The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-10-18
A. +. Stewards Body.

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locked, SIR"
"Why is it locked? I have pass en-
titling me to view the entire cathedral,
and I should like to see that"
81 am sorry, sir, but you can't go in
there, sir. Mr.. Stewards remains are
supposed to be buried there, and no one
is admitted into the tomb"
The speaker was the custodian of the
beautiful new cathedral built in memory
of the late A. T. Stewart at Garden City,
and the person to whom the remarks
were addressed was o reporter of the
New York World. The room or crypt
referred to, and concerning which the
gossips of the village are accustomed to
talk by the hour, is situated directly be
meath the chancel in the basement. Four
heavy doors, barred and grated, bearing
small, diamond shaped panss of stained
glass, afford little clew to the contents of
the mausoleum, if such it be. A care.
full survey of the grounds revealed no
other mode of ingress than the doora.
It seemed vain to attempt an entrance
without the continuance of the custodian,
so he was again approached.
II presume you carry the keys OF that
secret receptacle with your" said the re-
porter.
81, sir? No, sir. I never saw the
keys, sir. They say they keep them up
at the office, sir, but I never saw EN-"
care the remains really in them?"
"Some say they are and some say they
are not. Nobody about here knows"
the place kept locked?"
81 don't know, sir, I'm sure. Perhaps
they are fearful that some one might
spoil the beautiful marble carving which
they say is in there. Anyhow, the doors
are always locked"
At the Office of Mrs. Stewards Garden
City estate the same vague information
was given. Perhaps the body was
buried there and perhaps it was not.
Those in charge could not really tell.
A second visit was paid to the cathe-
drai, where the ill-informed custodian
was found engaged up stairs pointing
out the beauties Of the church to party
of tourists. This was the golden oppor-
tunity, and after some difficulty an en-.
trance was effected into the double
locked vault.
The bare white marble walls seemed to
cast back and forth the echo Of the in
truder's footsteps on the hollow pave
ment, complaining of this desecration of
deaths temple. At one end q white
marble chancel, dome-shaped, with
marvelously carved pillars, rose out Of
the gloom. Wreaths of finely chiseled
flowers, festoons of carefully carved
foliage and the clinging tendrils OF vines
hung tenderly over the floor beneath
which the remains of Mr.. Stewart are
said to be. The hollow floor revealed
nothing OF what lay beneath. Each tile
was carefully sealed, and no crevice, no
secret door was revealed by the closest
scrutiny. Two wide wooden benches
completed all the furniture in the crypt
Returning to the cathedral proper the
reporter asked the custodian what pre-
cautions had been taken to prevent re-
currepce of the theft of the remains. He
couldn't readily say just how many
watchmen there were employed nor
whether there were any. They were
kept apart from him if there were other
guardians.
Throughout the village the impression
prevails that the remains are at rest be-
meath the cathedral chancel. The pop
ular story is to the effect that one night
in June, Q year ago. Q train arrived at
midnight with four trusty men on board.
Stopping half mile out, the coffin con-
tanning the embalmed body Of Mr.. Stew
art was carried to the church, where ar
rangements had been made for its recep-
ton. Before dawn the work of securely
sealing the vault was completed, the
secret of its contents being known to
these four persons only, besides Mrs.
Stewsrt and Judge Hilton. The en-
ployes are sworn to secrecy, and trusting
to them and to the precautions taken,
the friends Of Mr.. Stewart believe that
his earthly robe will be permitted to lie
at rest, where it has been placed after
such devious wanderings.
Further investigation concerning the
place of the great merchants remains.
among well-informed persons in the city,
developed new theories. Said gentle.
man very close to Judge Hilton, and who
at the beginning OF the search for the
body had been one of his principal ad-
visers: "This story which the Garden
City gossips so confidently assert to be
true. Of Q ghostly midnight train and
secret burial, is, in my estimation, all
mere mooushine. / can assure You Of
my own personal knowledge that Judge
Hilton is to-day NO nearer the possession
Of Mr.. 6tswart's remains than he was
week after it, removal from 81. Marks
church graveyard. I know this to b
fact. and Jadee Hilton. IL approached,
will bear out this statement"
II have naturAlly grsat reluctance TO
speak Of mattsr 10 which ] have been