Prior to 1825, students generally raided cemeteries themselves, but growing demand led to the establishment of "professional resurrectionists" to acquire bodies on behalf of the schools.
If he encountered others on his way to town, Cunningham would slap its face and tell it to sit up straight, acting as if he were taking a drunk friend home.
The next day, the funeral home had two unassuming visitors alleging to be from the coroner's office, requesting the bodies, which were turned over.
He intentionally delivered them a body infected with smallpox, causing several of the students to become ill.[8] In August 1871, Cunningham was caught with two corpses and indicted.
He died of heart disease[3] a few months later in October, but not before he sold his body in advance to Medical College of Ohio in Cincinnati.
Between his teeth he holds a short pipe as he was wont to in the days of flesh.Cunningham was married to Mary Cunningham, who assisted him in stealing bodies.
[10] Cunningham is considered the most infamous body snatcher in Ohio history, becoming a bogeyman used to scare misbehaving children.