The morning call., 1893-08-15
RECORDS STOLEN.
Trinity's Cornerstone Is
Missing.
WORKMEN FIND THE SPOT.
A Hollow Space in the Central Pier
That May Have Contained the
Copper Box.

Workmen demolishing the foundations
of the old Trinity Church made discov-
cry yesterday that has alarmed the men,
bers of the parish who have the welfare
of the church history and records at heart.
If the discovery have the significance
claimed for it then the valuable docu-
ments, coins, etc. placed in the corner
stone twenty-eigbt years ago, have been
stolen and the church will lose the val
liable memen; toes and man uscri pts so care
fully prepared by the founders Of the in
stitution.
Since the demolition of the old structure
was begun some weeks ago the fin ding Of
the cornerstone and preserving the relics
placed therein has been uppermoSt in the
minds of the older members of the parish.
This work would have be en- carried out at
once had it not been that of the three or
four members now living who were
present when the stone was laid, not one
could remember the exact location in the
foundation walls Of the precious block of
granite. The matter was therefore al
lowed TO rest until the workmen should
have torn up the foundations and then 1t
was confidently supposed the cornerstone
would be found.
Yesterday, while tearing down one of the
central piers on the Powell-street front,
the wOrkmen came across large hollow
square in the very center of the pier. In
vestigation showed that the bricks on one
side IF the pier had been cut out, thus
making an opening from the outside of
the pier into the hollow space. Whether
the hollow space had contained large box
or square of granite could not be de-
termined. but of whatever may have once
FL led it not trace remained to set at rest
the doubt and anxiety of the anxious
searchers. The walls Of the pier below
the aperture leading to the hollow space
bore marks of a hammer, as if the walls
had been sounded to determine the exact
ocatiOn of the place where the hole was
! made.
Some of the members of the church we're
Immediately informed of the discovery
made by the workmen, but they we're un-
able to do anything beyond conjecture
that some vandal had discovered and
the object in view of securing the coins
that had been placed in with the papers.
II have all along been afraid that the
records and other matter in the corner
stone would be stolen" said Major Hooper
Yesterday afternoon, "but had no appro-
pration that would allow me to employ a
Waterman, so we had to take the chances.
/ l
did not contain the box. But [ cannot
conceive why such space should be left
or why it should have been tempered
with.
IF the matter laid away in the corner
| stone has been stolen the church has suf-
| fered loss that nothing can replace. The
! inability Of the searchers to find the stone
| in the places where those who were pres
ent when it was laid thought it was goes
far toward convincing me that it was
| really in this central pier. where as yet no
search had been made. We can know
nothing definite, however, until the work
men have removed the last bit OF the
! foundation wall"
c. ". S. Gibbs, one of the founders of
the church and one Of the few persons now
| alive who were present when the corner
stone was laid, is still con fdent that the
precious records will yet be found in some
| part of the foundation not yet uncovered.
| He admits, however, that some thief may
have discovered the hiding place of the
box and have stolen it in the hope that it
would contain small fortune in coins.
| The fact remains that some one has
been at work on the foundations of the
| church, but whether this wa5,done before
or since the demolition begun is a matter
| for conjecture.
The cornerstone was laid by Bishop
| Kin on the afternoon of November 9,
1866. The copper box placed in the stone
contained. according to the church records,
a Bible, a prayer-bOok, journals OF the
diocese and the general convention. a
| church almanac of the parish, daily papers
and United States coins of different de-
noml atiOns. A further search for the
missing box is being made and the result
| will be awaited with interest.