The New York Herald Newspaper, November 11, 1878, Page 3

—_——. WRAPPED IN. MYSTERY. The Robbers of the Stewart Vault Still Undiscovered, RETICENCE OF THE POLICE. [Inspector Murray’s Callers and His Hopeful Clew. THis WASHINGTON RESURRECTION? Was George A. Christian Mr. Middleton’s Customer? A REMARKABLE HISTORY. The announcement made in yesterday’s Herap that two distinct clews to the robbers who had carried off A. T. Stewart's body had been discovered was the subject of universal discussion yesterday wherever citizens were congregated. ‘There was a general ex- pressioh of hope that the police authorities, by using Intelligently the clews discovered by chance, would be able to bring the guilty partics to justice. It was re- gretted that the police had not been more careful and prompt in searching out indications that would have enabled them to follow the trace of the grave rob- bers while their trail was fresh, and fears were expressed lest the dilatory action of the police suthorities may have enabled the ruffians to put themselves beyond reach of pursuit. Captain McCullagh, in discovering the tell-tale trawes of the robbers, has set at rest the question whether the remains of A. T. Stewart were stolen from their resting place on last Thursday morning or at the time of the former attempt, on the 7th of Oc- tober, a theory which was beginning to find a good many believers, even among the experts of the de- tective department. The discovery of the putrid stains on the portico and pathway of St. Mark’s Proves, beyond the possibility of a doubt, that the femains were taken from the vault sometime between sundown on Wednesday and sunrise on Thursday morning. A SECURE STARTING POINT. The importance of settling this point cannot be over estimated, as it furnishes the police with a se- cure starting point for their investigations. It also has the effect of disposing of many of the fine spun theories invented by the fertile brains of detectives. It is now quite certain that though the robbers were undoubtedly bold and skilful, they had by no means displayed the foresight with which they had been cred- ited. Neither metallic coffin nor rubber bag had been brought into requisition, for if they had been the tell- tale stains would not have appearcd. ‘The stains show conclusively that the decomposing remains were simply lifted out of the coffin in their grave clothes, and in this way borne out of the church yard. What further disposition was made of them is as yet mystery, unless the clew furnished by Roundsman O'Brien should prove a connecting link. The rounds- man was on duty near Grand street ferry, in this city, about three o'clock on Thursday morning when the driver of a milk wagon, or what appeared to be o milk wagon, inquired for the nearest ferry to East New York. A storm of sleet and rain was falling at the time, render- ing it very difficult to distinguish anything, even at ®@ short distance. The question, though # peculiar ‘one, does not seem to have aroused the officer's sus- picion at the time, he treating it as one of those rather heavy jokes which people some- times indulge in at the expense of the police, Although the officer did not obtain a good view of the supposed milkman’s face he noticed that there was in the wagon a large box or case. This of itself, however, did not arouse any suspicion, as many dairymen are in the habit of sending milk to * their customers in sealed cans, which are usually packed in cases, to prevent the possibility of the milk being watered on the road by the wagoners. Next day, however, when the news came that Mr. Stewart's remains had been stolen about the hour indicated, the roundman’s suspicions became aroused and he in- formed Captain Copeland, of the Thirteenth precinct, who immediately reported the circumstances to Head- quarters. In an interview with a Heraxp reporter yesterday Captain Copeland stated that he did not attach much importance to O'Brien's suspicions, but as that officer has already been on special duty he thought it best that he should be permitted to work up the clew which he imagined he had discovered. With this view he has been temporarily relieved from duty, and is now engaged in trying to discover the driver of the suspicious wagon. THE REWARD USELESS, In reply to the reporter's question whether he thought the conditions under which the reward for the recovery of the remains and the punishment of the robbers were well calculated to lead to their sur- render, Captain Copeland promptly replied :—“It is the general police impression that the conditions at- tached to the reward will defeat its aim—that is, if the principal aim be the restoration of the remains. If, as I take it,’ continued the Captain, “Mrs. Stewart wishes above all things to recover her husband's remains it would have been much better to offer a reward simply for their return, and when that end was accomplished a second reward might be offered for the discovery and punishment of the of- fenders. Although it is right that the robbers should de sought out and punished, looking at the matter | swing from Mrs. Stewart's point of view this would been the wisest course to pursuo and the one most likely to leed to success.” ‘Don't you think that if bloodhounds had been at once put on the scent there is a probability that the robbers might have been traced by their aid?" “Perhaps so, if it had been done at once while the scent was fresh; but it seems to me too late now. In the country the scent might have remained distinct enough to follow even yet; but, in # crowder city, where ali sorts of garbage is constantly moving abont the streets, it is not probable that at this time bloodhounde would be of much service.” THE WAYS OF OLD RESURRECTIONISTS, “The discovery of the way in which the body was femoved seems to clear the sexton of all connection with the outrage.” “Well, I never attached much importance to the sus- jicions in that direction. No d it the job was done yy skilful burglars, and they could very easily have located the vault by sounding. You see, there was only three feet of earth covering it, and it would have been sy to run an iron rod to that nd by this means accurately locate the position of the vault. In old times when ,body-snatching was common the resurrectionists were in the habit of proceeding in With an iron rod they located the head of this a the coffin one mun to descend, and by; the coftin they removed the the grave, the body being and then dug a hole large enough to enable breaking in the head of ly without disturbing rawn out throngh a kind of planting tunnel. If the sexton or his assistant had anything to do with it they could very casily have removed the body and rearranged the grave without — anyone being the wiser. They could then have waited until the time for removing the remains to Garden City, when no trace would exist as to the time of the ro Dery. and it would have been impossible to recover it without offering alarge