The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-04
THE ROBBERS OF THE GRAVE.
Disgraceful Biclering for the. Bones OF A.
T. Stewart.

fesses to have in his keeping the re-
mains of the late A. T. Stewart, with
Judge Hilton, through ex-Postmaster
Patrick 81. Jones of New York city,
have at last found their way into the
newspapers. The plate and ornaments
from the coffin were returned, so as to
leave no doubt of the body's being in
the possession of Romaine; also piece
of paper which was found to fit exactly
the place in the cover of the coffin from
which piece of velvet had been taken.
Failing to induce Judge Hilton to ac-
cede to their terms, the robbers next
urged Mr.. Jones to bring the matter di-
rectly to the attention of Mrs. Stewart.
The correspondence opens with the let
ter received by the latter from Henry 6:
Romaine, on the 26th of January last, of
which the following is copy:
MONTREAL, Canada, Jan. "a, 1879.
TIE Hon. II. p. Jones, Counsel NeD YORK
City,.
S1R-Surprising as it may seem that
such being exists, nevertheless friends
in your city assure me that you are an
honest lawyer. Your public career and
private character strengthen that belief
to such an extent that remit herewith
a retainer of 500. Having thus es-
tablished the relation of counsel and
client, request your professional assis-
lance in the following matter:
That no doubt of my sincerity and
ability to perform what ] promise may
exist either in your mind or the minds
of those more directly interested, in
trust temporarily to you as such counsel
the articles which accompany this let
ter. am prompted to this for the rea-
son that numbers of offers of similar
character from irresponsible persons have
been addressed to the immediate family
of the late Alexander T. Stewart. The
unbroken silence maintained by me un-
til now was prompted by desire to al
low Judge Hilton to exhaust every
means and pursue every clue that prom
ised success, and thus himself be con-
vinced of how friutless were his labors.
That he has been as tireless in the search
as he would be remorseless in the prose-
cution were the perpetrators discovered,
is known to all.
But, SIR, he labors to no purpose. The
press, the people and the police have
been beaten from the start. Their the
ories and the progress of the pursuit
were daily published in the New York
papers, and, of course, were read by me.
Let me assure you, sir, that there never
was moment when success was possible.
The remains were taken before II
o'clock on the night of the 9Th, and not
at o'clock on the morning of the 9TH
of November. They were not taken
away in carriage, but in grocer's
wagon, They were not taken to any
house near the graveyard, but to one near
One Hundredth and Sixteenth street.
They were then enclosed in q zinc-lined
trunk previously prepared, and left on an
early train. They went to Pittsburg,
and from there to the Dominion. There
they were buried.
Except that the eyes have disappeared,
the flesh is as firm and the features as
natural as the Gay of interment, and can
therefore be instantly identified. The,
enclosed piece of paper is exactly the
size of the piece of velvet taken from the
coffin, while the small strip sent you will
prove to be of the same piece as that of
the coffin. If any additional proofs are
required, the plate will be sent you upon
inserting the following personal In the
New York Herald: "Canada-Send
P. Counsel"
One word more. If you decline to act,
a friend will call for the retainer sent
you. If you accept, confer at once with
the Rev. DR.. Rylance, Mr.. Clinch, Judge
Hilton and Mrs. Stewart. Tell them not
to attempt to trace the writer of this, as
it will result in nothing, for know that
/ am perfectly free from extradition, and
as no man on earth except myself holds
any of the proofs, or knows where the
remains are buried, they never can get to
me. When you are satisfied that the
relatives of Mrs. Stewart will talk busi-
ness, insert the following personal in the
New York Herald: "Canada-will do
business. Counsel" Then you will
lear from me again, and be referred to
my representative. Yours respectfully,
HENRY G. RoMA1NE.
P. S.-To insure safe delivery of the
proofs / send them by special messenger.
MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION.
A few hours before the receipt of this
letter package containing screw, four
screw.caps and the piece of velvet re-
ferred to in the letter were left at Mr..
Jones' Office at No. $50 Nassau street.
On the same day these articles were
takeh to police headquarters and deliv-
cred to Superintendent Walling. Three
days later the personal" calling for the
forwarding of the coffin plate was pub
lished as directed, which brought forward
the following reply:
BOSTON, MASS, January 81, 1879.
p. II. Jones, Counsel, Ne10 York City:
Immediately on arrival of Herald con-
tanning personal decided to express the
plate from this city, and thus avoid the
discovery and publicity which would GER
tainly follow the examination of the
package by the custom officials of the
Dominion. You will doubtless receive
it tomorrow.
You will at once confer with the au-
thorized representatives of Mrs. Stewart,
and permit them to satisfy themselves of
It's genuineness. Having done that, you
will await further instructions, which
will be forwarded after the insertion of
the second personal: "Canada-will do
business. Counsel" You are especially
requested to maintain the strictest Sc
crecy, and you can assure Judge Hilton
that any business done with me will
never be known by mortal man.
Yours, &C., HENRY G. RoMAINE.
The coffin plate was duly received per
express from Boston, and on February l
was delivered to Superintendent Walling.
On February S Mr.. Jones, at the request
of Judge Hilton, inserted the Second
personal" in the Herald, and two days
later Mr.. Jones wrote acknowledging the
receipt of the two letters and the pack
ages, and accepting the retainer. This
letter closes with the remark by Mr..
Jones that he thought "that the Judge
(Hilton) is anxious to recover the body
of his friend as We all are to see that the