The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-11-11
A RIoH MANS RIoM WIDOW.
some Facts and RocoiIections OF Mrs. Aiext
! der y, Stewart.

some racts and Roeollections OF Mrs, 5Alexan.
der y. Stewart.
Mrs. Stewart always called her bus-
band t,e9 1honey" and lie always called her
Now that the millionaire and his
widow have passed from earth it is said
they never spoke harshly to each other
put always lived a devoted and happy
pair. 'N"1P'
MIS-. Stewart survived her husband
ten years and six months. Her deoth
was comparatively painless. The fu1 or
q, a. took place Thursday. At one O'Clock
there was private service at the beauti
iui marble palace. The remains were
taken to Garden City and the services
were held in the Cathedral of the Incar.
natlon which was erected through Mrs.
oteWarts munificence. After the ser
wees the remains were deposited in the
crypt under the altar and elaborate pre-
Sautlons Will be taken to guard against
desecration of the grave
The death of Mrs. Stewart orousos ,
fresh interest in the husband. One of
the remarkable things about Alexonde,
L. Stewart was the brevity of his will
1t would occupy only four or five inches
and he disposed of fifty OF sixty million
dollars III less than five lines. Said he:
'flrst-All my property and estate,
OF any and every kind of description,
and wherever situated, give and devise
and bequeath to my dear wife, Cornclia
M. Stewart, her heirs and assigns for
ever"
After appointing Judge Henry Hilton
ms executor and directing him briefly
about the affairs Of the estate he added:
For which service, as mark of my re-
gord, l give to said Henry Hilton ST.
There were a number of lcgacies to
various friends, employees and servants
in the household
When the death of Mr.. Stewart was
made public Mrs. Stewart was consid-
cred the richest woman in the United
States. When the bcqucSt of MI her
husband's property to her was published
In the daily papers the enormous burden
put on her aged shoulders was universal
ly believed to be greater than she could
sustain. Fortune favored her, however.
and she sold to Henry Hilton ali her
right and title in the business of A. II.
Stewart and Co., for the sum Of 81, ,OOO,-
900 cash, which sum had been bc0ueath.
ed to Henry Hilton by her husband
Whether this was in accordance with q
misunderstanding of Mr.. Stcwart's de-
sire was never publicly explained,
though it was an open secret that such
was the fact. But that fact in nowisc
altered the legal aspect Of the case. She
was the absolute legatee and could have
done with the property precisely as she
pleased That her action in parting with
a business believed to be worth from
twenty to thirty millions of dollars for
the comparative trihing sum of one mil
lion, and that q gift, was the sensation
OF the day and excited widespread COM
ment.
The theft of Stewards body is still 4
mystery. Since the theft various expla-
nations have at different times been as
serted, the most frequent statement being
that the body had been privately rccov-
cred by Judge Hilton and placed in the
mausoleum at Garden City, but no state
ment has been authorized and supported
by any show of proof, and the whore
abouts of the body is still secret, which
the death Of Mrs. Stewart may finally
open the door to disclosing.