Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1884-01-19

NcW IOIhg otEiidl VtiNoPbihSAH'
Pioneer Press, Jan. 3-The real facts
about the body Of A. T. Stewart have
been purposely withheld, and various
stories have been given to the local
papers here to satisfy the curiosity of
their readers. Two OF tie chief Of these
papers have alleged within the last two
months that it has never been recover
ed from the thieves who stole it from
the vault on that dark night five years
ago. l am able to-day to give the true
story for the first time, and on high
authority. The restless remains of the
millionaire were recovered more than
two years ago, and for a year they have
reposed under the cathedral at Garden
City, in n special vault so constructed
and equipped that if IN attempt were
made to enter it, the touch would set in
motion the chime of bells in the tower
above, and ring an alarm TO the town.
If Judge Hilton's conjectures are cor
rect, the robbers o~fStewart's grave were
three horse thieves pretty well known
in this State and Connecticut. Mrs.
Stewart, from the first moment, Of her
discovery that her husbands grave had
been d~esecrated, insisted on The recov-
cry Of the body ut any price, bat Judge
Hilton doggeilv opposed il, decl.rin:
with some show Of reason, that public
safety required q defiance Of the villains,
and q refusal to yield 10 their demands.
But in the fall of 1881 CT think it was
on event occurred that woke Judge
Hilton up to the peril Of further per-
~eistence. One Of his servants happen
ing to 60 out Of the door at night, dis
covered some men at the foot of Il long
ladder that was erected against the side
ofthe mansion. They immediately fled,
and he alarmed the household. At the
top Of the ladder q window was open
the window Of the room where slept
Judge I%Iilton's seven-year-old son!
Then came an anonymous letter:
"You were in time last night. Next
time you will be too late"
Hilton yielded to Mrs. Stewards view
Of the case and negotiations were re-
opened. There was "a good deal Of
shrowd bargaining as to the actual sum
Of money to be paid, and a spirit exhi-
bited on both sides that must have re-
joiced the soul of the great merchant if
II was present. but at last the sun of
$4,000 was fixed OH, and the term, c. o.
d. Not precisely, either, for the thieves
Insisted on getting the money in hand
before delivering the body. This con-
dition was accepted by Hilton as no
other was offered him, by the commerce.
al and suspicious parties of the second
part. The place selected for the deliv-
cry wes a small bare hill in Westchester
county, commanding the approaches
from every side. The directions to
Judge Hilton ran virtually thus:
I'VE will be there at 1 o'clock on Sun
day morning with the body. You send
m man, unarmed, on foot, with $4,000
Tor us. When lie has given us the mon
ey we will leave him in possession of
the body"
This programme was actually carried
out. A p,ucky servant Of the late Mr..
Stewart vas selected to complete the
purchase. he walked to the top of the
hill, and was examined for weapons by
masked men, who then accepted the
money and departed, leaving the tor
mented body behind them in Il trunl:.
] have forgotten to say that while the
negotiations were pending the villains
proved their identity BY sending to
Judge Hilton q piece of paper exactly
the size and shape of the piece of zigzag
cloth they had cut from the l.ning of
the riHed coffin they had left behind
them i'm the Stewart vault. So ends the
CHASTITY affair.
Since the recovery Of the body Mrs.
Stcw;r, is very secluded, aud is CON
stansiy attended by detectives. who are
hardy ever out Of her sight. Judge
Hilton thrives amazingly. ste warts
grest project ola cheap wonan's hotel
AID a Carton CITY ut5ria h6ye bOth