The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-17
HILTON AND STEWART.
Crusade Against the Man Who Absorbed the
Merchants Millions.

ing the World began what is evidently de
signed to be an intended expose of thC
true relations Of ex-Judge Henry Hilton
with A. Il. Stewart, Of HiltOn's basis OF
power over the great merchant and of the
means BY which he secured con
troll Of the millions left by Stew
art. The first article Of yesterday filled
over two columns and closed with
the ominiOus words: 1.-The case viii be
reopened to be continued" Among the
large display headlines were these:
How a social secret was guarded and
hidden"
"Who made Stewards millions?"
"The mystery Of HiltOn's influence over
A. T. Stewart at last disclosed. Motive
for the grave robbery made clear. Men al
last found who can and viii talk"
1.-THE opening chapter recounts the
vast possessions Of Stewart. All, long
ago, vanished from the account OF
Stewart to the account of Hilton
under a process Of commercial and finan-
cial legerdemain that the boldest writer OF
fiction has not dared TO imagine in the
widest of his creations"
The recent litigation to break the Stew
art viii is referred to as one that in legal
forms smOthered back the secret truth
Then appears this: If this question, fol-
instance, had been put to more than one
the witnesses: What is, or was, the
secret of the influence Of Henry Hill
ton over A. T. Stewart" The response
would have been: 1T is rounded in a
crime" And if this line of inquiry were
pursued the witness would have answered
still further that the crime involved the
honor of a woman and the character, the
reputation and the vast business of the
greatest dry goods merchant on the conti-
nent."
Then is told the early business history of
Hilton and his claim that he helped Stewart
make his millions is refuted by the state
ment that they were accumulated be
fore Hilton knew Stewart Hilton,
Il Is shown. could not have saved a for
tune from a salary which Mr. Hopkins,
Stewards old cashier, says was 5000 per
year and a gift of $500 every six months.
The close of the first inStallmenU is IN
these words: "If Hilton has not destroy
ed the books Of the firm, as he destroyed
the principal one of them later on, after
Stewards death, the figures of Mr.. Hop
kins and his staff of accountants will
prove the truth of this assertion. The
case viii be reOpened." "
In accord with its promise the World
continues to expose this morning 1t is
detailed that Hilton kept close to Stewart
at his store and finally took up his quar-
ters there permanently. 1t is told that the
influence gained was so tightened that
'the Judge, in fact, nearly always sat at
illt Btdtl VI Nllt vi II
ter. Day by day Stewart leaned more and
more on his social support. Hilton FOL
lowed him as his shadow"
Today is related Hilton's nearness to
Tweed and his gaining of Stewards infu-
ence for the Niaduct railway in this city
projected years ago and of which Hilton
became president. ]liltOn'S influence Is
said to have bent Stewart to the idea OF
taking the treasury portfolio under Grant.
The story tends 10 the conclusion that
Hilton believed that with Stewart in Office
he would be able to seize the merchants
business, as a plan of assignment had been
made. Then, says the World:
Zone thing is certain-aud the witnesses
to testify to it are many-that when the
plan of assignment and surrender was
proposed, and it was still found that the
continuation of the senate would not bG
forthcoming, the maddest and most disap
pointed man in New York was Henry
Hilton"
The instalment of this morning refer
ring to this alleged scheme of Hilton tC
unSeat Stewart of his millions concludes
1T was a magnificent play for millions
on the part of Hilton. The date was in
1862 in the early March days of the year
If fortune had not played Henry Hilton
false, then he would have been in the sad
die of the Stewart millions at a date
seven years previous to that on which he
Vaulted into control. From whatever
point Of view il is considered, the story Is
marvel
1t Is not a tale of old Rome or of Ath
ems, or even modern Venice, but tale OF
Manhattan Island, a tale of Fifth avenue
and not of the old Five Points And per
haps more curious still, the chief actor in
this terrible drama-and if put upon tn,
stage IL should have in the cast the baSeSt
of criminals and ghouls-is walkingamoul
his fellow men As boldly a. if his deed.
We're deeds worthy OF medals and OF stat
ueS."