Year: 1878

deoended 10 the focr. They had


FIVE coFFINs TO CHOOSE FROM.
Two of them were MIR. Stewards children,
and the others of adult members of the
Clinch family. One OF the latter, buried
in 1886, was very rotten, and the burglars
in stepping over it crushed it in, exposing
the bones. The box they were after was the
newest of all, and was readily distinguished
by means OF the light of cheap isppanned
tin bulrs-eye lantern, which the scoundrels
left behind them. Covering all was a thick
cedar-wood box, with copper plate on the
top inscribed with the name of the tenant
The top was fastened with eight large brass
screws. The robbers took their time. and
deliberately unscrewed these. The only
part Of the cover that was injured was
small portion OF one corner, which was evil
IDENTIFY broken accidentally. Inside was a
lining, or rather a second covering, of her
metically-sealed lead. The robbers cut this
through the centre lengthwise with some
sharp instrument, and forcibly turned the
two parts backward, exposing the


LID OF THE CAsKLT.


This they forced-breaking the lock and
hinges, and breaking off some OF the false
ornamental screw heads Acting on Mr..
Stewards expressed wish before he died,
that nothing valuable should ::be buried
with him, the handles and paneling OF the
casket were merely of plated metal. The
inscription plate, however, was of solid
silver. 1t cost $50, and was fastened in
side the casket lid. The burglars wrench
ed this off, and they also cut piece out of
the velvet covering of the outside of the
casket and took both with them, evidently
to keep for the purpose of further identi-
tication. 1t is surmised that they had
large water proof bag with them. M..
Stewart was buried on April l3, 1876,


OVER THIRTY MONTHS AGO.


His body was not embalmed, but pbysi-
clans say that it would have remained in
tolerable state Of preservation until the air
reached it. 1t would then have commenced
to liguify instantly. The robbers lifted it
out Of the casket and dumped it into the
bag or whatever other receptacle they had
provided. The police say that burglars are
very superstitious, and that not one in a
thousand would enter a graveyard at night.
The nerve displayed by the robbers of Mr.
Stewards grave accordingly surprises and
puzzles them, but not half SO much as their
ability to endure


THE DREADFUL STENCIL


which they must have encountered. This
was so horrible yesterday morning as 10
sicken strong men standing in the open air
near the mouth of the vault The medical
authorities before quoted conjecture that
the remains must have weighed close on to
100 pounds. How the robbers carried it
off without attracting attention by its
bulk or smell, is one Of the strapgest parts
of the entire business. There are no foot
prints or marks of any kind to show which
way they left the cemetery. Climbing the
fence is regarded as extremely doubtful.
The locks on the gates bore no evidence of
having been tamPered with. The small
gate leading from the church poriico into
the east yard il, according to the sexton,
never locked. The opposite one was
fastened by chain and paddock. Yester-
day morning these were found lying on the
portico flags, the padlOcks having been
forced, but what the burglars were doing
in that portion of the yard nobody is able
TO conjecture. TIE supposition most gen.
orally held is that they had KEY and
went ou, by the Eleventh street gate.


THEY LEFT BEHIND THEM,





in addition to the shovel and lantern, a
copy of the Herald of September "a, piece
Of board, and long, narrow double strip
cut from a woman's cotton stocking, and |
sewed together at the ends. What this last |
was used for robody seems able to guess.
The board may have been used to lie on |
and TO facilitate the dragging of the bag
the body from the vault The |
paper had evidently been used to wrap the |
shovel and lantern in. 1t was not in the |
least damp, and from this it is believed that |
the outrage took place after the rain had |
ceased or during the few hours just preced-
ing sunrise.


A ROPE WAS ALSO FOUND
near the vault, and it is thought one would |
have been needed to pull up the bag, but |
the sexton and his assistant claim that it is |
theirs. 1t Is considered strange circum-
stance that they should have gone l2O feet |
ior a rope to lift stone that either was ca
pable of handle without. 1t is also con-
.idered strange that the burglars should |
have taken the trouble to replace the slab |
when they left the dirt heaped in a cir
lie all around the hole. Yet, if the story
,f the. sexton be true, they did SO. The cof- |
in was left in diagonal position, 30 that a
person standing a. the opening, yesterday
could look into the head.


The only tenable supposition is that the
robbery was committed to obtain ransom for
The return of the remains They can be
readily hidden away until wanted in thou
'ands of places where nobody would ever
ind them. If placed in an air tight box
hey might be placed in parlor and attract
10 attention by their odor. Judge Hilton
'ays he will not offer any reward for their
but the robbers evidently counted
lot on him but on Mrs. Stewart, who is
,uildinga


MAGNIFICENT MAUsoLEUM
1t Garden City with the intention of depos-
ting her husbands bones beneath it.
Il is thought that with all the means at her
she will not long listen to the ad-
rice of outsiders If the police do not soon
'ecover the body. Of this there seems no
present certainty. Yesterday afternoon De-
ective Dyer, of the Seventeenth Precinct
discovered that the shovel and lantern had
,een purchased about month ago, at Sey-
nour's hardware store at the junction of
East Broadway, Division and
;atherine streets. The salesman rpmem-
,ers selling the shovel to . man who re-
urned the next day and bought the lantern
,ut there his recollection stops. He can
i've no description of the man, nor does he
hink he would be able to recognize the
nan should he see him again. Notwith-
landing the number of officers engaged on
he case it was admitted last night that no
lue to the thieves had been obtained. H.
pector Murray was hard at work, however,
nd intended to make


SEARCH OF livery SUSPECTED LOCALITY
t was reported that he had discovered
races of horse and wagon in the street,
orth of the graveyard, but this could not
e corroborated. Capt. McCullagh, in
those precinct the outrage occurred, Is in
ignant that he was not informed Of the
tempt . month ago. He could then have
njoined on his patrolmen extra vigilance.
lie says that the sight Of upturned earth in
be graveyard would not have attracted 4,
heir attention, as it Is an ordinary occur
ence. He does not think any blame at
aches to him or them in the matter. The
extou and his assistant were closely exam
ned BY Inspector Dilks. Their statements d.
id not vary from those given in substance
hove They were not held. The grave I
ard was surrounded all day by curious {
rowds, and the story of the outrage crea-
ted tremendous sensation throughout the
ty. If
1t is doubtful if the scoundrels, even if
could be punished, the law on ]
10 snhiacf of Aasecration of graves being