Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-11-14
GH0ULs.
The Remains Of A. T. Stewart Stolen.


\ Bold and Daring Outrage.
Judge Hilton rushed into the police head.
| quarters Thursday morning greatly excit-
| ed, aud held \ consultation with inspector
DIX, who is acting for chief walling. He
stated that the body of A. i. Stewart was
| missing. The vault was broken open, the
casset was In the vault. but the body was
gone. Inspector DIX at once sent out a
general order announcing the theft and
stating that the decomposition of the re-
mains Il so offensive that they cannot be
! concealed.
The family vault where Mr.. Stewards
| body was Inferred is situated nearly In the
| centre of the church yard which front.
Second Avenue. IL is marked only by n
marble slab The h,.dy was plsc d in the
vault April 10Th. 1876. 1t had be : placed
in three receptacles. a coffin OF OAK covered
with velvet cloth. lead box hermy icaliy
sealed and heavy cedar box. IL was
dressed in fine suit OF black broadcloth.
Geo. w. Hammill, sexton Of st. Marks
church, was Mr.. Stewards undertaken.
Early on the morning of Oct. 18th. the as
sistant sexton, discovered that the vault
had been tempered with. The stone slab
had been removed foot AWAY from its
position and the earth removed to the depth
OF several feet under the slab. AS the slab
was not over the opening OF the vault,
however, the thieves had been disappoiut.
ed. Nr. HammiIl reported the occurrence
To Judge Hilton and a consultation was
had as to the best means of guarding the
vault. AT Mr.. llammills suggestion the
slab marking the vault was removed few
feet to the south OF its position to deceive
any persons who might wish TO steal the
body. Waterman was also engaged and
he patrolled the grounds every night until
a few days ago. Hammll was In the church
yard at p. IN. Wednesday aud noticed
nothing wrong.
When the assistant sexton came to the
church yard Thursday morning, he saw
that the vault had been opened. 4 dark
lantern and shawl lay beside a heap of
earth. The thieves had not been deceived
by the false position Of the slab but had be
gun their work directly over the opening
OF the vault. He went 10 IIammilrs office
and reported the affair. Iiammill at once
proceeded 10 the churchyard and entered
the vault and discovered that Stewards
body had been stolen. The thieves had
prtei open the strong outer box and laid
the top on the side. They then cut open
the leaden box with a knife, wreuched or
the silver plate of the inner casket and took
of the top. The body was then removed
with all is clothing aud the silver plate of
the casket. Only one OF the stones cover
Ing the opening OF the vault was removed
and the aperture thus made was Only large
enough TO admit one man.
The boldness OF the robbery Is a surprise
to the police and 10 every one who saw the
vault. The thieves must have known that
the Waterman employed by Mr.. Hilton had
been discharged. The chu-ohya.d is sur
rounded rs an IRON railing about ei ght feet
| high, surmounted by sharp spikes and the
! gates OF the railing were locked and not
disturbed. The body was In an advanced
| state OF decomposition and gave out a
I strong udor, aud the vault emitted notice
| able stencil.
The police express tn" opinion that the
| robbers must have had experience In dis
| secting rooms or they would not have been
/ able to endure so horrible an atmosphere
! Judge Hilton saws the thieves evidently
/ expect reward tor the return OF III body,
! which was probably their only incentive.
| lie said that ii has been thought that there
/ was Cousldr' able gold and silver valuable.
| buried with the body, which Is a mistake
/ a. the only valuable was massive silver
| plate which has gone with the body He
| does not think that professional thieye.
had anything 10 do with the theft a the
leaden box had been cut instead of forced
open. He j. unwilling TO impliCate the sex
1 tons but strongly limited at IL by remarkiug
/ that they were the only TWO persons be-
sides himself who could accurately locate
/ the opening OF the vault and dig directly
| over Ii.
| The body was thoroughly embalmcd in
order that it might be In good condition to
be placed In the crypt OF the Stewart Ca
/ thedral In Garden City. l.. |.
Two years ago, Mrs. Stewart received a
I lot Ter den .l..r -
| dissertation OF her husbands grave. Mrs.
/ Stewart is very III and sank slowly Thurs
! day after having been told OF the shocking
| crime. Judge Hilton declares that he Is
/ absolutely certain OF recovering the re-
/ mains and the arrest OF the guilty parties
| within short time. He thinss IL would be
/ impossible 10 deceive him about the body.
/ as the peculiar operations on the teeth Will
make Identification easy. The robbers took
away the coffln plate, a piece OF the coffin
| lining. doubtless to possess proof OF the
| correct identity OF the body in case re-
/ ward was offered.
Judge Hilton asserts that he will make
no terms with the robbers. but he offer. a
/ reward of SIS 900 for return Of Stewards
/ body and conviction of the robbers
By the aid Of II bloodhound 1t was dis
covered that the body of Stewart had evil
dently been placed in bag and laid upon
the steps of the church before being re-
moved as blood stains were found thereon.
| Another account says that the body was
| evidently taken over the spikes of the rail-
| Ing where 1t adjoiLs the house on 10th
street, thence over balcony 10 the street.
| The balcony and spikes of the railing sho'v
mud from dirty boots as well as on the tin
leader and spout. Marks from mems hands
were also discovered on the side OF tie
| house as of men leaning against the side OF
the house while lifting some heavy body
| above the high iron railing.
| About two O'Clock Monday morning, one
OF the police officials actively engaged In
working up the case, stated as a positive
| fact that detectives had at last succeeded
in obtaining Information relative to the
whereabouts of Stewards remains. The
entire facts, said this official, will be made
| public very soon. The return of the re-
mains is now only question of time. We
have learned enough to indicate where
| they are hidden and We are sure of being
| able to arrest the thieves.
Per contra, Superintendent Walling
laughs at the story that the body is found
and says there is no truth in such report.
| A Washington correspondent states that
the man woo attempted to purchase the
body preservative OF its proprietor 10 New
York. was George A. Christian, the well
known grave-robber of that city, who is
under indictment as resurrectionist.
Every effort is being made and the police
are very reticent as to information already
obtained.