--part1_f40ff507.2462461e_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hasn't this gone a little too far!!! Kathy --part1_f40ff507.2462461e_boundary Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: <owner-genealogy-l@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU> Received: from rly-ya04.mx.aol.com (rly-ya04.mail.aol.com [172.18.144.196]) by air-ya02.mail.aol.com (v59.4) with SMTP; Wed, 05 May 1999 15:37:33 -0400 Received: from LIME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (lime.ease.lsoft.com [209.119.1.41]) by rly-ya04.mx.aol.com (8.8.8/8.8.5/AOL-4.0.0) with ESMTP id PAA00305; Wed, 5 May 1999 15:37:13 -0400 (EDT) Received: from PEAR.EASE.LSOFT.COM (209.119.0.19) by LIME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (LSMTP for Digital Unix v1.1b) with SMTP id <10.0012C2B1@LIME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>; Wed, 5 May 1999 15:35:50 -0400 Received: from LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU by LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (LISTSERV-TCP/IP release 1.8d) with spool id 19140593 for GENEALOGY-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU; Wed, 5 May 1999 14:35:47 -0500 Received: from snorkel.uits.indiana.edu by piano.ucs.indiana.edu (LSMTP for Windows NT v1.1a) with SMTP id <0.8DF687C0@piano.ucs.indiana.edu>; Wed, 5 May 1999 14:35:43 -0500 Received: from maryland.exchange.indiana.edu (maryland.exchange.indiana.edu [129.79.6.163]) by snorkel.uits.indiana.edu (8.9.1a/8.9.1/1.1IUPO) with ESMTP id OAA15871 for <genealogy-l@listserv.indiana.edu>; Wed, 5 May 1999 14:35:42 -0500 (EST) Received: by maryland.exchange.indiana.edu with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2448.0) id <HY7PKXAK>; Wed, 5 May 1999 14:35:42 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2448.0) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Message-ID: <4F1C26C2EB4CD211BD2300805F657B5C0173B78B@newjersey.exchange.indiana.edu> Date: Wed, 5 May 1999 14:35:41 -0500 Reply-To: "Stephens, Larry V" <stephenl@INDIANA.EDU> Sender: SuperList of Genealogy Lists <GENEALOGY-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU> From: "Stephens, Larry V" <stephenl@INDIANA.EDU> Subject: [GENEALOGY-L] stolen tombstones at auction To: GENEALOGY-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit It has been reported on several lists that tombstones and grave markers - allegedly stolen - are being sold on the Internet auction service eBay. Below is further information that has been forwarded to me. PLEASE NOTE: Please don't ask me about the information below. After you read it you'll know as much as I do. ------- I received the following information from Rob Chesnut, Associate General Counsel for eBay. The company has been made aware of the legitimate concerns we have regarding the auctioning of used grave markers - an act which is both offensive and criminal. If you have , questions or comments you can contact Rob Chesnut at (408) 558-5948 or robc@eBay.COM . =========================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 4, 1999 eBay has recently been contacted by citizens who have expressed concern over the fact that several historical tombstones have appeared for sale on the eBay site. We share your concern, and will not permit these items to be sold on our site. This release is intended to answer several questions that have been raised in connection with these items. First, eBay does not sell or possess the items on its site. eBay is a venue where users post items for sale, and sellers complete transactions directly with buyers. eBay does not, and has never, possessed any historical tombstone. Second, as an Internet Service Provider, eBay cannot and does not pre-screen items posted on its site. While eBay rules strictly prohibit the posting of illicit items such as tombstones, it cannot guarantee that all its users will abide by these rules in posting items for sale. When eBay learns that an illicit item is on its site, it promptly removes the item. However, with approximately 2 million items for sale at any given time, and with over 250,000 new items placed on the site each day, some illicit items may go unnoticed for several days. We depend on our community to work with us in locating and identifying illicit items so that we can quickly remove them. In this case, eBay has promptly removed every tombstone brought to its attention, informed the sellers that such markers are not allowed on the site, and refunded all fees in connection with these auctions to ensure that eBay has in no way received money for this activity. To discourage future listings of tombstones on the site, eBay will also be posting rules on its site shortly regarding the sale of artifacts which will specifically inform users that the sale of historical tombstones is illegal in many states and is prohibited on eBay. eBay has received information that at least some of the items brought to our attention are not tombstones, but historical grave markers given to families of Civil War veterans. In many cases, these grave markers were never actually used as grave markers, but kept by families as mementos. In those instances, the markers are not stolen property, and if they were never used as for tombstones their sale may be lawful. eBay is investigating whether these items can be lawfully sold, and will post information on the site when it makes a final decision. eBay will be contacting law enforcement and encouraging authorities to investigate whether historical marker posted on its site was stolen. eBay will cooperate fully in any investigation of illegal activity, and will provide records to law enforcement on the sellers of any illegal item. eBay appreciates the efforts of those who have contacted us concerning these postings. Concerned law enforcement authorities or interested citizens may contact Associate General Counsel Rob Chesnut at (408) 558-5948 if they have further questions on this matter. --part1_f40ff507.2462461e_boundary--