New-York tribune., 1878-11-21
MAGNIFICENT REWARD OFFERED.

been discharged.
A MAGNIFICENT REWARD OFFERED.
FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BE GIVEN FOR KvI-
pENcE CONvICTING 1HE ROBBERS, OR TEN
THOUSAND FOR CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE AGAINST
ANY ONE OF THEM-No REWARD FOR THE RE-
TURN OF THE BODY.
Immediately after the discovery of the outrage
npon the tomb of A. T. Stewart, Judge Hilton, and
Commissioner Sidney p Nichols and Inspector Muir
raw of the police force held consultation as to the
best means of recovering the body This was with
out result Mrs. Stewart was subsequently informed
of the robbery of her husbands remains, and her
wishes were considered in all consultations whlch
afterward took place.
Mrs Stewart from the first was anxious that the
remains should be recovered even if the robbers
caped. Money was no object to her and she urged
that any sum be paid and the robbers be permitted
TO 20 unpunished, rather than that the remains SO
dear to her. be lost. Commissioner Nichols sympa-
thzed with the unhappy lady, and insisted that her
wishes ought to be considered above all else, and
that after the body had been recovered every effort
and every needful expenditure should be made to
punish the guilty. He admitted that his sympathy
rather than his judgment led him TO this conclusion,
but he felt the first duty to crafty Mrs. Stew
arts wishes at any cost, and then to use all activity
i'll procuring justice.
Judge Hilton and Inspector Murray were of the
contrary opinion. Judge Hilton declared from the
outset that lie believed the right policy was to offer
a small sum for the body and large amount for
the conviction of the thieves. He was so firm IN
this opinion that only sympathy with Mrs. Stewart
and a Difference to public criticism deferred him
from carrying out his plan. From the time that
Judge Hilton exchanged the legacy of 81 100000
left him by Mr.. Stewart after lifetime of devoted
service for the WIDOWS interest III the mercantile
of II Stewart & Co. he has been
subjected 10 criticisms of the most outrageous sort
in regard to every incomplete enterprise OF the
distinguished merchant. While Judge Hilton has
been mperyious to these attacks it is unreasonable
TO suppose that he has been Indifferent to them;
and is certain that consideration OF the probable
slurs of indifference to the memory of his friend,
which failure to offer a reward for the return of
his remains would have melted, influenced his first
action in offering S25, 900 for ther recovery
Inspector Murray from the beginning argued that
no reward should be offered for the return of the
body but any amount for the conviction of the
thieves The first object was to SOW dissensiOn
among the robbers. AS long the latter held
closely together il was evident that the police,
baled from the start for it is now admitted by all
the responsible police officials engaged in the search
that they know nothing of the body after 1t
crossed the graveyard fencel could obtain
no clew to their movements or whereabouts.
To notify to the thieves that not penny
would be paid for the body was to deprive them of
the main strength that bound them together. To
offer large reward for the conviction of all to
set every detective, and, indeed, every man and
woman as spies upon their track. To offer portion
of the whole reward for thecOnvcton of any one or
more of the robbers to excite the cupidty of the
weakest and lead to the betrayal of the whole.
The BETRAYAL of the robbers necessarily in
yoyed so Inspector Murray is understood
to have argued with that large mOdicum
of common sense which he has displayed on other
notable occasions, which won for him his lnsDec-
tors badgel the return of the body, for the first
chief, and only guarantee which any cOnfessing
robber could offer of his good faith would Daturay
have been the revelation Of the hiding place of the
corpse.
These various arguments and sympathies and
also considerations of public policy finally resulted
in the publication of reward offering $4,000
for the return of the body and information which
would convict the robbers. A contingent " liberal
reward for information leadiugtO either result was
also offered. The false policy pursued was soon
apparent. Hundreds of persons were melted to
make all kinds of revelations in the hope of the re-
ward published, or some special remuneration in
appreciation of their good intentions. Scores OF
false clews given to the police, and were
sifted and dismissed of none of which the
pubic nearu. OtneIS equally pdstleSs, anu cOmO
more ridiculous, were published, accompanied by
assertions that they were undoubtedly correct, and
that they inevitably led TO the capture of the rob-
bers. Some of these led, if their authors were cor
rect to the body itself, and it was duly taken pos
session Of in the most secret manner. Two men
accused of planning burglary were arrested
in the hope that, as well-known thieves, they might
know something of the robbery. and to-day they
lie in the Tombs upon the strength of a
confession already proved to have been
false. Three others, arrested yesterday
on suspicion of burglary, were at once accused of
this heinous crime. But information of any
value reached either Judge Hilton or the police au-
thorltes. The offer of reward was in no way calcu-
'a'eo 70 divide or distract the real criminals no
One oi them saw any advantage in turning States
ueuee, aud so each remained silent and con-
Up 70 Tuesday afternoon all search had
" oanieu' The police in charge of the
81 I ho more of robbers and body than
tney Knew on the first day after the discovery
that the tomb had been despoiled. On that day
twas learned that at least Eve men, whose tracks
were left embedded in the moist earth of the grave
yard' had been engaged in the robbery. and that
,ae body had been lifted over the fence at the cor
Aef OK Miss Newton's bOaiding-house. All reports