HOISINGTON — "Dear Maggie," reads the tombstone of eight-year-old Maggie Tullis, " you left us, our loss we deeply feel." Over a hundred years ago, the parents of Maggie Tullis laid their young daughter to rest, a victim of the harsh prairie life of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

I.C. Cillinham, died 1900, at age 12 years, 10 months and two days.

Sarah Pinkerton, died Nov. 21, 1885, at age 34, one month and eight days.

These stones and others of those both young and old were recently overturned by vandals at the old Methodist Cemetery north of Hoisington. Located on a quiet prairie hill, parents, spouses and children lowered the bodies of their loved ones into the dirt, little imagining that one day vandals would overturn the monuments purchased to honor them.

Hoisington Mayor Clayton Williamson helped mow the cemetery for years. There are some Civil War and World War I soldiers buried there, he said. There are stones that have been there over a 100 years.

"I’m sick," said Williamson. "Good Lord, those people put a tombstone to remember their deceased."

The Barton County Sheriff is investigating the crime. "At 8 p.m. Saturday, a passerby called 911," said Larry Holliday, Barton County undersheriff. "A deputy responded."

Approximately, thirty-four of the 46 monuments were damaged or destroyed. Williamson said that a group of employees from Superior Essex have volunteered to help right the stones at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

"Pictures have been taken and the case has been assigned to a detective," said Holliday. There are no new leads in the case at this time.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers, 792-1300 or 1-888-305-1300.