The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1891-07-04 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ANOTHER. SENSATION IN LIVER THE BODY OF A GENTLEMAN EXHUMED. Liverpool has been startled by another senseCon, the body of one of its most reepeeted and I -wealthy inhabitants having been °shuttled on the ' authority of the Home 011 ice. It was kuows last, I,week thatilnspectora.Conquest, of Scotland Yard, and Irvine, of the Liverpool pol:ce, were engaged Upon some ease, eridently important, and were lenaking cautions enquiries in various direttions ; huts° secretly-did they coudnet their nevestigaAkins that meeting ceuld be learned at -the tiers respecting the real object of their seereh. IL is now stated that the officers mentioned were seeking information which would justify the Home Secretary in author:sing, the exhumation of the body of the• late James McHenry, a gentleman well known in financial circles in this country and in America, especially hr connection with the Erie Railway. Mr Moifenry resided at Hope Lodge, Kensington, and he died on the Zfitia of last month. . The medical certificate ascribed the cause of death to decay of nature. The remains were subsequently interred in St. James's Cemetery, Liverpool; but an order was given for the body to be exhumed. This operation was duly carried out on the 20.11 inst., in the presence of Mr Bird, the superintendent of the cemetery ; Superintendent Irvine, of Liverpool; and Inspector Conauest, of the Criminal Investigaton Department, London. The postmortem examination was made at the graveside by Dr. F. W. Lowndes, of Liverpool ; Dr. Stoker, of King's College, London; and Dr. Stevenson, of .Guy's Hospital, London. The exhumation and post-mortem examination were carried out- in cirounistanoes of great difficulty. A leaden coffin had to be cut through, and, as the closing of the cemetery would have attracted an undesirable amount of public curiosity and attention, it was necessary to find some simpie excuse for keeping visitors away from the apot. This was cleverly managed by Supt. Irvine, who warned off everyone who approached by stating that "blasting operations" were in prozrega at that 'part of the cemetery. The exhumation and post - mortem occupied the greater part Of the day. The deceased was born at Larne, in the North of Ireland, in 18/7. His father was Dr. James Mideary, who is still remembered as the author of several novels, the lest known being " O'Halloran " and "Hearts of Steel." It is said that insurance companies were the prime movers in the matter of the exhumation of the body. Mr M'ilenry was insured in Nitrite's British and American companies for, it is said, £1,000,000, and, it is now suggested that he voided the policies by committing suicide by taking poison. The will has, it is stated, been proved, the personalty, so far as hit executors can ascertain, being placed at something like £1,400. Another statement is be seas worth abeut £1,500,000. Deceased was 74 years of age, and was hale and active until the cold weather of the spring, when it is thought he caught a chill. He was a t`try remarkable man in many respect.; he it is said On one occasion expended 0.-er £l,OOO in decorating a room with flowers and plante on an occasion when the late Emperor e the French was his guest. It is stated that the Emperor just looked into the room for a second, an I then went away. Mr Mclle,nry went to Liverpool in 1845, where he established himself in business as a provision merchant in partnership with Mr Crowe. He was, in fast, the Originator of the provision trade, and he it was who landed the first American bacon in Liverpool between two rows of armed policemen. Such was the prejudice entertained against this class of food at the time that it had to , be brought to Liverpool in a cotton ship and, guarded whilst being transferred to the warehouse of Mr McHenry's firm in Temple-court. Ur McHenry, who was the largest importer of Amen. j tan produce from 1846 to 1860, left Liverpool in j the Iseteeyearfor London, where he toccr the finale- ' cial management of the Atlantic and- Great Western Railway of America. Ile continued-to travel backwards and forwards between the Metropolis, and New York, stud at this- period of his career his connection with the Eric Railroad , was well-known. His permanent residence was at Oak Lodge, Addison-road, Kensington, London. The mention was a splendid one, and there he received the ex-Queen of Spain and Napoleon 111. when the latter wee in retirement at Chistehurst. j Of late deceased had been very much worried in the preparation of the evidence to be submitted in an arbitration case, which has since been put in chancery by his executor!. The sum in dispute amounted to about a Million sterling; and the legal proceedings naturally inyclved him in considerable work and anxiety, which at his advanced ago produced a serious effect upon his constitution. The last time Mr Crowe saw him was on the 2.lst of May, and he then was very ill, suPering from exhaustion, , the rosult of overworking himself. ' The officials of three of the largest insurance cowneenies in New York attach no credence to the reportreeeived front Londoe that the life of the fate Mr James M'Henry was insured in various companies for the aggregate sum of a million sterling. They say that Mr M'Henry held no policies in their companies, and also that it is impossible fur anyone to obtain such an amount of insurance. Mr 111`fienry could have had no motive for suicide as far as insurance was concerned, as he had only one living relatiye, a widowed sister, residing in Philadelphia, in easy circumstances. It is further stated that Mr M'llenry has not been in a position to pay premiums on any large amount of insurance.