reward. The great mistake however in the affair was Mr. Hilton's tailure to no- lify the police and the public when the first attempt to remove the body was made, Had the captain of the precinct been notified at the time, the police could have kept a sharp wok out for the resurrectionixts and they would have been balked in their attempt to carry out the schem ‘The best protecti vever, would hi licity, for, as the 4D properly remarks, every citizen ld have ti turned into an amateur de- tective, and any suspicious movements would have been reported at oncy to the police.” “Do you attach much importance to the supposed clew obtained by OMtcer O'itrien “Well, no, You seo the night was so stormy that the officer was not able to distinguish the man's face, and if you except the fact that it is supposed the robbery took place about the same hour, there ix nothing to connect the wagon with the outrage. If us had struck the officer he would in or reported the circumstances at the t the fwet is I did not have any suspicion until next day, when he Joarned of the outrage, However, the affair is being lunted up, and if there is anything init no doubt it will come to light. Teannot tell you where O'Brien can be found; Is ont on the case and may not turn up for some days.” PUSHING MIs PIscovERINS, ‘The reporter next sought Captain McCullagh, but NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1], 1878—TRIPLE SHEET. Scene ee) that officer was away on the warpath endeavoring to follow up the trail which he so. cleverly discovered. Tho sergeant in charge of the desk was a model of — politeness, — but ms one might as well have gnestioned the fabled Sphynx as this most cautious rdian of the patie peace, He stated that the Captain was out looking after the Stewart case, but further than that he was unable to give any information. Impossible to say when or where the Captain could he een. ‘The same mysterious silence was observed at Police Headquarters. When Inspector Murray was ques- tioned by the reporter he declared that, while every t was being made by the detectives, no new de- velopments had taken place so far. ‘Che Inspector thought that Captain MeCullagh’s discovery had somewhat relieved the sexton from suspicion, but even on this point he was very reserved, and his phrases were rather non-commitial. Sergeant Kealy was equally reticent, and declared that nothing of an interesting character had come under his observation, except what had already been given to the public. It is known, however, that the eyes of the police are now turned outside the city, ‘and that @ carceut wateh is maintained in adjoining States over suspected persons. On Saturday a despatch was received at Headquarters from the chief of police at Newark which seemed to point to the presence of some suspicious strangers in at town, and rumors are in circulation that arrests of outside parties are contemplated. JUDGE HILTON'S RETICENCE. There can be no doubt, however, that the police know a great deal more than they care about making known. As Inspector Murray said, “there is too much at stake to jeopardize a good case by pub- lishing our plans ‘to the world. We are working energetically and intelligently. I haye held to one theory since the beginning, and I hold to it still, Ihave never worked so hard in my life as I have in developing this theory and in following up such clews as Lhave hadon hand, I think in a few days we will be able to give a good account of our- selves, In the meantime, however, the public and the press must possess ‘their anxious souls in pa- tience.” Finding but a small crumb of comfort in these glittering gencralities, the reporter left the oficial presence with a waning confidence in his established reputation as an interviewer. At this moment of self-accusation over the gloomy aspect of affairs the rumble of carriage wheels and the clatter of horses’ hoofs were heard without. A carriage drew up in front of Police Headquarters, and from it emerged a portly gentleman and a youth. The former was Judge Hilton and the latter his nephew. The spirits of the reporter rose with a palpitating bound. Here, indeed, was the fountain head of news, a man who was not bound by official red tape to aps ys 3 in the silence of the Sphynx or the equivocation of the Sybil. The Judge had lost none of characteristic bohommie; but if the truth must be told—and that more in sorrow than in anger—the same cannot be said of his well known reputation for candor and outspoken expression of his opinions. These qualities, which he had possessed in a mi degree, have suc- cumbed to the chilling touch of the un- sympathetic officials with whom he has had to deal for the past four days. He, too, was as mysterious as an oyster. He would vouchsafe no kind or degree of news or information, While loudly protesting in the midst of a bevy of inter- viewers that he had nothing to give away, and that he could not be coerced or.cajoled into an expression of his opinion, a fortunate tramp happened along, forced his way through the cordon of reporters and boldly challenged the millionnaire's charity, His ap- peal met with a speedy response, and the tramp while contemplating his palmful of coin looked as happy as the millionnaire who had entered his car- riage. cE. MORE EVIDEN A lady and gentleman called on Inspector Murray last evening. The former was young and petite and her companion was a handsome man, with dark beard and mustache. They had « long interview with Inspector Murray, but here, too, the impenetrable veil of secrecy shut out from public gaze the nature of their visit. The Inspector sent one of his aids on a sudden mission when his visitors had retired, and then settled down to the studying out of the general plan of the campaign. Subsequently the petite lady and the dark complexioned gentleman were foundut Raux's restaurant, in the Bowery,'where they were partaking ofa So repast after their circuitous walk in order to possible detection. They live in Tenth street, near Stuyvesant street, and on_ the night of the outrage witmessed certain manifesta- tions about the graveyard, which, in the light of subsequent revelations, led them to connect these mysterious movements with the band of body- snatchers who had exhumed and carried away the re- mains of the late Mr. Stewart. What these particular experiences were they refuse to say to other than official ears. They state, however, that they are morally certain that they saw enough to convince them that if the reserructionists could be appre- hended their identification would not be difficult. Considerable discussion was caused by the adver- tisement in the Henaxp personal column calling on “Hilton and Nichols to call off their bloodhounds,” and winding up with the suggestive figures, $100,000. ‘The police were not inclined to treat the advertise- ment seriously, but even on this subject they pro- served their reticence. ‘Che idea generally expressed was that it the police fail to recover