The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-06-10
AFTER STEWARTvS MONEY.

AFTER STEWARDS MONEY.
Ho,v Ma.y Only Cousins % Drad Million
atre May Hare-Wh0 VIII Contest the
WW-ThoMsands Of Begging
Letters.
New York Sun.
The rumor that number of persons
protesting to be heirs of A. T. Stewart
were preparing to contest his will and to
GUST Judge Hilton, has been mentioned
to the latter. "That's all nonsense"
said Judge Hilton. laughing. az never
heard of it until saw it in print. There
are lots of people who would like to get
little of his money. "Look at these let
ters," pointing to about fifty tied with
red ribbon. "That's a mere fraction of
those that Mrs. Stewart and myself re-
ceive every day. don't have time to
read my own at all. They are rich
though" continued the judge laughing.
just look here-just listen to this"
Then he united the bundle, and picking
up letter after letter at random, read ex-
tracts from them, laughing at their con-
tents. They were a motley lot, written
by widows, old maids, poor girls, and
men of all conditions in life. Some of
them were from persons of high respecta-
bility; from ministers and business men,
certifying to the honesty and good char
acter of third persons who claimed to be
relatives of Mr.. Stewart.
One old lady in Keokuk, Ohio, sent
her photograph, and asserted that she
was Mr.. Stewards cousin and only rela-
tive. At the end of her letter was a GER
ti6cate of her "honesty, integrity and
veracity," with the autographs attached
of some of the most respectable business
men in Keokuk, including one firm that
is a customer of Stewards wholesale
store.
You see," said the judge, laughing,
chat each one claims to be the only rel
alive, and will not admit the claims of
the Others"
Some of the letters addressed to
Mrs. Stewart contained expressions of
coincidence and grief for the death of her
husband and the "dear relative" of the
writer's. One from female cousin in
Ireland began: "I have learned with
great grief Of the death of my dear
cousin" and ended with expressions of
sympathy with the widow. The writer
evidently was cunningly Withholding
her request for money until after she
had opened the way to the widows
heart.
"They usually write three times, these
fellows do" said the judge. "The first
time they claim relationship the second,
they complain because the small trouble
of answering them has not been taken
and the third, the scold and threaten"
One caviller in his letter advised Mrs.
Stewart that no one man could advise
her properly in regard to her business,
and requesting her to consult his friends,
the Rev. Stephen H. Tying and Prof
Ellie Charlier, in regard 10 the manage
ment of her affairs.
| One "cousin," who had "distinct rccol-
-lections and proof of having worked for
"my cousin" once, openly demanded
"What are you going to do for me p
:" And if you amt going to do anything
for me, write and let me know it,
Another writer seemed to expect that
his "recollecting distinctly" that he had
''given one of Mr.. Stewards relatives the
small sum of - dollars" entitled him
to share in the great merchants estate
Among the most curious of these
epistles were two to Mrs. Stewart from a
spiritual medium in Boston. They were
written in CHASTITY red ink, and protesting
to be communications direct from the
spirit land, were signed, Your deal
husband, A. T. Stewart" In these let
tiers Mrs. Stewart was directed to bestow
money upon certain persons, and to con
duct herself generally according to the
views of the "spirituaP' author. g.
hear that you have been asked to go t.
Europe" said the spirit" in one of the
letters, with him l called my friend
That's me-" broke in Judge Hilton
laughing as he read, "but / had M
thought OF going. advise you,
continued the letter, "not to 60. for you
would never return alive" In another
place the Esprit" of the dead merchant
assured the wife that he was not as rici
in the spiritual world as he had been il
material things on Garth.
Another medium in Baltimore sem
Mrs. Stewart a communication from the
esprit land" signed by her husband
In this, with great gravity of language
she was directed to purchase severa
thousand boxes of DIR. Moore's fever pill
and copies Of his medical book, which
were to be distributed among the poo
girls of the establishment, in order tina
they might know what medicine to buy