Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-11-15
Theft Of 4. r. Stewart Corpse.
REMARKABLE ROBBERY FOR GAIN
HOPES OF a REWARD-WHAT JUDGE

REMARKABLE ROBBERY FOR GAIN
HOPES OF REWARD-WHAT JUDGE
HILTON SAYS.
&C, &C, &c.
New York was astonished Friday morn
ing to know that the vault of A.. T.
Stewart, in st. Marks Church cemetery in
that city, had been broken open the night
before, and the millionaire's remains which
had been there nearly a year awaiting re-
moval to the memorial church his widow
robbers. 1t will be remembered that at
the time of Mr.. Stewards death, his execu-
tor, Judge Hilton, received threatening
letters, saying that if money was not sent
to the writers the remains would be carried
off after burial. The following is Judge
Hilton's account of the outrage:
Not quite month ago Mr.. Hammill,
the sexton. came to me and informed me
that he had discovered evidences that the
stone marking the site OF tile Stewart
vault, in St. Marks churchyard, had been
tempered with l Immediately went and
made an examination. l found that the
stone, marble slab, about 20 by 80 inches,
had been tempered with. 1t seemed to have
been priced up with a bar. Those who did
it appear to have thought it heavier than
it really was. Some digging Was done un-
derneaJh, and there was some dirt and
yellow clay scattered about Whether the
dlggers were frightened away or not does
not appear They hardly dug far enough to
find out if the slab was correctly located.
| was astoniShed at the discovery, and
Mix tI,cn 1cf
that the paddock on the gate on E eventh
street, had sand or clay, exactly like that
scattered around the slab, scattered over
it. 1t looked as if the diggers had not
gone away SO hastily, but had passed out
that gate, and by being able to open the
paddock. When the gate was shut by
them the chain to the paddock was left
link longer than it had ever been known
to be left before. 1t looked as if those
who en- handled that lock were not used
to handling it.
[ was very much astoniShed. Tie attempt
to steal the remains of Lincoln flashed upon
my memory. | could imagine no reason
why any one sho uld attempt to steal Mr..
Stewards body. except to recover reward
| that might be offered for it. MI. Stewart
was buried strictly according to his own
wishes. His body was not embalmed.
Although very carefully coffned and prob
ably pretty we'll preserved, the remains
could not possibly be of any value ana
| Ironically. After much reflection | con-
cluded to make no stir at all about the
matter.
I then had the slab surrounding the
vault removed to a spot about twenty feet
away, in south-westerly direction, and
placed over vacant spot, but in direct
| line with the row of vaults running east
and west, as well as OF those running
| north and south. To all appearances. the
new location of the slab was regular and
well calculated to deceive. l oldered its
former site to be covered with sod, and
that to be kept iii order, which was done.
In this way the actual site of the grave
could not be located, and the person seek
ing it would naturally be misled, unless re-
!iably Informed by those actually posted.
Then MI. Hammiil was ordered to pro-
cure the best Custom House locks that
could be got, and have them put on the
fence gates. inst cad of those in use. He
was also ordered to hire q regular watch
man at my expense, to guard the cemetery
during the night.
My instructions were that this man
should patrol the entire yard once every
hour during the night, and in the mean
time to have a post of lookout at one of
the windows overlooking the yard on the
eastern side OF the church. This watch
man was not to know what had been
known, nor that he WAS engaged at my ex-
pense, nor that he was watching for the
benefit of the estate. He was simply to be
made to understand that he was engas ed
generally as night Waterman of the ceme-
terry. told Mr.. Hammill, in reply to his
questions, that he should keep the watch
man on duty month, and that, in the
meantime, | would make such arrange
men Is as would be necessary.
Shortly after O'Clock this morning, Mr.
Hanmill Game to me, and in some excite
ment told me that Mr.. Stewards body had
been stolen from the vault during the
night. Mortified, l went to the cemetery
found that the outrage had been perpe
trattd. Mr.. Hammlll said that Parke
had gone to the church at 8 O'Clock, as
usual. and discovered that the vault had
been rlfled. He then told him, and he
went down in the vault and found the
BODY gone. | made as careful examina-
ton as possible. What first surprised m
was the wonderfully accurate knowledge
OF the diggers. They knew 50 exactly
their forms and positions towards one
another, that they dug So straight for tn"
central or key slab AS to strike it at one
and alone, and without digging one inch
out OF the direct way on any side. The
walnut case was not broken. It was un-
screwed carefully, and the brass screws |
were lying about The top of the leaden
casing inside that, was cut away. The lid |
OF the coffin was urlifted by prying The |
hinges. TIE silver plate was taken a d |
tie remains removed. The stone, when ] |
reached the spot, was lying on the surface,
and on it was lying rope that belonged
fl q T c1r hi hOx thof
came there. He SAID that when the rob
berry was discover. d the dirt was left dis
placed, but that the ey-slab was back in.
its place, and that when he saw that be
went to tie church basement and got the
rope with which he lifted up the slab. |
asked him how it was necessary to go one
hundred and twenty feet to procure rope
to lift few inches stone weighing but d
few pounds, and but three feet by less than
two, when the two Of them could easily do
it with their hands. The men were so ex-
cited that got no answer. found new
small bulls eye lamp ard small hand
shovel
Mrs. Stewart was very ill at the time of
the affair. She is IN her seventy-ffth year
and has allied much of late. Judge Hilton
Id not break the news to her until late
hour in tie day. He said it was one of the
most painful tasks that had ever fallen Oh
him; He put it ufff, owing to the lady's
weak condition, as long as possible. In
the afternoon, when the neWs-boys began
to cry the story In the streets, they seemed
to ]oiter bout the lady's residence with a
neerlng interest, and to cry the story
more loudly and persistently than usual.
Mis-. Stewart always takes a lively inter
est in current events. and exhibited sing
ular interest in desiring to know what
event Was cried on the streets. Judge Hill
ton, who more han most people knowsthe
strong good sense OF the lady, then related |
carefully to Oh the story OF the ROBBERY IF
her husband g grave. Mrs. Stewart bore
he shock with wonderful heroism, bug it
proved at length too great a strain upon ! .