the remains within the next few days Mrs. Stewart will be com- pelled either to sgree to the robbers’ terms or give up all hope of recovering her husband's remains. INDIGNANT CHURCH MEMBERS. On the conclnsion of the service yesterday at St. Mark’s Charch the wardens and tru: ‘held a secret meeting in the vestry to take action in reference to the scrious suspicions which have rested on the sexton, Mr. Hamill, and his assistant, in connection with the stealing ot Mr. Stewart's remains from the vault in the church yard. The members of the church are somewhat indignant that the police should have ventured without strong to point the finger of suspicion at the sexton, whose long and faith- ful service has earned for him the respect avd conti- dence of the congregation The proceedings, how- ever, were conducted with closed doors and the mem- bers of the press were rigidly excluded—a somewhat curious proceeding under the ci of the Brooklyn Central Police Office, in company with the elderly gentleman who, on Friday night, no- tified Inspector Waddy of what ‘he regarded as a sus- picious incident, started for Jersey City to prosecute the search in that locality for the remains of A. 'T. Stewart, The informant of the Inspector stated that at about half-past four o'clock on Thursday afternoon he was on his way home through the northern side of Jersey City, making his way for the Brooklyn Annex ferry, when he observed a man carrying a rubber bag walking in the middle of the roadway. The bag, which appeared to contain considerablo weight, was flat on the top, as acap, and the man held it in his arms in a slanting m: with the flat part up. He was about five feet ten inches in height and strongly built, ‘The gentleman wondered at the time that the iin did not carry the bag on his back or across his shoulder, in either of which positions it would have been much lighter than in the awkward manner in which it was held. He dismissed the subject from his mind, however, for the time being, and did not recall the incident till the following day, when he read newspaper the theory put forth that the despoile the grave at St. Mark’s churchyard had placed the re- mains in # rubber bag. This recalled the occurrence that he had witnessed with all its force to his mind, and he recounted the circumstance to the Brooklyn police authorities, who after some hesitation assigned the detective above named to investigate the clew thus given. A GOOD HIDING SPOT. On arriving at Jersey City Detective Riggs and his companion repaired to the station house, where, after a conference on the subject with the Police Inspector, two detectives were detailed to assist him in his search, They were piloted by ‘the informant, whose name is withheld by the police, to the Jocation where the stranger and the rubber bag were seen on Thursday afternoon. The plwe is — neat the Pennsylvania Star line pier and is surrounded by lumber yards, ship yards and places which efford countless vooks and crannies that might be mado available as temporary hiding places, had the ghouls desired such for secreting their ghastly treasure. “It would take 500 men for a woek to search that locality closely,” said Detective Ries to the HxraLp. reporter last night in telling of bis day's adventure. “It’s all marsh and made ground about there. The fellows may have tied the bag to some of the spiles in the river beneath the piers that extend out into the water. ‘The line of piers will be searched in small boats to-day. Near by the Star line pier, and at a point where our informant first noticed the man carrying the bag, is an extensive laundry, at which all the linen ot the Pullman care ix washed, and people ar¢ frequently going to and fro between the railroad depots and the laundry with clothes. Now, Jwhen we learned this fact we naturally sus- pected that the individual whose movements had ex- cited suspicion was simply carrying clothes to that establishment and that the suspicions of the old gentleman w gave us the information had been needlessly aroused. He stated, however, that he saw the man go by the laundry a some distance beyond, so that he could not have been going there. Then again, the peculiar shape of the buik in the bag and the strange way it was carried appear to dispel the idea that it contained linen or clothing. The substance was more rigid and appeared heavy to the observer. [don’t know what to make of it,” con- cluded the detective, “but we will follow up the clew.” SERMON IN ST. MARK'S CHURCH—DR. RYLANCE CONDEMNS THE ERA OF SIN, An immense congregation assembled at St. Mark's Church in the morning. Before the hour fixed for the beginning of the services @ large number of peo- ple were gathered around the enclosure of the grave. yard and many more were examining the church yes, tibule, where the spots left by the bag containing the Stewart remains were plainly visible. Every pew in the church was filled when Dr. Rylance announced ae the text of his sermou, Jeremiah, vi., 7~“As a foun- tain casteth ont her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness; violence and spoil are heard in her,” Is it not time, said the preacher, that our religion should make itself felt as a power in social regenera. tion? Let ony man cast an cye about him as he walks through this Seventeenth ward, for instance, and he will see how the succeeding crops of crimi- nals are supplied to our courts and jails, The chapels and Sunday schools but searcely touch the roots of our social diseases, Who then shall clean this Augean stable? We send Bibles to Hottentote and preachers to the savages of the South Seas; but who cares for the savages at our own doors further than to open a dingy chapel here and there? Our million. naires die; but no one disturbs their last moments by. reminding them ofthe hard conditions amid which thousands of their fellow creatures ure doomed to live, and which @ little of their sypertluous wealth might do something to mitigate. pinen and wo- men who are depraved and abandoned never darken our church doors; they are generally too far gone to profit much from such mild measures. We can do but little to recover hardened offenders: but we can attack the conditions which produce vice and crime, and you will have a better progeny. ‘The Christianity of this city is worth but little if it can- not do better battle than it has hitherto done against “the world, the flesh and the ied SYMPATHY FOR MRS, STEWART. My nature has been torn since last I stood here by the horrible atrocity done upon the dead in the hal- lowed ground which surrounds this house of prayer, and by the cruel outrage to the most sacred feclings of a Christian lady, esteemed by all who know her, and for whom the whole community has felt, for the last three days, I am sure, a feeling of deep commiseration, The very dust of our dead is dear to itness the resting places pre- pared at such heavy cost by many in our cemeteries, and mark how mourning friends, individually