The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-21
THE JUDGE HILTON MYSTERY.
No One Could Tell How He the
Stewart Millions.

Hilton. His steadfast refusal TO speak OF
his parentage. the date and place OF his
birth occasioned many stories, some OF them
romantic. 1t was a subject which his
closest friends carefully avoided touching
upon In his presence. Ex-Judge Hilton was
born in this city, according to the best in
formation, about seventy-ive years ago,
tw~enty-one years after his benefactor, Alex
ander Turney Stewart, was born in Ireland,
near Belfast. 1t has been said that Judge
Hilton's father was a New York cabman,
but this was never fully established.
Where and how the first dozen years of
Henry Hilton's life were passed is a matter
about which he was always reticent. When
he was a lad of about fifteen he was en-
ployed in the law office Of Campbell &
Cleveland, in Grand street, and it was
there, several years later, that he became
identified with the interests of the mer-
chant prince whose millions made of him
such a conspicuous figure.
The generally accepted story OF the meet
ing Of Stewart and Hilton is this: The law
firm for which the young man worked was
an important one. The senior partner,
Campbell, in time sought public honors and
became a master in chancery and register
of bankruptcy. Meanwhile young Hilton,
Gil "Ohh(ts a up
idly from the humblest position in the Office
to that of managing clerk, and, by the with
drawal of Mr.. Campbell from the active af-
fairs of the office, was intrusted with much
of the important business of the firm. One
of the clients of the lawyers at this time
was A. T.. Stewart, who was just begin
ming to be talked about as a very success
full shopkeeper.
1t was a critical period with the merchant.
Years before he had outgrown the little
store at the corner of Chambers street and
Broadway, and now his business was too
great for the larger stores he had moved
into across the street, on the west side OF
Broadway. He had been gradually buying
up the block front on the east side of Broad
way and had about decided on a vast pro-
ject for those times. that of putting up a
great white marble structure, which would
be the finest and largest store In the whole
lawyers about his plans, and he found that
they were turning his affairs more and more
over. to the young managing clerk. Soon the
shrewd merchant consulted direct with the
clerk when in need of legal advice. mus
the big white structure, the eva build
tude undertaken by the great merchant,
was, In a measure, the result OF Henry Hill
toms advice.
WHEN HILTON TOOK HOLD.
It was in 1s4S when work was begun on the
erection of the building, and apace with its
growth moved the friendship of the mer-
chant for the young lawyer. A couple OF
years later Hilton resigned all other bust
ness interests to concentrate his attention
upon the affairs of A. T. Stewart in the joint
capacity of private counsel and private Sec
rotary. 1t was a position Of extreme conf-
dence. and Hilton knew to the minutest de-
tail every project undertaken by the man
who was rapidly achieving an international
reputation for commercial shrewdness.
In the early fifties Hilton married a sister
of James H.. Banker, later president OF the
Bank OF New York. After his marriage ne
became ambitious Tor otner honers 1nan
ton with the millionaire merchant. and In
1857 he became Judge of the Court of Com
mon Pleas. He was on the bench until 1903
and then became a park commissioners under
the Tweed regime, a position ne held until
the collapse Of that powerful boss.
All this time Judge Hilton maintained his
interest In the affairs Of Mr.. Stewart. He
counselled the latter to keep pace with the
n~orthward tendency of the city's residential
sections and favored the merchants project
of building the great store on the block
bounded by Broadway, Fourth avenue.
Ninth and Tenth streets. In 1862, when
Stewart first made known this scheme. he
was laughed at by his rivals. They thought
his Unsuitable ambition had at last worked
his ruin. But the building went up and in
1 1868 the store, which Is to-day one or the
finest In the world, was opened.
At this time Judge Hilton formed the
wholesale dry goods firm of ELTON, Camp
bell & Bell, which worked in harmony with
the retail store Of A. Il. Stewart. Judge
Hilton's firm was dissolved in 1874 and there
after he was continually at the Ninth street
store.
At this time the income of the merchant
prince was over $3,O 600 a year from his
business alone, and half again as much from
other Investments: His store was doing an
L animal hnCinQCC nf n1ncn IN S12 on INK II6pa
Hilton's work was mostly the investing of
the money 50 rapidly accommodating. Niblo's
Garden. the Colonnade Hotel, in Lafayette
place, 10000 acres at Garden City, the erec-
ton of the great cathedral there, the plann-
ing of the Park Avenue Hotel as a home for
WORKING XII women; the erection Of the mansion
the purchase of immense quantities of realty
in the downtown section were the chief in
vestments. Soon after the failure John
| Wanamaker purchased the entire business,
including the stock, the building and the
stables. The building is on a e9-year lease
hold. the ground being owned by the Sailors
After the death of Mrs. Stewart endless
suits by relatives of the dead millionaire
effort to deprive him of the Stewart millions.
Mrs. Stewart had willed nearly all of the
estate she had retained. about 100000. to
her two maiden sisters, the Misses Clinch,
who in turn decided the property to their
nieces and nephews, reserving only an an
nuity of $1,000 each.
GOT THE LIONS SHARE.
When Stewart died the great estate had
gone In part to the widow. but Judge Hilton
was as much master of the fortune as IL he
were Stewards only son and heir. But the
magic Of Stewards power of money making
was buried with Stewart. Judge Hilton
knew every secret of the great merchant
prince, who had risen from an errand boy,
except the secret of his success. With Stew
art Hilton could do anything; without him
all Hilton's plans went wrong. He changed
the name of the great firm of A. L. Stewart
to Hilton, Hughes & Denning, Hughes being
Hilton's son-in-law, and Denning, one OF
Stewards employees. who had learned the
business from the merchant prince himself.
But quarrels, dissensions, losses followed
year by year; the firm was repeatedly re-
organized, and 1t finally failed three years
ago this week. To Judge Hilton's great
credit, he paid his sons debts, though in no
way bound TO do so.
When the merchant died on April 10, 1876,
1t was supposed he left a fortune in the
but 100000 TO Judge Hilton, made liberal
requests to his servants and others, but
nearly all of IL went to his widow, who had
been a Miss Clinch.
The enigma of the Stewart millions is a
matter that has never been solved. Judge
Hilton eventually came into possession of
nearly ali of them-how. has never been
made clear. He soon became owner of the
retail store at Broadway and Ninth street.
but ii never prospered under him. his part
nerS or his sons, who eventually tried to
rim AZ ~ n 90 ul tha ,r-f.l. -