New-York tribune., 1878-11-08
night were of great service to the robbers in pre-
venting their being discovered.

tomb bad been attempted month before, and that
the occurrence had been kept from the knowledge
of the police. Early on the morning of October7,
1t was discovered that the flagstone marking the
vault had been removed and that the earth beneath
1t had been dug up to depth of several feet ltwas
evident that thieves had made an attempt to get at
Mr.. Stewards body, but they had been prevented
through their ignorance Of the entrance. The
fag-stone was not over the entrance, as they sup
posed. but was sitnated several feet away. Mr..
Hamill reported the occurrence to Judge Hill
ton, and q consultation was bad as to the
best means of guarding the vault against
grave robbers. The stone which marked the
position of the vault was placed few
feet further to the SOUTH and a watchman was en-
gagged TO patrol the street near the churchyard at
night. This watchman was discharged few days
ago.
The police expressed the opinion that the robbery
had required the combined efforts of several adroit
and daring thieves 1t needed at least three men
to enter the vault and move the body. Another
man was needed to take care of horse
and wagon and be on hand when required. Two
others doubtless guarded the streets and Kept
sharp lookout for the approach of policeman
The thieves must have known the exact spot under
which the entrance to the tomb could be found, and
this knowledge they probably gained by careful
measurements. When all was ready they took ad-
vantage of dark, stormy night. when few persons
on the Streets to enter the churchyard and de-
spoil the tomb
WHAT JUDGE HILTON SAYS.
1.-TWO years ago." said Judge Hilton, yesterday,
"Mrs. Stewart received letter the purpcrt of which
was that the BODY of Mr.. Stewart would be taken
from the grave unlessdemands for money We're com
piled with. The letter was shown TO me.
was in receipt of thousands of such hyena-
~ x.-rif In ra1 inl IN
simulate blood others from spiritualists, tell
ing what Mr. Stewart said,trom the spirit-land,
but all demanding money. This letter. like the
Others was destroyed and no attention paid to its
contents. had nearly forgotten the circumstance,
until about month ago, when the sexton of 81.
Marks, George w. Hamill, came to me as was
standing in front of the Tenth-st. store one day.
and said that he thought some persons had been
tamperng with Mr.. Stewards grave l went 10
the churchyard, and the sexton pointed out
that the slab which rested over the vault had
been moved as If some one had pred II out
and forgotten to replace it III its socket.
He then took me TO the gate which led
from the graveyard into Eleventh-st., and showed
where the lock, common paddock, bore marks OF
having been removed and replaced in the wrong
link. The lock had sand upon it as If hand
smeared with earth had touched it.
." was convinced that something was wrong,
and said to the sexton, What can be their mo-
tiveP He replied that the impression had gone
abroad that there was gold and silver plate on the
coffin. The newspapers at the time bad gwen ac-
counts Of the extravaganza OF the funeral,
and the object of rfing the vault might
be to secure the precious metal. l asked
him what to do and he suggested moving the slab
which rested over the vault TO another place. 1
Thought it was good idea, and told him to go ahead
and remove it also TO get new lock for the gate,
and TO hire watchman for month TO guard the
place 20 ,bo cburcbvor1 .rd
found the slab removed TO q spot thirty feet dis
tant, and the space il had occupied sodded over.
On the slab was cut A L. Stewart, Family
Vault The new lock had been placed on the
gate, and the sexton told watchmnn
had been employed. / fancled i had done q
smart thing. The sexton said that the only persons
that knew of the removal of the slab were lls
deputy, Francis Parker, and himself. The only per
son | mentioned the fact TO was Mr.. Libbey. |
never said word of it to Mrs. Stewart; conse-
ouently the knowledge Of the removal was confined
to four persons the sexton, the deputy-sexton. Mr.
Libbey and myself Matters went on smoothly,
and last Monday the watchmans services were dis
pensed with.
YESTERDAY morning Hamil came TO my house
and informed me that tho grave had
been riled. / was astOunded. 1 proceeded
to the spot with the sexton | saw that 1t was TOO
true The odor from the vault as we approached 1t
was terrible On the pile of fresh earth lay shovel
"A new fire shovel-and the dark-lantern with Its
new bulPseyc Three fagstones covered the en-
trance to the vault. and the precision and accuracy
with which the earth had been dug down, even TO n
hairs breadth with the sides of the central flag
stone showed that all expert had done the work,
tba xaof,1n of he
1t was foot deep in the earth. The central stone
had been removed. The body had lain in the
central part of the vault The lid had been un-
screwed from the outer coffin the leaden case was
cut through, the inner coffin opened and the body
of Mr.. Stewart was gone"
"Was there anything in the manner Of the sexton
at this time which might direct suspicion toward
himp
81 do not wish to cast suspicion upon any one,"
replied Judge Hilton, and will express no opinion
until the facts have been ascertained. But II you
intrust your pOcket-bOok to man and be comes TO
YOU and says it is lost, what would you thnkf The
man, TO say the least exhibited no animation OF
manner, and displayed no sympathetic feeling such
as one would suppose man in his position would
show. | questioned HIM closely, and then
told him TO stay there until l returned.
drove down to Police Headquarters and informed
the authorities. A general alarm was sent out inn
mediately il was the opinion of the headquarters
men as well as myself Il have done not little
detective work in my lifctime that the body of Mr.
Stewart could not have been carried beyond the
city limits, more especially over the ferries, owing
10 the horrid smell that proceeded from it. Any one
who has witnessed the exhuming of corpse, after
it has been long buried, knows what terrible odor
il gives forth. Commissioner Nichols and Inspector
Murray assured me that the $500 policemen In this
city would discover the body. The Commissioner
and Inspector then stepped into the carriage and we