or in little groups, will continue to visit such spots through long years with floral offerings to meditate on the pt and to renew memories of the loved and lost! y the Holy Spirit sustain and comfort the stricken heart of the widow, so wantonly wronged by this dark and damned deed. And may the lagging feet of justice at length overtake the inhuman perpetrators and visit upon them the vengeance they have pro- yoked, as some slight satisfaction to an outraged and alarmed community. y. A FRESH CLEW--SUSPICION THAT CHRISTIAN, THE WASHINGTON RESUBRECTIONIST, STOLE THE BODY OF MR. STEWART—HISTORY OF THE GRAVE ROBBER. [FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT. } ‘WASHINGTON, Noy. 10, 1878. The description in Saturday’s Henavp of the man who approached Mr. C. N, Middleton, of the firm of Middleton & Warner, undertakers, on Bond street, New York, on the 7th of October, and expressed a de- sire to purchase a quantity of the fluid called “‘Alek- ton,” and who also purchased the lantern and shovel from the hardware clerk, answers closely that of ‘““Doc- tor” George A. Christian, a well known resurrectionist of this city, who for many years did an extensive business in furnishing subjects for medical col- leges. ‘This description, which is in the possession of the police authorities here, was taken November 11, 1874, when Christian was arrested, with Maud and Percy Brown, for stealing two bodies and attempting to ship them to Ohio. At the same time an excellent photograph of him was taken, which now adorns the rogues’ gallery at the detective office. DESCRIPTION OF CHRISITAN. ‘The record accompanying the picture reads thus :— George A. Christian, hospital steward (England), aged twenty-three, weight 120 pounds, height five fect seven three-quarter inches dark brown, full hazel eyes, sallow complexion, heavy, dark flowing hair, high cheek bones, prominent nose. DIFFERENCES RECONCILED. When the picture was taken, four years ago, Chris- tian wore a dark mustache and imperial. At that time he was not as stout as he was at the time of his first arrest, in December, 1873, and appeared to be suffering in health. There seems to be a conflict between the age given at Police Headquarters and *the age he gave at the station house, when’ ‘arrested, for a difference of four years intervenes, as at the station he stated his age to be twenty-seven, which was disputed by the policemen, who claimed that he was fully thirty years of age. According to this estimate he would naturally look, on October 7 last, four years after, fully thirty- five years of age. In regard to the question of weight it should be stated that his overcoat was removed at the time his description was taken, which made a differ- ence of some pounds in his avordupois. Besides this the officers who arrested him, and are well acquainted with him, say that his weight, when in good health, is at least 145 pounds. It will be seen that there is a wonderfal correspond. ence in the descriptions of the man referred to by both Mr. Middleton and the hardware clerk, and that of “Doctor” Christian. The absence of his beard-ig accounted for, among Washington policemen, by an effort on his part to disguise himself in order to avoid arrest, and to remove all resemblance to the picture in the gallery here. HISTORY OF THE RESURRECTIONIST. Christian, when in this city, was a person who would be noticed on the street. He dressed well and had apeculiar face. There was nothing repulsive about it, yet it was not one that would be admired. Nothing wrong was suspected of him until the night of December 12, 1873, when Police Officers Hawkins and Kneasi saw a wagon standing on ‘Twenty-second street, between K and L streets, and on examination found in it the body of a man in a sack, together with a shovel. On the seat with the negro driver, Charles Green, was a white woman. While the officers were examining the wagon Chris- tian came up and the whole party, with the team and body, were taken to the Fourth police precinct sta- tion house. The sack was again examined and the dead body of the colored man in it was recognized as that of William Fletcher, who died on the morning of the 12th of December, and was buried in Holmead’s Cemetery, It had been in the ground but a few hours before it was resurrected. Christian was sentenced to jail for twetve months and to pay a fine of $1,000. After his release he remained apparently quict, and nothing was heard of him until early: in the morning of November 10, 1874, when Police Officer McHenry, on duty near the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad depot, noticed a negro man with a large dry goods box ina push cart, going toward the depot, The officer followed the cart and saw the man dump the box at the express office, where a white ian was evidently waiting to receive it. The officer's suspicion becoming stronger he hastily tore “way the lid, which was marked for Cin, cinnati, Ohio, and to his astonishment found two bedies inside doubled up and packed in sawdust. So soon as the negro was relieved of his load he started to go, and was followed by the white man. The bodies proved to be those of Harriet Taylor and Ellen Kilton, colored, and had been taken from Ebenezer Cemetery. A GHASTLY WASH Day. ‘The officer next proceeded to the house designated by the colored man when asked where he came from, and the cart was found standing in front of the door. ‘The officers went inside, Sitting in the kitchen were Christian, Maud Brown and the white man seen at the depot, Percy Brown. Mrs. Brown was engaged in washing some grave clothes and about the walls were hung numerous shrouds bearing marks of the grave. Christian was searched at the police station, when a memorandum book was found, which con- tained orders for bodies ard a list of dissecting rooms already furnished, and the amount paid for the sub- jects. The trio were committed to jail for the Grand Jury. Christian furnished bail and left the city. During his absence the Grand Jury found an indictment against him. Nothing was heard of his whereabouts until May 7, 1876, when he was arrested by detective McElfresh on a railroad train between this city and Baltimore. He was brought back to Washington and taken to Police Headquarters, whence he made his escape, and nothing was heard of him until the finding of the body of Mr. Harrison at a medical college in Cincinnati, when suspicion rested on Christian as the person who exhumed it. The manner in which it was taken and everything con- nected with the transaction bearing strong resem- Dlance to his work. ONE WAY TO BAFFLE GRAVE DESPOILERS, To tae Eprron or THe HeRaLp:— At thie particular time, when the country is startled and shocked by the late infamous desecration of the grave of New York's great merchant prince, I trust you will pardon me for calling your attention to a very simple means of prevention of a repetition of such an outrage, which has much to recommend it, and by being generally