Year: 1878

al Of body for the purpose Of obtaining
reward. The removal OF coffin. or any
portion of the clothing on a dead body, is
made punishable by two years imprison-
ment and a fine OF $3.50. The graye-rob-
bers, however, il discovered, can be proceed
ed against, and undoubtedly convicted, on
an indictment for


GRAND LARCENY


of the silyer-plate carried of, valued at
$50, anything over SIS being sufficient 10
constitute that ofiense, which is punishable,
on conviction, by five years imprisonment.
Many lawyers, however, raise the point OF
proprietorship, claiming that coffin, when
deposited in place Of interment, Is virtu-
ally abandoned for the purpose of decay,
and is therefore nobody's property. On the
other hand, it Is argued that for legal pur-
poses property deposited in the custody Of
any person or corporation becomes the
property Of the custodians, who are thereby
qualified to take steps for its recovery.


One OF the mostextraordinary features OF
the case is that, according to the Police au-
thorities, it is the first case Of body-snatch-
ing that has ever come to the notice Of those
authorities within the City of New York.
1t is remarked as exceedingly strange that
the first case OF such nature should be not
only extraordinary in its details, but should
have for Its subject a man among the most
extraordinary that ever lived in the coun-
try.


MRS. STEWARDS CONDITION.


Mrs. Stewart was very Ill at the time OF
the affair. She is in her seyenty-tifth year,
and has allied much OF late. Judge Hilton
did not break the news TO her until late
hour in the day. He said it was one of the
most painful tasks that had ever fallen on
him. He put it of, owing TO the lady's
weak condition, as long as possible. In the
sfternoon, when the newsboys began TO cry
the story in the streets, they seemed TO loi-
ter about the lady's residence with lin
gering interest, and to cry the story more
loudly and persistently than usual. Mrs.
Stewart always takes lively interest in
current events, and exhibited a singular in
terest in desiring to know what event was
cried on the streets. Judge Hilton, who,
more than most people. knows the strong
good sense Of the lady, then related careful
ly 10 her the story Of the robbery OF her
husbands grave.


MRS. STEWART BORE THE SHOCK


with wonderful heroism, but it proved at
length too great a strain on her weakened
strength, and she sank perceptibly under
the blow. Judge Hilton said that this ter
rible affair proved a cruelty to the estima-
bic lady difiicule to conceive and extreme
ly trying to witness. 1t is feared that the
result may prove very serious to Mrs. Stew
art. Judge Hilton said last night to the
reporter that he was absolutely certain Of
recovering the stolen remains and of hav-
ing all the guilty parties in custody within
short time. The Judge thinks it would
be absolutely impossible to deceive him
about the remains. He had. two casts OF


Mr.. STEWARDS HEAD


taken while the great merchant was living.
Besides that Mr.. Stewards dentist had
made such peculiar operations on his teeth
as to make identification an easy matter,
the dentist being still living and having
been well acquainted with Mr.. Stewart.
Moreover, a. the robbers had taken away
the silver cofiin-plate, piece Of the coffin
lining, and the clothes of the deceased, and
as their theft was made for the purpose Of
securing a reward, it would be against their
interest to fail to return the true remains
1t was probable that they took the plate
and lining to possess proofs of correct iden-
tity