The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-28
is THE BODY IN THE CRYPT
Rev. DIR. Charles Hall Thinks Stewards
Remains Were Never Stolen.

Rev. DIR. Charles Hall Thinks Stewards
Remains Were Never Stolen.
Rev. DR.. Charles H. Hall, rector of
the Church of the Holy Trinity, of
Brooklyn, Sunday officiated at the
Church of the Holy Incarnation at
Garden City. the Stewart Memorial
Cathedral. On his return home he was
met by World reporter. The reverend
gentleman expressed the opinion that
the body of A. T. Stewart is securely
resting in the crypt of the magnificent
edifice built with his money. Further
more he advanced the marvellous theory
that the body had never been stolen.
Notwithstanding the fact that Judge
| Henry Hilton, the trustee of the Stewart
estate, has paid tens if not hundreds of
thousands of dollars to detectives for
/ searching for the body, DIR. Hall be-
lieves there never was anything to find.
The rector of Holy Trinity does not
stand alone in the opinion that A. T.
/ Stewards body has found last resting
! place. This conclusion, however, is
generally based on entirely different
| grounds from the simple deduction of
! the clerical gentleman.
When it was first announced that
Stewards body had been stolen Mrs.
Stewart was reported rs having said
that the Garden City Cathedral would
not be built until her husbands remains
We're recovered. The edifice has not
only been completed, but presented to
corporation and handsomely endowed.
| The Rev. DIR. Hall was chairman of the
committee appointed by the Long Island
Protestant Episcopal Diocese that re-
ported favorably on accepting the mu-
/ nificent gift. 1t has also frequently
been stated that Judge Hilton paid
$500 to the grave robbers for restor-
ing the body.
DR.. Hall believes that the whole story
of the famous grave robbery was manu-
featured 1t is in his opinion piece OF
pure fiction. When asked what motive
he thought could have actuated Judge
Hilton or Mrs. Stewart to make such an
announcement he said:
There was every reason for its fab
rication. Judge Hilton was constantly
annoyed by the receipt of anonymous
letters, informing him that the body
was to be stolen. If such crime was
successfully consummated, the expected
reward for the recovery of the body
would be so great that the thieves
would feel themselves justified in max
ing any cutlery to secure it. No guard
could be placed upon the body that
would not be bribed, and in order tC
defend the body the story of its having
been stolen had to be fabricated. LOOb
at all the reports in the papers at that
time. You will find that the story il
told with too much attention to details,
while the question, How did the
robbers make OFT with the body? is al
most entirely lost sight of. No, sir, the
supposed robbery was never committed
and some day, and at no distant ont
either, you will learn the whole story o
the supposed robbery. believe firmly
that the body of A. T. Stewart is now
in the crypt at the Cathedral of the In
carnation at Garden City,"
'How do you account for the fact tina
the grave was found to have been dis
turbed and the discovery of the trai
over which it was thought the body haC
been dragged?" asked the reporter.
That is what l refer to when I saI
that the story is told with too much at
tentiOn to details, ," said DR.. Hall. Il
all had the appearance of having beer
planned. There is no doubt in M
mind that the very fact that so nice anC
ingenious a story was told betrays it.
weakness, and places the stamp of falsi
ty on it"
but Judge Hilton expended 800,
900 or 100000 in searching for thu
BODY" suggested the reporter.
did hep" interrupted the clergyman
HAS it not also been denied that hi
ever paid such large sums for such al
object? He may have expended for
tune, but that does not break down tn,
theory. 1t might have been necessar,
to carry out the original plan and pre-
vent robbery. If the body had beer
stolen why did not the detectives keel
up the search? Why was there not ;
more sustained effort to find it and gain
the reward?'
Mrs. Stewart is said to have paiC
$50. 900 for the return of the body"
lis that anything but rumOr? judge
Hilton and Mrs. Stewart have never
acknowledged it. The report has neve
been substantiated so far as l hav,
heard. No, think it is all a myth
Some day you will learn that the bod.
lies in the crypt in the Garden City Ca
thedral."
Have you any positive information
that it is there, Doctor?"
No. SIR" answered DR.. Hall, yer.
frankly. Il know nothing about il
only from such information as gaineC
from the newspapers. l have talke'
with my friends about the theory, bu
never care to obtrude myself by givin:
publicity to those views. Still l am yer.
positive in my belief. l do not know
Mrs. Stewart or Judge Hilton, and L d.
not know anything about their plans.
How did you arrive at such a con
clusion as you have?"
Il merely did little mental detect
i've work for my own amusement, con
fessed DIR. Hall.-N Y World.