The New York herald., 1878-11-08
"was there not private w.tohmanr.

''Yes Some time ago we learned that tho lock u
the gate Of the churchyard had been tampered with
The affair looked suspicious and employed two
men to watch the tomb. by day and the Other BY
uight."
WHAT ONE STEWART LAwrERs aAxs.
Mr.. Ira Shafer, of the counsel for the Stewart
estate against the claims Of certain alleged relatives
of the deceased. was shocked when he heard of the
outrage and could not imagine that it committed
for any other purpose than to extort money
"Do you suppose the disappointed relatives could
have had any hand in spirting away the body r was
asked Mr.. Shafer.
'well. that would be all . conjecture~ replied
the lawyer. 1T would hardly help their much
to be guilty Of such an atrocity No. there men
in this city who capable Of doing almost anything
for money. and this looks like hdeous attempt at
backmail; but think they'll ind themselves fear
fully disappointed"
1t may be here recalled that Mr.. ShAfer in his
cent argument against the lawyer who has been busy
in bringing forward claimants for the estate Of tho
late A. T. Stewart spoke almost prophetically when
he said:"Things have arrived at such pitch that Is
Is not safe for rich to die in New York city.
AN INGENIOUS THEORY.
One Of the cleverest official criminal experts In this
CITY, who has personally investigated the said to
. HERALD reporter last night:-"Of course have .
theory. who hasn't? think however. that have tho
correct and don't mind if give you the beaeht
Of it. have worked hard all day this case. and
am morally convinced that Mr.. Stewards
remains not exhumed at the time re-
ported by Judge Hilton, and am further
convinced that the body is still buried In
st. Marks graveyard. And will give you my
for these opinions They are -Four weeks ago
to-day the sexton of the church reported to Judge
Hilton that the soil around the tomb had been tam
pered with. There no doubt that head. Thera
were the evidences Of the misplaced earth that the
resurrectionists had been at work. No thorough in.
vestgation then made to ascertain il the body
had been disturbed. Mr. Hilton least took IL for.
granted that 1t was abortive attempt to search
for valuables in the Stewart vault not wish
ing to believe that such outrage could
be thought Of a. the carrying away Of
the body. That night-that Is. month ago to-day
the 7th Of October-the deed done. Then tina
body exnumed and placed in some other vault i'm
the same graveyard in order to bafhe all attempts
Of the police to discover the body the identity
of tho ghouls. OF course this secret could not bo
kept without frustrating the mercenary end the body
snatchers had in view. They waited sufficiently
long time until they could safely return
and reopen the grave. They would have dona
sooner. doubt. but for the presence
of the watchman. As he called on they
went to work to develop their plans by digging up
the loose soil the vault he soil. have said
having been previously displaced and thereby make
ing it appear that the body had been stolen weds
nesday night. I repeat again that the remains
exhumed October and deposited in vault in tho
same graveyard 1t is unfrequented place. and no
but the officials Of the church could notice the
careful displacement and subsequent arrangement OF
the soil except their notice called to it by
person who suspicious that the thing had bean
DONE
SUGGESTIVE FACTS.
This theory continued the Official els strength.
ened by the fact that it would be next impossible.
in view Of the alarm and publicity quickly given.
for the putrd remains to be kept concealed withouh
the foul odor being quickly detected matter wherG
concealment would be sought above ground. And
supposng that the body has been inferred again in
order to prevent detection. what moro convenienk
burial place than in the very graveyard
where the body originally rested. they could digs
into vault they could dig into two. and it was,
easier transplant the body in this way than TO
tho risk Of carrying it from the churchysrd to MORE
distant one. Nobody supposes that such human
mass Of corruption could be kept for an hour above
ground without the very odor causing the birds Cd
and the beasts of the eld to scent it out an
make these brutes skilful detectives than sny
which have at Police Headquarters. It il inn
possible.
20 anxious was he unfold and elucidsts his novel
theory "a that these ghouls want Is that large re<
ward may be offered for the restoration Of
the remains. That their object In carA
rying away tho body. They have calculated that -
Mrs. Stewart expends 100000 in cathedral . rest
ing place for Mr. Stewards ashes win not hesitate
to part with $4,000 to gain possession of her hus-
bands stolen body. Now. this is reasonable enough
and it is equally reasonable to suppose that IL the
resurrectionists had removed tho body outside tho
limits Of the churchyard that they could easily de-
ceivc Mrs. Stewart by pocketng the reward and sub
stuting some fostering corpse in the hsbiments OF
the deceased any other identification Ia mpossble:
and then. after the lapse Of short time. making
known the deception and claiming second reward.
and 30 on al irnitam until Mrs. Stewards milliona
would be exhausted in the endeavor to satisfy
the demands Of these Unsuitable vampires. Bus
such,s possible contingency is made impossible. and
the security Of the body snstchers attended by the
simple device Of merely transplantng the remains
another vault in st. Marks burial ground Them in.
that csse when the necessary negotiations for its
covcry shall have been completed these people could
satisfy Mrs. Stewart Of the identity Of her husbands
stolen body by simply advising her Of tho particular
vault where 1t transplanted to- Identification In
that would bo satisfactory and complete. These
are my views and am convinced that they win b.
found to be the correct ones"
Mr. STEWARDS onsEouTKa
Tho outrage recalls tho funeral Of Mr. A. T. Stewart
which took place April 49, 1876. in this city The
HERALp's account of that occasion gives some polnxu
which OF particular interest just The re-
mains Of Mr. Stewart says the report. "were placed
in the coffin by Mr. Hamiil the sexton Of st. Marks
Church) and his assistants. the dead merchant being
attred in simple walking dress suit much like whax
he was wont in life consisting Of black froc
coat vest cut low. with black dosskin trousers .
white evening e tho shirt bosom bearing three plain
pearl buttons its snowy surface. The face looked
very natural. having slight pink tinge. Tho righti
hand lay by his side. while the loft waS;
placed in cnsy attitude across his breast .,
1t was indeed striking illustration Of the evAnes-
ccnce OF human greatness that body lie in state
-. . ..o-xa ~ anxuar. Ah--. <-.x ha.H ~..--~--a.r