The Atlas Obscura Podcast The Grave of XYZ (Classic)
Mar 6, 2026
A century-old bank robbery that turned into a town legend. A mysterious unidentified body laid to rest under the name XYZ. Reports of a woman in black who returns each year to leave flowers. How rituals, dares, and offerings transformed a real crime into local folklore.
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Night Watchman Shoots Unknown Robber
- Harry Tyler was a night watchman who shot a masked robber through the eye during a 1899 attempted bank burglary in Deep River, Connecticut.
- The robber died, was unclaimed, and lay in state while townspeople sought identification and answers.
Mysterious Letter Requests XYZ Headstone
- An anonymous unsigned letter asked that the unknown robber be buried with only the letters X Y Z on his gravestone.
- The town obliged: Fountain Hill Cemetery donated a plot and Harry Tyler carved a small wooden XYZ marker.
Woman In Black Visits Grave Every Year
- A woman dressed entirely in black began arriving by train each December 13th to place flowers on XYZ's grave, continuing annually until about 1947.
- She never identified herself and left immediately, fueling local mystery and legend.