The Penn's Grove record., 1923-06-01
HIs IRYS
E7Yls1TITE RIES
WHAT BECAME OF A. T.
BODY?
sI Mr D1E7H M H7Sz@sR JmAdTHf

TTHEN Alexander 7. Stewart died
w on April 10, 1876, in New York
city, he was credited with being one
of the richest merchants in the United
States, for his wealth was estimated
at more thar $4,000, 900. including
real estate which, alone, was assessed
at over $1,000, 900. The bulk of his
estate WAS bequeathed to his widow,
with a million dellars as a personal
gift to the executor, Henry Hilton.
The Stewart funeral, eliminating in
the interment Of the body in St.
Marks churclfyard, New York city. was
one Of the largest and most impressive
ceremonies Of it's kind ever held in
the city-and then, SOME two and a
half years later, Judge Hilton. the
executor of the Stewart estate, cleo
trifed the police with the announce.
ment thaf the grave had been rifled
and Mr.. Stewards body stolen.
Upon examination. it developed that
an even greater mystery surrounded
the affair than appeared upon the
surface. TRtring the early autumn of
1878, Judge Hilton. learning that the
grave had been slightly tempered with
and fearing the depredations Of
ghoulS, had caused the Stewart head.
stone to be removed to another por-
tiQn of the plot, although it was moi
thought wise at that time to disturb
the remains. Tire knowledge Of this
change was confined to four persons.
I,+ lrth, y Il f,p +Iie fIa 9y-aaz~a-
tiOn had been made with almost matlr
ematical precision, the earth having
been cut away straight down TO the
leaden ease which enclosed the coffin.
This case had been opened, the lid
of the coffin had been unscrewed and
the body taken out-presumably being
carted off in a wagon of which the
tracks were stifl visible nearby.
The most searching inquiries on the
part of the police failed to reveal any
one who had see the graTe-robbers at
work, for they had chosen a stormy
night and it was not until several
hours after daylight that the watch
man had discovered the loOting of the
merchants grave. The ghOuls had
left behind Them only a newspaper,
an iron shovel and q bulTs-eye lantern
none of which bore any distinguish
ing marks, nor could they be traced
by the detectives assigned to the case.
It appeared to be impossible that the
body of a dead man could be carried
across New York city without attract
ing the slightest notice or that It
could be re-interred or concealed with
out detection-but this is precisely
what took place, for nothing definite
mains.
Judge Hilton refused to eountenanee
overtures for the return of the body,
declaring that neither he nor the es-
tate would be b~lackmailed and, when
a reward of $4,000 was finally offered
1t was made with the distinct under
standing that it was not for the body
itself but for information which would
lead to the detection of the persons
who had committed the depreciation.
The executor of the estate advised
Mrs. Stewart to have no dealings
Whatever WlCh lle lueH WHO ldu
stolen the body of her husband and
the widow, who is said to have been
extremely affected by the blow, fol
lowed this advice during the ten re
naming years Of her life.
Some time after the violation of the
sanctity of st. Marks churchyard, the
impression was alloyed to gain Preva-
lence that the body had been re
covered and that it had been rein
tenred in the vault of the beautiful
cathedral at Garden City, Long Island.
But those who attempted to secure
proof of this report found that they
were blocked at every turn and the
question of who stole the body of A.
T. Stewart and what disposition was
made of it remains unsolved to this
day.