Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-11-16
rhe New YorI Grave Robberx.

vault of the late A. L. Stewart:
The robbers were evidently accom-
panied by two horse wagon, which
stood Oh the Eleventh street side of the
churehyard, about seventy FIVE feet from
Second avenue. The robbers must have
entered the grave between midnight
and daylight, and had with them an
lndia-rubber bag. In the vault, which
is about l0xl0. were five collins. One
was that OF a child; the next that OF a
small sized person. Then came one
marked 'Clinch," buried in 1885 This
box was neatly gone, and the thieves in
stepping over it had crushed it and e1-
posed the bones. Then there was q
well preserved box, upon which The
oaken box containing the remains OF
Mr.. Stewart rested.
In opening this, they first .unserewed
the lid, and then knocked out the boot
end. This gave them the lead coffin to
operate on, and with knife they open
ed this, commencing at the foot, and
after having started it, tore it open by
main force.
The casket was now in sight. The
stencil must have been terrible, and 1t
is thought that some undertaken, medi-
cal student or other person accustomed
TO handling bodies, must have been in
tie job, otherwise they could not have
stood it. The gold plated ornaments
of the caske. were very much dlscolor-
ed.
The casket was opened, the screw
driver or knife having evidently been
too large, as it slipped on the head OF
the screws. The body was then expos
ed 10 view, and must have been in
fearful state of decomposition, notwith-
standing the fact that it was in an air
tight receptacle, for the Innings were
very much saturated and discolored, and
the bottom of the casket was filed with
dark cclored yiscous fluid which had
gone through into the leaden covering.
The theory is that the remains were
then Fitted out and placed in an India
rubber bag. No stains were found upon
the grass or the railing, as would have
been the case had j. been in an ordinary
bag. 1t must then have been taken 10
some place prepared for il, as IT eoald
not have been kept about house.
Mr.. Stewart was buried on the 18th
of April, 1876, and his remains were
herme,ically sealed, so that it was rea-
sonaLle to suppose that they would
have been in a comparatively good state
of preservation, but the condition of tie
coffin shows that snch was not the case.
There could have been but one object
in the spoilation, and that was the hope
that a reward would be offered tor their
return. In order that the remains OF
any decomposed person could not be
sent ana the reward claimed the solid
silver plate on the coffin was taken by
the thieves.
Mrs. 4. 7. STEWART ILL
AT the time of the stealing Of the
BODY of her husband from the vault OF
St. Marks churchyard, in New York,
Mrs. ~. 4. Stewart was very i'll. She
is in her seventy fifth year, and has
allied much Of late Judge Hilton did
not break the news 10 her until late
hour in the day. He said it was one of
the most painful tasks that had ever
fallen on him. He put ii off, owing To
the ladys weak condition, az long rs
possible. Thursday afternoon when the
newsboys began to cry the story in the
streets, they seemed TO loiter about the
lady's residence with lingering interest,
and to cry the story more loudly and
persisteEty than usual. Mrs Stewart
always takes a lively interest in curren.
events, and exhibited singular interest
in desiring TO know what event was
cried on the streets. Judge Hilton, who
more than most people knowsthe strong
good sense of the lady, then related
carefully to her the story Of the robbery
of her husbands grave. Mrs. Stewart
bore the shock with wonderful heroism,
but it proved at lengthtoo great strain
on her weakened strength, and she sank
perceptibly under the blow. Judge
Hilton said that the terrible affair prov
ed a cruelty to the estimaLle lady diff
cult to conceive and extremely trying
TO witness. 1t is feared that The result
may prove very serious TO Mrs. Stewart.
There can be little doubt that the crime
was prompted by the hopes Of Obtaining
a large reward for the return o: The re-
mains. 1t was, Of course, generally
known that Mrs. Stewart was oDly wait
ing for the completion OF the magnifi-
cent edifce at Garden City TO transfer
her husbands remains to The beautiful
crypt which is preparing Tor their re-
ception, and The robbers counted on Mrs.
Stewards affection to secure large lie
ward for their return.
Judge Hilton is quoted as saying:
"Two years ago Mrs. Stewart received
a letter the purport OF which was that
the body of Mr.. Stewart would be taken
from the grave unless demands for
money would be complied with. The
letter was shown TO me. was in re-
ceipt of thousands Of sueh hyeDa like
letters; some written in red ink, 10 sim
ulate blood. others from spirtualis,s, tel
ling what Mr.. Stewart said from the
spirit land, but all demanding money"
Mrs. A. n. Stewart has offered re-
ward of $4,000 for the recovery of the
body of her late husband stolen from
the family vault in ST. Marks Church
graveyard, and the conviction Of the
thieves A proportiorate sum will be