adopted would give offence to no one, and that is the employment of such chem- icals after burial as would speedily destroy the body, exactly the opposite method to that practised by the ancient Egyptians, whose great study seems to have been how to embalm the body #0 that it would keep for an indefinite period, ‘The writer has tried many experiments on this anb- ject, gnd has found that a mixture of potassic chlo- rate and common starch in abont equal proportions, with a drop or two of sulphurie acid, all that was re- quired, After burial in the usual way and when the friends and relatives have departed, if some twenty- five or thirty pounds of the above mixture be thrown on the coffin and around it and a little of the acid then added a large volume of oxygen will be liber- ated, which, combining with the carbon of the starch, will give rise to an intense heat and very soon little will be left of this ‘frail tenement of et cept the inorganic elements, whieh are, of unchangeable. Ita oar of rolled iron of a semi. cirewar form, the length of the coffin be lowered over it before the acid is poured on the chemic the effect is greatly increased, from the flame being made wo upon the arched roof and re flected downward in a reverberatory fur- nace. If relatives, however, will not consent to such a process, which has so much to recommend it, es} ily in intramural interments, in a bygienic point of view, let plenty of caustic lime be adde: a custodian be appointed for graveyards each night, and this vigilance not relaxed for some months after interment. In writing the above Icannot but recall the precautions adopted to secure the body of the Ee Orangeman buried in the Catholie cemetery at lontreal some time ago. In this case bands of iron being used to secure the coftin, while the whole was enclosed in a thick casing of hydraulic cement, with plenty of broken glass mixed in, and as this soon be- comes a8 hard as stone any despoilers of the grave would have hada hard time in getting to it, even if the guard placed upon it had relaxed his vigilance. ISAAC NOBRIS, M. D., No. 1,424 Walnut street, Philadelphia, as WHEN WAS THE BODY STOLEN? ‘To THe Eprron oy ry HERanp:— Undoubtedly hundreds of theories have been ad- vanced, and will yet be hatched, regarding the time and manner of the theft of the body of Mr. Stewart. Of all the theories which have been presented in the HeRaxp, the one presented by the Henatp looks the most probable, and that is that the body was stolen long before the discovery was made. I would there- fore make the following statement:—-That the body was stolen in the latter part of September, on the same day or day after the date borne by the copy of the Heratp found in the vault, and would submit the following opinion as one of the most likely of all that have been suggested, As was manifested by the search of the detectives through the vaults yesterday, there is no great difficulty experienced in raising the lids which cover the entrance to the vaults. It would therefore be an easy task to open the lid withont disturbing © much of the ground, enter the vault and carry off the body. ‘This, Lclaim, was done on September 28 or there- abouts, The letter which the sexton claims to have received about that time was, no doubt, sent after the body had been stolen, with’ a view of attracting his aitention to the robbery for the purpose of discover- ing the same. This only caused him to look at the vault—or lid, rather—whjch he found, as he says, “tampered with.” No examination was made into the vault at that time, and the only result was the re- moval of the lid, according to Mr. Hilton’s direction, and the engagement of a watchman. Now, the thieves finding that the letter did not accomplish their pur- pose selected Wednesday night for the purpose of dig- ging up the ground around the vault in such a man- ner that it could not fail to attract the attention of the sexton or others. Upon what other reasonable ground can the sending of the letter to the sexton’ be explained? The party who sent the letter must have been cognizant of the intention to rob the ve, Did he send it to prevent the robbery? If so, ‘he party presumably is still alive, and having taken the trouble to warn the sexton, if actuated by proper motives, could readily give the information in his possession; if not in son, then by the same method he adopted in informing the sexton, to Mr. Hilton or the police authorities, It is my firm con- viction after a careful study of the facts surrounding the case that, first, the body was stolen in the latter part of September; second, the letter was sent to the sexton to apprise him of the event; it failed of its urpose, and the ground was therefore raised on Vednesday night to make the robbery unmistakably visible. Tet th e detectives examine this theory. New Yor, Nov. 9, 1878, W. A. SNAG, A MISSING MERCHANT. JOHN IRWIN'S (OF BROOKLYN) WHEREABOUTS UN- KNOWN—A STRANGE CASE. The mysterious disappearance of a prominent citi- zen of Brooklyn has just come to light. On the 18th of October Mr. John Irwin, who was engaged in the gentlemen’s furnishing line, left his home and place of business, No. 513 Fulton street. Fora long time he had been in ill health, and when he left home it was with the purpose of spending a few weeks with relatives who reside at Fall Mills, about eight miles west of Callicoon, Sullivan county, in this State. A week passed, when the family of Mr. Irwin began to suspect that some accident had befallen him on ac- count of no word being received from him. Letters were sent to Fall Mills, and finally despatches, but no word came from the absent man. He had left his business in the hands of his clerk, instructing him to carry it on just the same as if he were present and to purchase all goods necessary. After an ab- sence of three weeks and no word being re- ceived from him a search was made. Tho coachman who took him to the Erie Railway depot said he thought Mr. Irwin bad purchased a ticket there. On inquiry at the Erie office the sale of a ticket to Callicoon was not on record, but from the baggage master it was ascertained a trunk answi sbesgnece mn of Mr. Irwin’s had been checked ‘thi to. coon. | The relatives of the missing man then followed the clew up and went to Callicoon. Tt was learned that the trunk had been received and delivered to some person, but who the person was the baggage man at Callicoon could not remember. Inquiry among the friends whom Mr, Irwin said he intended to visit elicited the fact that he had not visited them. No trace of him could be found in the town. It was now nearly a month since Mr. Irwin's departure, and his bills be- yivning to accumulate the distressed wife had men come over from New York and open the safe, the keys of which the missing man had carried away with him. ‘The contents were in the most disorderly condition and in the safe was just forty cents. Mr. Irwin had never kept any bank account, and being in