The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-17
A. 7. STEWARDS BODY.
Details Of the Negotiations with
~ the Grave Robbers.
HISTORY OF TEE CONSULTATIONS.
Romaine's Remarkable Letters to
the New York Lawyer.
SUPERINTENDENT MAILING ON "ABSURp STORIES.
The Herald's Revelations Fully
Confirmed.

The exclusive announcement in the HERALD on
Wednesday Of the failure of all efforts 10 recover
the remains Of the late A. T. Stewart, with the de-
tails of the negotiations between the body snatchers
lawyer, has since been followed by confrmatory
statements In other leading journals The body of
the great merchant prince has not been recovered.
nor have the authorities the side or Mr. Hill
ton, ON the other succeeded in laying thcir hands
upon the ghous who continue to defy them. The
HERALD has shown during the past few days
how these grave robbers play fast and loose not
only with our boosted police force. but with the
shrewd and intelligent man who thought at one time
he could capture them all within few days. For
1--WE months the HERALD, aware of these facts. has
been awaiting that tissue which sure to come"
The public. led astray byfalse information. had con-
so1ed itself with the thought that the remains of
Mr. Stewart had at last been quietly returned to the
soil of the city he loved.
The HERALD's despatch from Montreal yesterday
added amazement to indignation. and in order to
show the public the exact data upon which previous
information was based the HERALD now adds q sue
cinct account of the curious negotiations with the
grave robbers
RoMAINE OPENS NEGOTIATIONS.
As was stated in the history OF the negotiations
published last Wednesday, Mr.. Patrick H. Jones re-
Montreal January a. BY letter carrier. few hours
before the receipt Of the letter package left at
his Office No. $50 Nassau street. containing screw.
caps &C.. and piece of velvet. which. as Mr. Jones
was informed by said letter. taken from the
coffin of Mr. Stewart The following Is q literal
copy OF the letter.
~ MONTREAL. Canada. January "a. 1879.
'HoN. P. H. JONES. Counsellor. New York city,
Srn-Surprisng as it may seem that such being
exists nevertheless friends in your city assure me
that you an honest lawyer. Your public career
and private character strengthen that belief to such
extent that remit herewith q retainer of 500.
Having thus established the relation of counsel and
client request your professional assistance in the
following matter--
"That no doubt Of my sincerity or ability to per-
form what promise may exist, either in your mind
the minds of those more directly interested.
entrust temporarily you, such counsel the ar
ticles which accompany this letter. am prompted
to this for the reason that hundreds OF offers of
similar character from irresponsible persons have
been addressed to the immediate family Of the late
Alexander L. Stewart. The unbroken silence main
tanned by me until now prompted by desire
to allow Judge Hilton to exhaust every means and
pursue every clew that promised success. and thus
himself be convinced of how fruitless were his la
bors.
would be remorseless in the prosecution. were the
perpetrators discovered is known to all. But, sir
he labors to purpose. The press. the people and
the police have been beaten from the start. Their
theories and the progress of the pursuit were daily
published in the New York papers, and, of course,
read by me- Let me assure you, sir. that there
never was moment when success was possible.
.The remains were taken before twelve O'Clock
the night Of the 9th. and not three O'Clock the
morning of the eth of November. They were not
taken away carriage. but grocer's wagon.
They werc not taken to any house near the grave
yard. but to one near 116th street. They then
enclosed In zinc lined trunk. previously prepared.
and left on the early morning train. They went to
Plattsburg and from there to the Dominion;
there they were buried. Except that the
eyes have disappeared the flesh is firm and
the features natural the day 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 scrap
sent you will prove it to be OF the piece that
on the coffin.
IF any additional proofs required the plate will
be sent you upon inserting the 70 flowing Personal
In the NEW York HEnALD:-'Canada. send p.
Counsel
zone word more. If you decline to act friend
will call for the retainer sent you. If you accept
confer at once with Rev. DR.. Rylance, Mr.. Clnch.
Judge Hilton or Mrs. stewart Tell them not to at
tempt trace the writer Of this, it will result in
nothing. for know. and you know. that I am per-
fectly safe from extradition; and man earth
except myself holds any of the proofs or knows
where the remains buried they never get to
me. When you satisfied that tho relatives Of
Mr.. Stewart will talk business insert this personal
In the New YonK HERALD:-'Canada. will do bust
ness. Counsel
ferred to my representative.
Every respectfully, HENRY G. ROMANO.
"P. s.-To insure safe delivery of proofs send
them by special messenger"
CONSULTATIONS WITH POLICE.
After consulation with excellent lawyer and
friend 1t thought best to lay the matter before
tho Police Department. and therefore. on the nth
day of January. Mr.. Jones placed in the hands Of
tho Superintendent of Police of this city the letter
and the package above referred taking the receipt
of the superintendent. Of which the following is .
copy: -
.poLrcE DEPARTMENT. or THE CrrY OF NEW YonK.
OFFICE OF TIE SUPERINTENDENT.
No. 800 MULBERRY STiiERr,
NEW YORK, Jan. ~. 1879.
'sReceived Of Patrick Ii. Jones, package contain
ing one screw one small piece OF velvet and tour
screw caps supposed and said by letter to be arti
clos taken from the coffin which contained the re-
mains OF the late Alexander 4. Stewart.
GEORGE w. WALLING,
superintendent OF Police"
At the same time the Superintendent requested
Mr. Jones to prepare Personal" for the NEW YonK
HERALD. in accordance with the request. or rather
direction contained in said letter. This was done.
aud the communication was inserted in the HERALD
by tho Superintendent in its issue of January 70.
The following was the "Personal:"-
(yANADA.-sEND +.
The letter above referred to also contained an
irreguary cut piece paper, said DO of the
dimensions tho piece of velvet taken from the
collin of Mr.. Stewart upon the night Of the robbery.
Tho small piece of velvet claimed In the letter
to be OF tho same fabric tho velvet upon the
coffin.
THE COFFIN