months of his life in terrible financial de-
spair, with three mortgages on his home.
Described in his obituary as "a man of
eccentric character and considerable at-
tainment," he ended his own life with an
overdose of laudanum, a 19th-century
concoction whose principal ingredient was
opium.
Col. Whittlesey, who over the years had
grown more and more skeptical of the
stones, became their leading critic after
Wyrick's death. This was, no doubt, the
result of a conversation he had with Mc-
Carty.
McCarty had moved to Cincinnati,
where he served as rector of Christ
Church, become ill and was anticipating
death. Certainly he had never imagined
the Holy Stones would still be talked
about long after Wyrick's passing. But
that's exactly what happened. Scholars
continued to debate their legitimacy, and
the public continued to be interested.
For years, McCarty had been Wyrick's
chief defender. Suddenly, in 1866, he in-
formed Col. Whittlesey that he had found
in Wyrick's home a Bible and stones into
which someone had practiced carving He-
brew letters. The implication was clear:
Wyrick had forged the stones.
Perhaps it was true, but Dr. Lepper
doesn't believe it. Instead, he says, the
problem was the stones had become ir-
relevant for the purpose for which they

had been created. Nott no longer needed
to be discredited.
`The last thing McCarty wanted was to
see this whole thing stirred up again," he
says. Who knows? There was still a chance
he could have been found out.
"All he wanted was for it to end, and
how could he do that? He went to see Whit-
tlesey, and he fabricated the entire story
about finding the things in Wyrick's home."

about anything you want to know re-
garding the stones.
Interestingly enough, the Holy Stones
were not even on display until 1991. The
previous museum director preferred to
keep them in her desk drawer.
Today, the stones continue to generate
the greatest interest among Mormons. In
1973, Brigham Young University even
offered to buy them, and Mormon re-
searchers often visit the museum to study
the stones. Their interest is sparked by a
claim, made by church founder Joseph
Smith, that the United States was once

populated by tribes of various peoples (in-
cluding Jews). If legitimate, the stones
would, of course, offer proof of Smith's
claim, Mormons believe.
The museum also has an extensive file
on the stones, though this is not open to
the public. Those interested, however,
may purchase photographs of the Holy
Stones or find books about them in the
museum gift shop.

A Parting Gift

For decades, no one knew where David
Wyrick lay buried.
Because Wyrick had been so poor at
the time of his death, most speculated
that his final resting spot was an un-
marked grave.
But as with almost everything else in
this strange story, nothing is quite as it
seems.
Bradley Lepper managed to find the
grave of the man who, more than 135
years ago, unearthed a mystery that con-
tinues to this day. It's in Cedar Hill Ceme-
tery in Newark, and Wyrick lies not
under a modest stone as one might ex-
pect, but what was, for the time, quite a
grand one.
The stone had been designed by Elijah
Sutton — the same engraver Dr. Lepper
is fairly certain carved the Decalogue
Stone. It is the exact thickness of both the
Keystone and the Decalogue Stone. And
unlike virtually every other tombstone of
its time, where the name of the deceased
is straight across in a horizontal line,
Wyrick's tombstone bears his name in an
arch, like the writing on the Decalogue.
In fact, many who see the tombstone can't
help but notice its similarity to the Holy
Stone.
One thing is certain: Wyrick's family
could not have afforded this. Dr. Lepper
believes it was a final gift from Gen. Dille,
McCarty and Sutton.
"It's almost as though they were offer-
ing an apology," Dr. Lepper says. "As
though they were saying, 'We're sorry for
everything you had to endure because of
the Holy Stones.' "

❑

Where To See The Stones

T

he most difficult part of the
whole adventure is saying the
name.
It's Co-schock-ton, and it's
about an hour-and-a-half drive (and an
easy one at that) from the Columbus Air-
port.
Coshocton is just off the highway to the
south, and to the north is Coshocton's
Roscoe Village, a charming historic area
with small shops and restaurants. The
museum, an elegant and imposing struc-
ture, is on the right, just as you enter the
village.

The Johnson-Humrickhouse Muse-
um is home to a collection of Indian ar-
tifacts and all kinds of Americana, with
special art exhibits always in the works.
It was founded by John Johnson and his
brother, David Johnson (the man who
eventually bought the Decalogue Stone
and Keystone), in memory of their par-
ents, Joseph Johnson and Mary Susan
Humrickhouse Johnson, and opened in
1931.
Midge Derby, who couldn't be more
pleasant and helpful, is director of the
museum. She'll be glad to tell you just

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