business for twelve years it was supposed the safe contained a large sum of money. The theory is that Mr. Irwin has abandoned his wife and four little ones; yet from the fact that the wife told the Hera reporter that her husband, to her knowledge, had taken with him a large sum, with which he said he intended pay off bills in New York she sus- pects that he has been foully dealt with. At the Erie depot the Hrraxp reporter learned that a man an- swering Mr. Irwin’s description presented a ticket to Callicoon and had his trunk checked on the afternoon of the 10th of October, but learning that the train did not reach Callicoon until a quarter to one A. M. he had his baggage to remain over until the nine A. M, train next morning. The night of the 10th Mr. Irwin must have spent in New York, and it is possi- ble that he fell into rongh hands. He was is man of easy habits and may have exhibited ha money while he was under the influence of liquor, was robbed and “put out of the way” by thieves. Mr, Irwin was one of the most prominent Masons in Brooklyn and a member of Zcredetta Lodge, Nassau Chapter and Clinte Pomunandes and the Masonic Mutual Aid Assoc! He stood nearly six feet high, was of stout build, dark complexion, had chin beard and was quite bald. His age” was about fifty, Owing to the state of affairs in the miss- ing man’s business his absence was not reported to the police wntil yesterday. A JOURNALIST DISAPPEARS. SUDDEN DEPARTURE AND UNEXPLAINED ABSENCE OF MR. JOHN C, TURNER. [BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. ] Norwicn, Conn., Nov. 10, 1878, Society has been much disturbed here and in New Londoti of late over the sudden departure on Tues- day afternoon last of Mr. John C. Turner, managing editor of the Hvening Telegram, the local paper here, Mr. Turner's absence was first noticed at the office of the paper, and. upon inquiry it was ascertained that he had taken the four P. M. express train for New York. On Wednesday Mr. Tibbitts, editor-in-chief and Port Collector, went to New York and learned at the office of Messrs, Fiske & Hatch that Mr. Turner had called and desired to draw some funds, which he had to a considerable amount on deposit. Through a misunderstanding as to his identity he was refused, Nothing more could be learned of him, and the police were notified and a general search made, so far with- out success, He wrote a note to his family after hix departure, stating he would explain his absence on hix return, but fears are entertained for his safety notwithstanding. SUPPOSED TEMPORARY INSANITY. A fow days before his departure Mr. Turner took an overdose of laughing gas to have a tooth extracted, and his head had troubled him since. The snpposi: tion is that he wax laboring under a temporary aber- ration of mind. The Telegram on Saturday published a letter stating that his fluances were all right and no ombarrasxment of that kind had caused the, strange ‘Turner holds the office of City Clerk, Ja about rs of age and has one arm. Hix sudden and plained disappearance has caused a great sensa- tion in all circles, as he waa ge ly known. He med the train below the depot. "The police are arching in New York, but thus far his name has not been found on any hotel register, FOUND DEAD IN BED. John Newman was found dead in bed at his rest- dence, No, 568 Hicks street, Brooklyn, at an early hour yesterday morning, ‘The deceased, who was sixty years of age, was an old and respected resident of Se Brooklyn, where he had an undertaker's shop and livery stable for yy His death is believed to have been caused by heart disease. TWO BOYS HURT BY ONE BULLET. Joseph Hull, eleven years of age; Fddy Monroe, eight years of age, and John Bennington, nine years of age, While playing opposite the stable of Patrick Reycraft, No, 185 Plymouth street, Brooklyn, at about five o'clock yesterday afternoon, were, it is said, de- liberately shot at by Reycraft. Monroe was wounded in the face by the bullet, which afterward strnck Ben- nington infront of his right eax and lodged in his neck. Ambulance Surgeon Cochran, who was sum- imoued, probed for the ballet, but waa unable to find it. He removed the injured lad to the Long Islond College Hospital. Reyeraft was artested and held for examination. » A search was made for the pistol the police, but it could. not be found, GRANT AND THE PRESIDENCY. Fund | AN INTERESTING TALK WITH BROTHER-IN-LAW CORBIN—-CONDITION OF ORVILLE CORRECTING GENERAL GRANT'S HISTORY—TRE THIED TERM—GENERAL GRANT ‘“‘NOT LIKELY TO BE CALLED, Bur ——~.” Just before the recent elections a HenaLp reporter enjoyed a brief but interesting conversation with General Grant’s Jersey brother-in-law, Mr. Abel R. Corbin, Mr, Corbin isa man verging upon. seventy | years of age. His form is bent with the weight and { cares of his long and active life, but his pray are still bright and while his intellect continues as clear keen as when, nearly forty years it guided with ability a democratic newspaper in Lonis, for in his early manhood Mr. Corbin was an editor and wielded a powerful pen in the Jacksonian democratic interest. This was in the days—the hal- cyon days of American statesmanship—when the nation hung upon the lips of such men as Webster, Benton, Wright and Calhoun. Mr. Corbin now re- sides at Elizabeth, N. J. With him lives General Grant's mother, the venerable wife of the late Jeske Grant and the mother of Mrs. Corbin. Mr. Corbin was on his way home from the metropolis when the IIERALD reporter overtook him. AN INTERVIEW “ON THE FLY.” ‘The interview began on the Jersey City ferryboat, the first topic discussed being the condition of Orville Grant, the General's brother, who is still confined in the asylum for the insane at Morris Plains, N. J. From what Mr. Corbin said there are but faint hopes of Orville’s recovery of his full mental vigor. At times, on some subjects, he is perfectly sane, but at others, on other subjects, especially those relating to business spectlations, investments and money mat- ters generally, he is ‘as mad as a march hare. As is always the case with persons similarly afflicted, he considers everybody wad but himself, and bitterly attacks his family and _ friends for needlessly causing his detention at the asylum when, as he says, he is ‘‘as clear headed as any of them.” He frequently urges the immediate members of his family to visit him, and suggests that the best thing some of them could do would be to purchase a farm near the asylum—a suggestion that will be applauded to the echo as the highest evidence of sanity and wisdom by those Morris county farmers who have lands to sell. The canse of Orville’S malady is overwork—too much strain on the mental organism. Mr. Corbin mentioned it as a singular coincidence that the physician in charge of the asylum and of Orville Grant, Dr. Buttolph, attended successfully a brother of his (Mr. Corbin's) friend Senator Silas Wright, thirty ‘odd years ago. ‘The Senator at the time used to speak highly