Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-03-06

in which at least the body OF
the digger could be concealed. 1t
may have been that there were sew
eral videttes in all directions who
gave signals of warning to those who
were intrusted with the task OF get
ting the body.
Source Of Wonder.
To this day il is source OF won
derment how such a bold enterprise
could have been conducted in the
heart OF populous district. The
gates Ct the churchyard were locked
or were supposed to be. and the in
closure was surrounded by a fence
10 feet in height. The sexton early
the following morning found the up
turned earth. small fire shovel and
dark lantern, both evidently new,
stocking and also a copy OF New
York newspaper. dated September ~
Of that year. There were no foot
prints. although the soil was most
and soft. ! How the robbers of the
tomb managed TO take away the body
at that time can be left only TO the
Imagination.
II is commonly believed tha: they
had what seemed to be milk wagon,
N which there was a long box for
the transportation of their CHASTITY
booty A vehicle of this description
was seen on the Grand street ferry at
8 o'clock on the morning Of the THEFT.
and the circumstances all Indicated
that il was the body of A. I. Stewart.
which was thus conveyed from New
York city. T he news of the breaking
open cf the grave spread Throughout.
the country over the wires and search
fer the ghouls was made in every
state and territory.
Inspector Byrnes. who was then
captain, had much to do with the
guest for the criminals. and he caused
The arrest of two men a few days
later, who were detained for a week
or so. The ghouls had cut open the
coffin. ripped up the lead covering
and had lifted out the dead form and
lad probably thrust it into sack.
in which they had swung it over the
,ence
| Body Shipped About.
Among those who were suspected
was notorious "resurrectionist,
whose skillful methods were, plainly
indicated. This man had made a bus
mess OF supplying medical colleges
with material and was regarded as
an expert.
The body of Mr.. Alexander T. Stew
art had many wanderings, and
IN some quarters there is still a well
defined doubt that it was ever re-
turned. Judge Hilton offered a re-
ward of $4,000 for the conviction of
The criminals, and not for the return
of the body itself
1t is believed that it was shipped
to Montreal and 10 years later story
was given out that it had been sent
lack to New York and buried at
Garden City This was the story told
ty members OF the Hilton family, who
believed that they had received the
relics of Mr.. Stewart. and by Robert
Caldwell. famllarly known as the
Great American Identifier," and also
by a Mr.. Gallagher, who saw mys-
terious case brought into the Stewart
store and subsequently sent to Long
Island.
As far as the identity of the
,ghouls is concerned, and how much
they got, the true state of affairs, o:
which the general public knows but
little, is stiIl involved in mystery.
Other Great Crimes.
Grimes committed in the last cen
fury instead Of those which have taken
hold on the popular minds in recent
years, have made the deepest i'm
preston on the minds of four of the
best known hunters of wrongdoers in
the United States. At the same time
they have not forgotten the uncan-
ry murder Of Rogers. slain in Sixth
avenue in 1871. and IN later years OF
The wapton killing Of Prof Max
Eglau. an artist. whose body WAS
found in a deaf and dumb asylum III
Lexington avenue: nor the mysterious
fate Of Jacob w Thompson murdere
IN hotel room; nor Dolly Reynolds
also put to death in a hotel.
The grewsome tragedy OF Monte
Cunningham and the details of the So
tcaIled barrel murder. which had its
rise in the vendetta. and the Oriental
mystery which surrounds the death Of
Elsie Sisel were all considered. while
cogn:zsEce was taken OF the latest
triple tragedy Of the East Side and