The New York herald., 1878-11-09
MIR. MIDDLETON'S CUSTOMER
How a Supposed Clew Was
Proved Worthless.


Thursday afternoon he drove directly to Mrs Stew
arts residence. on Thirty fourth street, where his.
coming was anxiously awaited by the widow OF his
old friend and partner. rumor Of trouble in the
graveyard had already reached the ears Of Mrs.
Stewart now nearly sevenyve years of age. but no
one had dared take it upon herself to break the news
to her. When Judge Hilton arrived he told her
the whole story in careful language, and
endeavored to her by assuming the
certain recovery Of the stolen body. Mrs.
Stewart though old lady. is well preserved
woman strong sense but this strange story
was than she could bear with equanimity.
She sat Like dazed and appeared prostrated by the
intelligence. Her first thought. however to do
something. and she at suggested that large
reward should be offered. Judge Hilton had promised
the police that he would do nothing Of the kind with
out their sanction. and he knew that they
divided in opinion to the desrability Of q reward
He wanted to keep faith with them, but his feel
ings prompted him to do Mrs. Stewart suggested
Finally Mr.. Libbey came in, and the three talked
over calmly and with interest. Mr.. Libbey, like
Judge Hilton. felt willing to spend any amount Of
money to detect and punish the scoundrels, but
outspoken in his refusal to pay dollar Of COM
promise or blackmail. Grasping the situation Judge
Hilton took his pencil and the following card -
THE TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARD.
|$ $4,000 REWARD.
Whereas, in the early morning Of November 7.s
$l87H the vault OF the late Alexander T. Stewart
SSt. Marks churchyard in this city. broken$
$into and his remains removed therefrom.
BY direction Of Mrs. A. r. Stewart the above>
$reward is offered and will be paid for the return>
$of the body and information which will convict$
I the parties who were engaged in the outrage.
Or liberal reward viii Sc paid for nformations
I$ HENRY HILTON,
Is Broadway and Chambers street I
! NEW YORK, November ., 1873
Judge Hilton first wrote $4,000. then $4,000, and
finally changed the first cipher to . five, he said
he desrous to offer what would be An indication
Of the feeling experienced and what would seem sde
quste to the public, WHILE at the time, he did
not ,overstep the mark by Offering too much. Mrs.
Stewart entirely satisfied by Judge Hiltons
rlusion and somewhat soothed by his but
yesterday morning found her despondent and pros
trate. She remained in bed, took breakfast and
was ~ broken a. . woman OF her years and
tender memories would naturally be. She was the
wife Of Mr.. Stewart fifty years. They
ried when very young and always led . remarkably
peaceful and happy life Of mutual regard and help
She invariably Addressed her husband Honey
aud he called her MY dear" An intimate in the fam
|ny for nearly twenty years said that he had
witnessed "scene'' In their home; that he never
heard Mrs. Stewart speak to her husband by any
other than Honey. and that their married life
notably free from quarres. Mrs. Stewards friends
have overwhelmed the house since the news Of the
missing body told, but, aside from the Hiltons
md her niece and her most intimate associates she
sees of them.
The suggestion in yesterdays HERALD, to the effect
that the body of Mr.. Stewart might have been re-
moved in October last. Afforded Judge Hilton cew,
on which he worked
THE HERALD cLEw.
It clear that the gates had not been unlocked.
Il equally clear that to toss carry the body.
If in arubber bag. the tall sharp pickcts
almost impossibility. And it tolerably clear
that grave robber who knew minutcIy the location
Stewards coffin that he could dig to it without
ing inch OF ground would have great difficulty in
removing the body to another vault in the yard
Judge Hilton At first refused to entertain the theory
At ALL indeed in interview Of informal nature
he ridiculed IT, because. when he notified of the
attempt In October. he personally and with great care
examined the sod and the slab and concluded that
nothing had been touched In spite Of this the
|yard vaults all opened and carefully examined
yesterday. but far reported nothing WAS dis
covered. 1t s conceded-snd in view Of what fol-
lows would to have great weight-that it
only possible for the robbers to open any Of the
adjacent vaults. but 10 dig comparatively shall
How grave in which to put the decomposing body.
sEAucHING
The labor Of searching the vaults entrusted to
Detectives Adams. Radford. Ferris and Dks TO
the old churchysrd they went. and. with
their practiced eyes. surveyed every vault
rover and examined every inch Of ground whore
clew to the perpetrators Of the ghoulsh at might be
found Six vaults opened and their interiors
p.orcd but not trace of the missing remains could be-
fonnd. When the party reinforced by Sergeant
Rooney, Of the Seventeenth precinct who provided
suitable utensils the real work Of examination be-
gun. An old vault. grass grown and coated,
near the westerly boundary wis first sighted. The
Piled the slab turned and Detective Adams
prepared to descend II was grateful task. The
olor arising from the six bodies which for years
had rot,ed there so overpowering that the
search party compelled to give their
iabors for q space Of time. They afterward
Icseded The vault was examined. and only
tits old-time inmates were found TO remain
there. II had been closed for thirty years.
Its neighbors had seen the light Ut less remote
period and the descent to them less dificult.
Nearly all tho members Of the party explored some
abode Of the dead and all with like results. Then
giving over that system of investigation. they
fell 10 examining what slabs had been removed. Taking
the Stewart vault CENTRE they examined the
vaults lying conversely and tiansversely. In
this way they passed over the family vaults
|of the winthrops those of Mrs. Bibby,
William Coleman. derardus Post, John dils. Isaac
Pell. Eleanor Jones' Edward Tyde, George wothcr-
spool, John W. Watson and Harry II. Watson Martin
Hoffman, John A. Graf and Edward Towns
end the Spinglcrs, the Pinckneys Michsel
Burnham and Christus srildenberger. 1t was
strange duty. than OF cycling these old
mldewcd squares Of gray stone, and testing whether
they in the locations they had occupied for half
century or not But the detectives carefully full
nilcd their functions and then they sought the old
chnrch itself. From cupola to cellar IL was examined
The old tower, that has rarely been invaded, heard