of Dr. Buttolph’s treatment. In this way Mr. Corbin be- came familiar with the doctor's name, little dreaming that many years after circumstances would bring him, through amcar relative, into close communion with the mind-heaier, GRANT NEVER A TANNER, Speaking of Mr. Orville Grant and his business transactions led to remarks generally about the Grant family and their occupations. ‘There is one thing,” said Mr. Corbin, “that the public have been greatiy misinformed about. General Grant never was a tan- ner, never worked at the tanners’s trade. Strictly speaking, neither did his brothers. ‘Their father, however, carried on a tannery at Galena, Ill., and made a great deal of money. He set up in busi- ness the General's two brothers, putting in about $100,000, The business was that ot leather dealing, shoe findings, &c. In the meantime the future cap- tain of the Union armies in the great battle between the sections was pursuing his studies as a cadet at West Point. The story about his having been brought up a tanver is, therefore, like many other stories in the public prints about him, a pure piece of fiction.” THE THIRD TERM. “When do you expect the General back from Europe ?” “None of us can say positively, but we think he will be home some time in May.” “At # political meeting the other night, in Newark, I heard a democratic 5; er declare that General Grant was sent over to Europe in the interest of the money power of America; that he was coming with Old World notions of government, and that if nominated and elected President he would put a yoke about the necks of the American people and rule them like a despot. Of course no one with common sense believes anything of the sort, but what—” “Oh, stuff!” interrupted Mr. Corbin, ‘That's too silly for serious consideration. Surely nobody is gulled by such nonsense! The idea of forty odd millions of people—free BS at thet—hanging their , destiny upon the movements -of “one py ty ili ridiculous! Ihave no authority fo speak for General Grant, but I am sure he thinks, as others think, that he has had his full share of official honors. Whether he will take any part in the next Presidential canvass or not cannot say, thongh I think it certain that whoever it is that gets the nomination of his party will have the General's hearty support. If such ® state of things shonld arise—if such a contingency should present itself, which, let me say right here I do not consider even’ remotely probable, but on the contrary most improbable—as that the great republi- can party should, after due and ample deliberation, deem it best to pass by all its other worthy and deserving leaders and nominate General Grant, T feel certain that the General would, for the sake of his part and the country, yield to the desires expressed by the highest party councils. But (here the speaker hurried away from the ‘contingency’ reference, as if he had paid it to much attention) it is idle to suppose for one moment that any party should be dependent for success upon one man, The great republican party has ascore of men whom it can wiedly nomi- nate, and, as I believe, win with. The great demo- cratic party is not bound up in any man’s fortunes. It may nominate any one of dozens of its leaders and may win with him. Great parties, each made up of three million yoters or more, are not tails to any one man’s Presidential kite.” NO CHANGE OF POLITICS OR RELIGION, “I should judge you are a republican in politics, 3 Jorbin ¢* “I never changed my politics or my religion. born and ore up & Jacksonian democrat. one yet. But Iam not one with the democratic party as managed during and since the war. I hauled aside when the war broke out. I am not quite ready yet to see the rebels who tried hard to destroy this govern- ment set up in its highest places."* ‘THE GREENBACK MOVEMENT. “Do you think the greenback party will amount to much?” “That depends entirely upon how it is managed. It may become a formidable affair or it may amount to ‘sound and fury, signifying nothing.’ © man or the party that appeals to prejudice uses the strongest weapon. IT know Vanj Buren talked about the ‘sober second thought the people,” but when prejudice ix ably appealed to, ax it generally may be, the mischief ia invariably done Ctore the ond thought’ has had achance to show its infla- nee, time being, at least, prejudice is, in nine cases out pn, infinitely stronger than reason. History teems‘with proofs of this.’” At this point in the conversation the train reached Newark, and the Hexanp man and Mr. Corbin parted company. A CLERGYMAN eyes expressive, and Iwas Iam “ON BUTLER. EXTRAORDINARY POLITICAL SERMON SY REV. G, A. BARTON, D. D.—SEVERE DENUNCIATION OF THE DEFEATED GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE— HARD NAMES USED AND THE OLD SCANDALS REVIVED. [BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.) Boston, Mass., Nov. 10, 1878, “The Moral From the Political Battle’ was the sub- ject_of a discourse by the Rev. G. A. Barton, D. D., at West Church, this morning. The reverend speaker based his remarks on I. Samuel, xxxi., 3—“And the battle went sore against Saul.” History repeats itwelf, said the preacher, and all conflicts with weapons or with words are much alike. Nineteen hundred years ago a man in the Roman Republic, by the name of Cataline, anxious to be Consul, gathered all the unprincipled and lawless at his side to carry out his ends, and after maintaining his cause with inveter- ate ardor and incredible bravery he experienced a fatal defeat. Ido not mean to say that Cataline united to evil purposes no good dispositions or that he spent in no generons way whatever means he had, however an- bignourly procured, The old Commonwealth of Rome could not tolerate him, and there are some things which Massachusetts will not stomach, but throws up: and throws off. One of these is seizure of office by any man’s imperious will. Thank God! we are delivered from mob law and trom a ruler who would be the fig- urehead of the mob rather than of the ship of state, A SERIES OF PARALLELS, ‘The political demagogue must perhaps exist, and in his own sphere may flourish, but uot in the Chief Magistrate's chair, The agi T, appealing to ihe Vulgar passions, forgets the power of ioral canses ax Napoleon Bonaparte forgot it until the moral sentt ment of all Kurope rose against and overthrew hi Vietor Hngo ssid Napoleon vexed or worried God, an all the people began to ery out, “Enough of Bona- parte.” [fear it acertain style of government had placed a good thief at its head the little thieves would run less risk of punishment than even now they do, The object of Cataline was not only power, but plunder, and here, too, the parallel holds trae; for what a acheme of plunder does this so- called greenback ary, reveal! Heaven be praised for the blows, East aud West, lately dealt to its miserable carcass! Becanse the nation, striggling betwixt life and death, issued paper it could not at once