Evening journal., 1891-04-09
WANT STEWARDS CASH
The Irish Heirs Said to Have a
Strong Case.
WHAT TIE COMMISSION LEARNED.

1t Is Claimed That Some Startling Rove
lations win 30 Made at the Coming
Trial and That the New CIaimai1ss
May Succeed IN Their Attempt.
NEW YORK, April 9--1'he testimony
taken before the commissioners in Ireland
in the suit Of sarah Branogh against Will.
lam q Smith.-otherwis and better known
as the suit Of the Irish heirs Of the late
merchant prince a. n Stewart to recover
a large part Df the Stewart estate-has ar,
rived in this city The evidence was taken
at Belfast before Edward s. Ruby United
States consul, and Sir James H. Haselett
1t will be used in the trial OF this now
celebrated suit, which is on the calendar
10 begin May H. If some Of the testimony
which the Irish commissioners are said to
have taken be true the trial will be one Of
surprises and sensations.
The main purport Of the evidence gath
cred by the commission was to prove that
Mr.. Stewart had several close kinsmen liy-
ing who were his legal heirs. This close
kinship is said 70 have conelusively estab.
lished the near relationship of the plaintiff
70 Mary Stewart.
Not Stewards viii.
The suit Of Mary Branogh against win.
lam y, Smith was ostensbly merely one oi
ejectment of the defendant from possession
of a house decided to him by Mr. Henry
Hilton as executor, and by Mrs. Stewart
rs devisee, the claim being that the win
under which Mr. Hilton acted as executor
WAS not in reality Mr.. Stewards will,
never having been signed by him.
The commission to take the testimony OF
the Stewards ia Ireland began work in Feb
ruary Of last year and has just concluded
it, Fourteen witnesses were examined
and an average Of over sixty interroga
tories was put to each witness. Only those
establishing blood relationship to Mr.. Stew
art We're permitted to testify, and the result
of the work Of the commission will be
surprise TO those who have been accus-
TONED TO believe that the great millionaire
had no near relatives when he died
The Merchant Princes origin.
According to the testimony Mr. Stew
arts paternal grandfather was Thomas
Stewart. OF stonyford, which is four miles
from Lisburn, Ireland
The Stewart family were not Of Irish
origin, as supposed, but were Scotch Hu-
guenots, and later became Quakors.
Thomas stewart had niue children Rob
ert John, Thomas, Alexander, William,
James, Jane, Mary and Ann. The plaintiff
in the present suit is the daughter Of John
Stewart. Robert also left descendants.
Thomas left none Alexander was the
father Of Alexander Il. Stewart. who was
his only child William had two sons.
Thomas and Alexander, OF whom Alexan-
der is dead and Thomas is living Mary
Stewart married and had a grandson. All |
exander, who was buried in this city. the
great merchant paying his funeral ex
pensea. His widow is now living in this |
city. Sarah Branogh's mother was A 4 |
Stewart's first cousin. and her survival OF |
Mr. Stewart made her daughter a close
heir
would Have Been His Sole Heir.
According 90 the testimony Alexander
T. Stewards mother wHs thrice married
Her first husband was Mr. stewards
father. Her second husband was James
Bell by whom she had two children. a boy
and girl The girl died in infancy but TIE |
boy lived long enough to come to America |
While IN New York he shipped on the brig 4
Bella Union for Rio Janeiro in 1887. and |
neither boy nor brig was ever heard OF |
lfterward II this boy had lived he would 1
have been Mr.. Stewards sole heir under
the American law. Mrs Stewart married
ner third husband after she came to New
J ork TO reside with her son, A. y. Stewart.
The name Of the third husband, as sworn
% by witnesses, was Thomas Martin. who
lived only two years, dying in 1863 or 1854.
leaving no children
singular Revelation.
But the most singular part of the testi.
nony gathered in behalf Of the plaintif in
.his action is that which relates to the
resting place Of A. r. Stewards mother
According TO this evidence she died in this
iity and was buried in St. Marks church
yard in second avenue, in the very vault
from which the body Of A. r. Stewart was
stolen. Jane Stewart. daugh
er Of Thomas Stewart mentioned above
married James Bailey, OF Long Island, and
{ was one Of his four children who con.
ested the Stewart will four years ago.
Letters frsm stewart
With the testimony are two letters from
4. Stewart, written to William Dillon.
4 lisburn, Ireland These letters are
aid to show conclusively Mr.. Stewnrtfs
interest in his mother and his identity
With his family here and abroad.
Also appended TO the sport Of the com.
mission is the lease Of the farm upon
which a. i Stewart was born aud On
which his father died two months prior to
4. Stewart's birth. There is likewise
documentary evidence to show
hat AZ Il Stewart acted as pallbearer
n the occasion of the funeral Of his Aunt
lane ia Belfast, followed her body % tbe
rave attended the family meeting held
after the funeral and paid
he funeral expenses There is also al.
ached GO the report Of the commission an
tiidavit made by A. r. Stewart al Tie
ime Of the settlement Of the estate II
Ohm Turney, his maternal grandfather.
which Mr.. Stewart swore to his relation.
hip 70 Turney, and also to his relation
hip as half-brother 70 the children ~
ames Bell who was his mothers second
husband
The Readiag-van Deal.
NEW YoRK April 9.-The Commercial
advertiser says; The arrangement made
" the Nanderbilts with the Reading Rail
Dad company is in the nature Of Il TON