The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-03
NH CLAIMANTS GONE.
Seeking What Is Left of
Stewards Millions.
AFTER THE SPOLlATION
And Misfortune Have Wasted
the Estate.

New York, April 1.-The World says:
Here have arisen new claimants to the
unlucky Stewart millions-or what are
left of them.
Mrs. George Hoffman is the most act
i've member of a family of five sons and
daughters ofthe late James Stewart Nc
Cracker, who, they say, was nephew of
the late A. T. Stewart of New York.
They are about to begin a great legal
campaign for the estate which the late
Judge Hilton and his sons played ducks
and brakes with
These claimants, if they can prove
| their story, will have established a pre-
cedence by ties of blood over all other
| heirs. Having been born in this country
| they are not affected by the decision Of
| the Court of Common Pleas that aliens
cannot inherit real property on the
strength of relationship thaced through
an alien "a. T. Stewards father, to wit
! They live at present at Maiden Mass
Though the son of a poor Irish farmer
| Alexander Turney Stewart received a
good education.
| But the boy even that early felt that
| his aptitude was for business career.
and though his first opportunity came be-
| hind the counter of a small grocery, he
embraced it in preference 10 the Church
| His mother, who had been widowed
two months before his birth married
David Bell. and with his emigrated to
New York. Young Alexander, attracted
by the picture she drew in her letters, re-
GnlH ya1 30 fDII -.
from his grandfather of a few hundred
pounds enabled him to bring with him d
stock of laces and linens.
There was a store room to let in a
building at Broadway and Chambers
street. The immigrant hired it and laid
out his merchandise in tempting array.
The laces and linens sold well. Stew
art won steady patronage, and married
Miss Clinch, a merchants daughter with
whom he established a little home in
rooms over the store. His bride was
comely and of pliable nature-this lat
ter quality that was destined to play its
part in the mystery of the disappearance
of the Stewart millions when she should
become a widow.
About one million had been accumulat-
ed in 1881. The panic of that year, skill
fully used by Stewart to his own advant-
age, left him with twenty millions.
In 1S4S he built the Stewart Building on
the site of his first shop, after having
Occupied many other places in the mean
time
From this point Henry Hilton enters
the story. He was young man of OBJ
scure origin, employed as a clerk byb the
law firm of Campbell & Cleveland. in
in Grand street, A. T. Stewards attor-
neys.
Hilton's progress was rapid. He mar
ried an heiress, the sister of James H.
Baker. He became a member of the firm
of McMurray az Hilton. He was mace
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.
Through the agency of the Tweed Ring
with which he had close affiliations, he
was made a Park Commissioner. In 1866
his name stood at the head of a new law
firm-Hilton, Campbell q Bell
this time he was devoting his best
energies to the management of A. T.
Stewards manifold property interests
The millionaire trusted him implicitly
and followed his advice at all times. But
the amazing part of it is that a lawyer
of Judge Hilton's reputation should do
all this work for a man worth sixty or
seventy millions for a beggarly salary of
5000 a year, with an extra S1C0 every SIX
months.
In the later years Of Stewards life tie
two men would be close,ed together IN
the mtrchant's Office for the greaer I4rt
of the day.
Meanwhile A. T. Stewart was making
himself famous by spending heaps Of
money on display. For his own residence
he built the mansion at Thirty-fonrth
street and Fifth avenue, marvel of pre-
tentiousness and expense, so vast that af-
ter being vacated a few months ago 10y
the Manhattan Club there seemed 10 al
tentative but to destroy it and make
better use of the site. And this is ony
another example OF the unlucky star that
rose when A. T. Stewart died.
That house is believed 10 have cost
Stewart something like 5000. 900. 1t was
sold last year for $4,000 which repre-
scented the value Of the site alone.
1t was there. surrounded with a r~6fu- !
sion Of art objects that would have Keen I
ample to stock a museum, that Stewart I
gave his celebrated entertainment 10 Cen /
Grant. Dinner was served on massive /
gold table service. and the General slept /
for the night in princely bed. made for /
the purpose to his hosts order, given six /
months before
\ benevolent impulse led Stewart to /
build another overgrown structure. which /
designed 10 conduct as an hotel Tor work /
ing girls. II Is now the Par Avenue /
Da.vr- ia
but Stewart would correct them and po.lt I
10 his OWE mansion. saying:
NO; that IS Stewards folly. not this.
In 1876 the merchant died. Judge Hi
ton was at his side 20 the last gasp The F..
viii contained 2 beouest Of $is0.f0. u