The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-08
4. T. STEWARDS MILLIONS.
THE HISTORY BEHIND THE GREAT
HILTON FAILURE.

stolen Body comp bttNe Deeh Re-
covered But For HiltOn-A Dis
o..acefuI Episode in the Domestic
uistOry of Gotham.
From the Philadelphia Times.
New York, Aug. 2s.-The predictions of
many have proven true.
great name is trailed in the dust.
T Stewards stolen bones are some
where's rafting.
The disgraceful squabble over his mill
ions is not ended.
Hilton. Hughes & Co. have failed; that
&c the commercial term for financial dis
honor.
Rut who suffers? Stewart can't be-
cause he is dead. In the words of the
orrhstone gambler, you can bet your
sr,aet life that Judge Hilton Doesn't, The
rroctical result of the entire commercial
contention is that an enormous fortune
,s divided between Judge Hilton and
.,ralye heirs of the unburied Irishman's
,,,dov and all that remains to keep his
r,amorv green is the bare recollection OF
his riches. The settlement by arbitration
~ +be fight over his wealth prevents any
f,rther exposure of the disgraceful man
nor in which the grand estate which he
created has been sacrificed by those who
owed him everything they had. The most
ro,oa rl,able exposition in all this scandal
,o,s showing is the incredible manner in
,-hich Judge Hilton has fattened upon the
nossessions of his benefactor. A novelst
v,bo would give the bare facts of this
matter as the creation Of his imagination
would be adjudged guilty of ridiculous ex-
aggeration. s,s -, ora+
Who is Judge Hilton, and how dld ne get
his clutches upon one of the grandest Tor
times which individual and honest eXer-
ton ever created! go
Henry Hilton was naturally politician
IN the crafty sense of that term. he got
his title of judge thirty-five years ago.
when he sat upon the bench OF New YORK
common pleas. At the time OF the IWeeo
regime he was a recognized MEMBER OF
that notorious coterie, and When the
brains of that ring, Peter B. Sweeney, be-
came the president of the park commits
sion Henry Hilton was made It's secre-
tary Wien the exposure or the IWeeu
gang was made no breath or scandal was
permitted to cloud the reputation OF Hen
nv Hilton for he at that time had become
intrenched against public attack by nav
ing gained the friendship, confidence and
support of the all-powerful A. I. Stewart
His acquaintance with the millionaire De-
gan through Hilton's wife being Stewards
cousin, and in time the judge managed
to make himself so useful IN a social way
TO the dry goods merchant that the latter
found him indispensable. A. T. Stewart
was not man of words nor of grace OF
manner, and was absolutely lacking in
those qualities which would enable him to
give proper reception to his guests on GER
emonial occasions This deficiency Judge
Hilton supplied, and at all social gather
ings he stood by his patrons side and
quietly coached him. They travelled
through Europe together, and. in fact,
when Stewart played the host Henry HiI-
ton actually sat at the head of the table
and spoke and acted in the rich mans be-
half. This peculiar form. of assistance
gave the judge a controlling influence over
the modern Croesus which could have
been gained in no other way.
The fact that Stewart depended upon
Hilton for aid in everything outside of
his regular business affairs was never
better demonstrated than when the dry
goods man was nominated for secretary
of the treasury by President Grant. The
latter's first nomination for the presidency
was undoubtedly brought about by A. T.
Stewart, whose reward was to be the Gus
todianship of Uncle Sans finances, and
stantly selected Henry Hilton as his as
sstant Charles Sumner, however, as will
be remembered, discovered an old law by
which an importer was disqualified for
the position of Secretary of the Treasury
or that of collector of a port. When this
revelation was made, at Hilton's sugges-
ton Mr.. Stewart, when he found 1t impos-
sible to have a qualifying act passed in
his favor, decided to put his business in
the hands of trustees. Gen. Grant, how
ever, felt that he had done sufficient to
show his gratitude and accordingly with
drew the name of the ambitious Irishman.
Stewards bitterness on account of this
was most intense, and to the day of his
death he never forgave the warrior Presi-
cent. 1t is generally understood that
Grant believed that Judge Hilton did all
IN his power to make more frigid the cool
ness between himself and Mr.. Stewart,
and for that reason, when Hilton called
upon the dying soldier in the Mount Nc
Iregor cottage he was denied admission
to the sick mans chamber.
Hilton's main force is audacity.
by that has he won and by that he has
succeeded in divertlng a large portion of
the golden current of Stewards wealth
INTO his pockets. This phase of his char
acler can be illustrated by a trivial Incl
cent which happened when he was still
Hoidlng down the common pleas bench.
On Christmas day. before he had become
secretary of the park commission, he took
ms family for a drive through Central
PARK When he reached the upper end
anu anu desired to turn the horses about he
aouhd 1t most convenient to drive across
hewly-graveled ground on which stood
a. warning sign commanding everyone to
Keep of" A park guard, who witnessed
me act, directed the judges attention TO
we placard, and as result Of the wordy
NIdhgle which ensued the policeman,
VINO wno Kept his temper the best, informed
1r' Hilton that he would be obliged to
Escort him to the park police station. But
ne Judge, without revealing his identity,
selu mat he preferred a quicker DISPOSE
uoh Oh the matter and would. therefore,
80 TO the nearest district court, where
me me orncer's complaint could be heard
w men the place was reached It was learn
a., az mat its judicial magnate had gone out
d. search Of drink, and as II was a hol-
,udy ne was not expected TO return for A
sons time. Thereupon Judge Hilton him.
o oe1 mounted the bench, opened court and |
oaIIeG upon the policeman to make his |
complaint. The officers ewes buloed in |