Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-14
The Stewart Grave Robbers.
THEIR OFFER TO RETURN THE REMAINS Fob

history OF the negotiations of an Intermediary
ed the e, robbers With Judge Hilton for the
mentioned 1n telegram to yesterdays STAR.
The story Is remarkable one, and the skill
with which the principals in this great crime
have baffied all the researches OF the police and
kept the secret OF the place where the body is
deposited is not less so. An interview with
Judge Hilton confirms the facts stated In the
Her0ld, as well as the determination of Judge
Eilton TO enter into no terms with the ROBBERS
though willing to pay at any time the large re-
ward he offered for their arrest. The negotia-
at1ons date back to the month of January last
at which time small package was delivered by
an express messenger at the Office Of Nassau
street lawyer. The same morning letter ad-
dressed to the lawyer, and purporting to come
from Montreal was received by him. In that
letter, which was signed "ROmaine," the law
yer was asked to take charge Of negotiations
for the ransom OF Mr.. A. T Stewards 8 body on the
basis Of the payment OF the sum OF S250OO0,
subsequently reduced to 5000, 900, aud the atten-
tion OF the lawyer was called to the package
that had been forwarded to his address as
affOrd1ng tangible proof that the body was In
possession OF the writer and his associates. On
his opening the package in question he found
it to contain the silver knobs and a part of the
cord1ng to the LAWYER, the letter contained
retaining fee OF SlO0.and promise that IL he
undertook the serviCs required OF him more
money would be forthcoming: He notified his
acceptance through the "perSonal" column Of
the Herald, and two or three days later another
letter, signed "ROmaine," was received by him
inclosing, as he states, $3.50 more. The next day
there reached him, from Boston, a second parcel
in which were the Stewart coffin plate, other sill
yer handles and several more knobs. Armed
with these credentials the lawyer went first to
police headquarters and had an interview with
superintendent Walling. at which he turned
over to him the "ROmaine' letters and the con-
tents OF the parcels, taking his receipt therefor.
Taking with him d1 the receipt in question the
him Walling's receipt, and told him that his
clients were ready to put the stolen body at his
disposal on the payment OF $25O,0O0. The judge
would not give cent for the body, he said.
What he wanted was the robbers themselves.
Then followed conversation, In the course of
were safe from arrest that the Stewart re-
mains would never be recovered Until their
demands were complied with, and that, In re-
spect to the condition of the body, he ''would
state Of Preservation From that time the
lawyers movements were closely watched, but
he continued to have frequent interviews with
practicable" that the lawyer concluded at
the instigation of "his clients" to appeal to
MIS- Mrs. Stewart In person: To this end he
the letters That ad passed aaf between
Montreal and New York on the subject
OF her husbands remains and in respect to the
sum for which they would be given up. These
book and taken to Mrs. Stewart by a member
OF prominent law firm in Wall street. To the
surprise OF Cne latter, IL was 1Ound that Mrs.
Stewart was firmly of the belief that the re-
mains OF her husband had been recovered and
were resting peacefully In Hampstead Catbe-
dral. The letters shocked her; but it Is said
that she soon grew calm when Judge Hilton
saw and talked with her on the subject The
lawyer first mentioned, whose name is not
given, Is, nevertheless, spoken Of as having been
at one time at the head Of government depart
ment. In the opinion OF Judge Hilton he knows
all about the robbers, and 1t Is vaguely inti-
mated is In league with them. The story of
retaining fee Judge Hilton doubts He also
asserts that the letters relating to the ransom
money never came from Canada or Montreal,
that they were written In New York, and that
the silver coffin plate, handle and knobs sent
In packages to the lawyer were never out OF
New York. The Canadian retreat Of the rob-
bers Judge Hilton utterly disbelieves In. He
contends that they are right there, in New
York, and seems to believe that the police are
closing round Them gradually, although the
point OF action has not yet been reached He
added that there were men connected with the
outrage upon whom he could lay his hands at
any time as particeps cri'ainis-"men who know
more than they ought to know" SO ends, for
the present, the strange story OF a crime which,
to the outer world. so far as the perpetrators
are concerned, remains as profound mystery
as 1t was on the day the Stewart grave was
found to have been deSecrated and people were
looking through the bars of the churchyard at
the place from which the remains were taken.