Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 November 1878 — BODY-SNATCHING. [ARTICLE]

BODY-SNATCHING.

The Tomb of A. T. Stewart Plundered of Its Dead and Mystery Attaching to the Despicable Crime. * [New York Cor. Chicago Tribune.] The grave of the late Alexander T. Stewart was successfully robbed between midnight and sunrise this morning, and his remains carried off, evidently in the hope of obtaining a large ransom for their return. The scene of the outrage was old St. Mark’s churchyard, which occupies the irregular end of the block bounded by Second avenue, Stuyvesant, and East Eleventh streets. The church, facing on Stuyvesant street, divides the yard into two strips of green turf, dotted with small square marble slabs. These slabs indicate the vaults, which form a perfect honeycomb under ground. The Stewart family vault is about in the center, and is surrounded by a spiked iron fence ten feet high, and exceedingly difficult to climb. A more exposed position for grave robbery could hardly be found. The yard fronts on three streets, with houses opposite on all sides, and four street-lamps throw light into it. The Stewart vault entrance is covered by three stone slabs, all of "which had to be removed.

On the morning of Oct. 9, the sexton of St. Mark’s, George W. Hammill, discovered that the Stewart slab had been tampered with during the preceding night. Somebody had lifted it and evidently let it drop in a hurry. There seems to be no doubt, in the light of today’s discoveries, that an attempt was then made to steal the body, and that the robbers were frightened away just as they got fairly to work. Judge Hilton was notified, and made an examination of the premises. He had new locks put on the gates, and moved the slab fifteen feet south to mislead future spoliators. He also employed a private night-watchman, who was required to visit the yard once every hour. This watchman w T as discharged on Friday last, it being thought no further attempt would be made. This morning the sexton’s assistant found the vault opened and the body gone. The police and Judge Hilton were notified, and every effort is being made to ferret out the mystery. Only one man saw anything ‘unusual about the cemetery last night. A dentist, returning home at midnight, saw five men standing near the cemetery fence. The night was dark and stormy. Three patrolmen who pass the cemetery saw nothing suspicious. A deep feeling of indignation is expressed at the outrage.

Judge Hilton thinks there is something strange in Sexton Hammel’s actions. The Judge says he could imagine no reason why any one should steal Mr. Stewart’s body except to recover a reward. The silver plate xvas the only thing to tempt robbers. The Judge himself could not have accurately pointed out the vault entrance. The robbers must have had reliable information. The sexton and his assistant were the only persons who knew the entrance. When Hilton reached the vault he found a piece of tlie sexton’s rope which that person did not satisfactorily account for. The sexton and his assistant were taken to headquarters and examined. Their stories agree. While suspected, they are not under arrest. Judge Hilton believes the thieves went out the gate with the body, and must have had duplicate keys. The job was done with great skill, the robbers evidently knowing the location perfectly. A small shovel and lantern were found in the vault. There were five boxes in the vault, and one was crushed in, probably by stepping on it. This is the first time the Metropolitan police have ever had a case of bodysnatching reported. This time was chosen undoubtedly because the body xvas soon to be removed to a crypt in the Garden City Cathedral. Mrs. Stewart was very ill at the time of the affair. She is in her 75tli year, and has been ailing much lately. Judge Hilton did not break the news until a late hour to-day. He said it was one of the most painful tasks that had ever fallen to him. He put it off as long as possible. In the afternoon, when the newsboys began to cry the story in the streets, they seemed to loiter about the lady’s residence, and to cry more loudly and persistently than usual. Mrs. Stewart takes a lively interest in current events, and exhibited a singular interest to know what event xvas cried on the streets. Judge Hilton then related carefully the story of the robbery of her husband’s grave. Mrs. Stewart bore the shock xvitli heroism, but it proved at length too great a strain on her xveakened strength, and she sank perceptibly under the blow. 9 Judge Hilton said the terrible affair proved a cruelty to the estimable lady difficult to conceix-e. It is feared the result may prove \ r erv serious to Mrs. Stexvart.