The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-03
OLD CRIME RECALLED.
HILTON's DEATH REVIVES STORY
OF THEFT OF STEWARDS BODY.

Efforts for Its RecOvery-HOpe of a
Big Ransom the Only Motive of the
Grave RObbers-PoIice and Private
Detectives Bamed-LOng Death
Trail.
From the New York Mail and Express.
With the death Of ex-Judge Henry Hilton
there is probably locked up forever the
secret of the mysterious theft of the body
Of Alexander T. Stewart and the unsuc-
cessful efforts to recover it so that it
might rest in the magnificent mausoleuIn
at Garden CITY, L. I. During the active
career of the merchant prince he conceiv-
ed the idea Of having a crypt constructed
in the splendid Cathedral he was so in
suumeUtal in erecting in that quiet Long
Island village, where his earthly remains
might reDose. but fate decreed it ether
wise, and to-day probably not vesdge of
his body remains.
In November, of 1873. the city was star
tied by the news that ghouls had broken
into the Stewart vault in ST. Marks
Churchyard, in New York, and che body
of Mr. Stewart carried away. Mr.. Hilton
promptly conferred with the then inspector
Of police William Murray, and Superin-
tendont Walhng, and search for the grave
robbers began in earnest.
Traces of the GhouIs.
The early investigation showed that the
belfry Of the church had been entered and
a diagram Of the vaults stolen. SUSPICION
fell upon a church employe. He proved S
innocence, however and was not arrested.
It was seen that the men who desDo.led
the grave had secured the bearings from
the diagram and knew precisely where to
make an entry. They had no difficulty IN
removing the body of the millionaire mer-
chant from his casket in the early hours
of a rainy morning. It was placed in
canvass bag and carried or dragged to the
porch of a house at the end of the Gene
terry, and later was put into carriage.
driven to the Weehawken ferry and car
ried over to Jersey.
The Positive Trail.
The robbers left a trail leading from the
tomb TO the house porch, where the evil
dence was most marked in odor, but from
this point all trace was lost. inspector
Murray was worried. The outrage occur
red in his bailiwick and he remarked to
the writer years after, when he was su-
perintendent of police:
I'm my experience of lifetime in police
work, as a detective, captain, inspector
and head of the force, this is the only
case in which I was baffled. I fear 1 shall
die without recovering the body of Mr..
Stewart, or apprehending the robbers"
His prophecy passed into history, and
the palsied superintendent preceded Judge
Hilton to the grave, a disappointed and
almost heart-broken man at what he con-
sidered his life failure.
Obstacles to Recovery.
When months of search for the missing
corpse had heightened into a year, Muir
rays only hope was a recovery of the
body. Judge Hilton offered a reward of
$25, 900 for the recovery of the body, with
a reservation, however, that the arrest Of
the perpetrators of the robbery must fol-
low.
few months after the grave was de-
spoiled Judge Hilton was called upon by a
lawyer of this city who had received
letter from man signing his name as
Romano at North Adams, Mass, and Of
fering to restore the body of Mr.. Stewart
on payment of the reward, no questions
to be asked. AS an earest of good faith,
the lawyer laid upon Judge Hilton's desk
the silver plate, three screws, a piece of
black cloth that was cut from the casket
In the then tenantless tomb, and the linen
studs that We're removed from the shirt
that covered the remains.
Would Grant No Immunity.
Mr.. Hilton identified the articles sub
mitted but declared in emphatic terms
that he would grant no immunity to the
robbers of the grave of his, friend and
benefactor. if he never received the body.
He was particularly severe in his COM
ments upon the part the lawyer played,
and even threatened him with arrest. This
silenced the ghouls and for long time
negotiations ceased.
A few months later the writer became
.ta1 rof,f
dence that might lead to rescuing the stol-
en- remains and having them deposited in
the crypt built specially 90 hold them. 1t
became known that man named Kelly
drove the coach which carried the body
to New Jersey, and that he at once left
New York for the West. Evidence also
came into possession of certain parties in
New York which the police knew of but
had kept secret, proving that possession
of the body might yet be had. 1t became
known that there were positive proofs
of Identification in the teeth and mouth OF
Mr.. Stewart which were available for Mr..
Hilton and he was Offered the safe re-
turn of the corpse upon payment of the
reward. He, however, refused to accede
to the request.
Talk With Mr.. Hilton.
The writer visited ex-Judge Hilton in
his home with undeniable proofs of iden-
tification, and urged him to relax his de-
termination to arrest ON sight the men
who might restore the remains. and give
them some time, at least, after the body
was returned. After examining closely the
evidence submitted together with a state
ment written by a life insurance detec-
tive who had worked quietly on the case.
Mr.. Hilton was assured that the expense
of finding Kelly, the coachman, and the
secret hiding place of the body would be
borne by the newspaper with which the
writer was engaged, and that no money
was needed from him. The eX-judge look
ed up in surprise and remarked:
This Is one of the very few instances
during the investigation of the grave rob-
berry when 1 have not been called upon to
pay out money for assistance. have spent
already over $1OOOOO without result.
will go so far as this-I will not apply for
warrants for arrest until forty-eight hours
after the restora ton of the body. This is
the very last offer l shall make, and if it
falls l will withdraw the offer of a re-
ward and cease further inouiries in that