New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-19
The CRAVE ROBBERY.

4 CARD FROM MRS. STEWARDS PHYSICIAN
ASSERTION BY DR.. JOHN c. MINOR THAT MRS. STEW
ART HAS NOT BEEN DECEIVED.
The following letter, bearing the signature of Dr.
John c. Minor Mrs. Stewards physician, was re-
ceved yesterday at THE TRIBUNE office. An effort
was made last evening to see Dr. Minor, in order TO
ascertain beyond question that the letter was from
him. but il was stated at his residence that he was
at Saratoga, and had not been in the city since
Friday.
To the Editor or The Trtbune.
SIR; In answer to your article Of the 10th inst,
entitled " Mrs. Stewart \ Deceived Woman" wish
TO make a brief statement OF facts thar are not
matters Of hearsay. but Of personal knowledge. ,
In the recent newspaper Hurry concerning the
Stewart affair the palpable fasehOOds are 81 numer-
Gus that 10 Is useless TO attempt 10 correct tnein'
Some however, might have been omitted had the
daily papers used as much diligence publish what
was true as to display what was startling.
The various opinions purporting to come nom
Mrs Stewards physician all OF them untrue, as
they evidently come from those who have no per
sonal acquaintance with Mrs Stewart or her affairs.
These particular lies interest me somewhat from
the fact that l happen TO be Mrs. Stewards physl-
clan, and am not In the habit OF discussing tne
affairs Of my patients with any one.
Nevertheless, since so many erroneous statements
have appeared, consider II no breach OF confidence
10 correct an impression that has been created by
the thieves and their counsel, Impaired by the news
papers and believed, to large extent, by the pubic
/ refer 10 the report that Mrs Stewart has been
IA
husband were still IN the hands OF the thieves, aud
thai Judge Hilton has deceived her by leading her
10 suppose that he had secured the body and mad III
safe IN his possession.
In pronouncing this story pure fabrication, a
lie of the first magnitude, ] may state that my In
formation Is matter OF personal knowledge, and
as the family physician OF Mrs. Stewart, ana Judge
Hilton a. well. II is not likely that such an asser-
tion would come from me without the most positive
assurance of its truth,
Mrs. Stewart has been fully aware that the
mains were still in the hands Of the scOundrels who
committed the robbery, and Judge Hilton has never
failed to acqualnt her Win the actual progress OF
the affair.
The whole story as it has been placed before the
public Is not a matter OF newspaper enterprise, as
some might think, but 10 Is evidently the Work Of
the thieves and their counsel They supposed that
in an affair of this kind they would be able TO deal
with Mrs. Stewart alone. They knew that she was
a tender-hearted woman, and that human ingenuity
could devise no cruelty more hendish than that they
employed tor the purpose Of extOrtlng money from
her They failed, however, TO credit her with the
cOmmOn-sense and courage she possesses. Having
repeatedly failed 20 accomplish any personal deal
ings with her. hearing with chagrn that her health
was excellent, and that she haa resumed her or
binary occupations they did not doubt her strong
affection, but assumed that she was q deceived
Ine precautions with which she was surrounded,
her health and good spirits, the provoking silence
of Judge Hilton, were ali regarded Gs so many
proofs Of the correctness Of the supposltlon that
Jadge Hilton had deceived her into the belief that
the Dody was safe at rest, There remained but ono
resource for them, ana that was % Use the daily
papers so as to bring 70 Mrs Stewards eye The fact
that the body was still in their hands.
such undoubtedly was the anlmus OF the story
spread before the public by the thieves counsel.
That the effort viii fail OF its purpose Is evident
from the fact that it based on mIscalcuatiOn.
The thieves and their counsel have played their
last card. but the game l. not finished yet and
its final Issue neither be hurried nor delayed By
any such transparent devices as those 10 which The
daily papers have lent their columns and spread be-
fore their innocent readers Yours truly,
JOHN G. MINOR, NJ. d.
No 10 East F0rfy-frst-st, NaC- York. Aug. H. 1870.
THE communication of DR.. Minor is directed to
THE TRIBUNE, but 1t Is addressed directly to other
papers of this city. THE TRIBUNE is the only
journal of the city which has not lt some time an
nounced the finding Of Mr. Stewards body; 1t is the
only one which has consistently denied that there
was anv proof of Its recovery. DR.. Minors card
simply confirms under late date the statements
we have all along made. IL he had carefully read
the article to which he alludes he would have dis
covered that the story that Mrs. Stewart was de-
ceiyed was that of another journal which The
TRIBUNE cited solely TO show that the cir
cumstances Of the alleged deception we're incorrectly
narrated. THE TRIBUNE has previously published
no opinions from Mrs. Stewards physician. 1t Is
nerbaps necessary to allude further TO one point
only. Dr. Minor asserts that the animus of the
story spread before the public by the thieves conn
sel twas undoubtedly call Mrs. Stewards atten-
ton 10 the fact that the body was still
in the hands of the thieyes-a fact be says, she has
known all along. 1t will probably surprise DR..
Minor 30 know that the story published by THE
TRIBUNE of January 80, was written without any
knowledge as to who the counsel was, and that the
elaborate account in The Herald Of August -, was
written over three months ago, including the inter
view with Judge Hilton which supplemented il, aud
that both were published without the knowledge or
consent of Mr. Jones or of Judge Hilton.
THE TRIBUNE has pursued only one course in this
r1atter-to publish only facts as they were deyel-
oped and not all Of those when publicity threatened
to otstruct Justice 1t will continue to do SO solely
through sense OF its regard for the public interest
in one of the most remarkable and atrocious crimes
Of modern times. 1t now publishes DR.. Minors let
ter simply because 1t corroborates on per-
sonal knowledge what we have all along assured
our readers, namely, that the body OF Mr.. Stewart
has not yet been recOvered.-Edl
rs.Fsr .~Tfg