redeem, now, forsooth, in time of peace and prosperity a neolews and hurtful irredeemable paper «hall bo the order of the day, and # legal tender for all coming time. THE SILVER-TONGUED ORATOR, Ineo that the famous ailver-tongued rhetorician is to go abont the land advocating this tential green: horesy and lecturing on the that money 3 after all is but a yardstick—a siniple measure of values which need have no intrinsic worth of its own, Sup- that 1 buy 100 cases of flaunel and tien went yardsticks. If the owner had good ever leave his store, It we are to have 4 man with this doctrine for yernor of our State we had better recall every absconding clerk and defaulter to his post. These disho: that the paper is made good by bei faith of the nation, but they give us not the slightest thread or clew to lead us out of Che labyrinth, They leave us in it, with no door to get out, DEFENCE OF THE CHINAM ‘The negro, the German aud the Ch © ix their economy, w x them to do with less wages and live cheaper than those of adiilerent nationality? A traveler says that if a Bulgaria 1d vomit “anything he would yomit give the Ameri- than can to vomit a r ulbot had Vy Jeast nine-tenths of the | virt and. intelli- gence of this Commonwealth his side; -s0 that the weight of the than its count. in time of th vote he received was vastly All honor to the democrats ravest peril and in the face of ir own defeat, £ yok their own nominees and v i for the right. All honor to the prohibitionists who nobly did the same, The ballots cast by 110,000 yoters ix alesson and warning which the successfit party, even in the flush of its triumph, cannot afford to overlook. ‘That party has been and’ is in danger, and its danger, in part at least, is its own fault. DIAHOLICAL INNUENDOES."” Our Governor elect is not aman who made -his money by questionable means. He has received na tat prizes 'at New Orleans or fvom the He has not gone around soliciting th voices for himself. He has not advise from the opposite pa with his name, and a political breuk. pople sweet taking bribes and then casting the ballot 1 not oecupy his position by THE WOOL GATHERING PARTY. A MURIATIC ACID EDITORIAL ON THE DEMO= CRATIC “REFORMERS. [From the Chicago Times, Nov, 7.] That which goes by the name of democratic party may be likened unto the individual that went out ta gather wool and came back shorn. For every practical purpose a party (in this coun- try) consists in the party managers, in the men who seek the offices the party is orgunized to get, who de- clare the party purposes and give direction to tha party activities, Standing in the relation of interlo- cutor these are the men who announce what “the party’ willdo for the country if “the people” will only put their trust in “it” (the managers) and placa “it”? (the managers) in power (in the offices the mana gers seek to hold). Bourbons by nature, who never learn anything and never forget anything, the managers of the old grave- yard party concern cannot forget that they, or their predecessors of the same party designation, once en- joyed the spoils of office; cannot forget that their guiding maxim was “the spoil4 belongs to the vic- tors; cannot forget that “anything to get office’ is the rule by which the managers of that party name have always proceeded in pursuing their grand party aim—the spoils. By this rule they have wen acting ever since their expulsion trom the official flesh pots im 1860. In 1864, when the country was weary of war, and despondent over tha dark look ahead, they went out to gather wool by the proposition to compromise the national dignity and honor by making peace with an enemy in arms. They came back shorn, In 1868 they went out to gather wool by the proposition to repudiate the na- tional obligations contracted on account of the war, then brought to @ successful issue. They came back shorn, In 1872 they went out to gather wool thinly disguised in Dr. Greeley’s old papa government over- coat, which, for a quarter of a century they had anathematized with furious vehemence. They came back shorn. In 1876 they went out to gather wool in a “reform” craft, warranted to sail in two opposite directions at the same time, with the great ‘cipher’ reformer to steer toward honest money and the dulcet demagogue of Hoosierdom to steer toward shan money. They came back shorn. With all these les sous of expe ience es they still were incap: able of learning an; or forgetting anything. Still they clung to the party rule, “anything to get office.” Observing that some lunatics and idiots were making a great outery for the luction of wealth out. of nothing by legi ive enactment, and fancying that the American people were mostly idiots, or soon to become idiots, they went out to gather wool by the knavish cry for the perpetua- tion and extension of a flagitions scheme ot govern- ment swindling. Again y_ have come back shorn, ‘The result of the November ballot boxing has left them scattered over the wide field of contest, from ocean to ocean, flecceless, scalpless, pitiful objects of the highest contempt honest men can feel for ical knavery and folly. They persisted in actin, men combining the character of knaves and fools, and have agvin met the just reward that, sooner or later, knaves and fools must receive, Though that which goes by the name of demo- cratic party will continue to assert itself as a majority in the national Congress erposed to the administra- tion, itis an opposition without vitality save as « mode of personal hostility to officeholders whose Places its leaders seek to get. As an opposition to the resumption policy of the government, as an opposi- tion proposing the silly and vilainous programme of a flat greenback currency, it is no longer threatening or formidable, Ax 4 sham money party the democrat ‘Ombination of office seekers has reached the end of its rope. Like the “fraud” programme, the shain money programme is played out. The party chief that have been travelling that road in the hope that it would bring them to the spoils are compelled to per- ceive that the country will not follow them in that direction. What new course will they take? What new leaders bring to the front to replace the fiat money buinbugs hi ring? In that have been shorn in the latest wool gat! what direction will “the democracy” go out woob gathering next? PENDLETON INTERVIEWED. {From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Nov. 8.) ‘A representative of the Enquirer met the Hom George H. Pendleton yesterday, and had a little tale with him about political affairs that was more in the nature of a friendly chat than an interview. The Senator elect was not at all cast down by the unwel- come news from the Eastern elections, nor does he think that the Ohio idea has been rebuked or defeated. He inclines to the opinion that the causes that led to the defeat of the democracy in New York and Penn- sylvania were local in their nature. In New York Conkling had been able to unite the republican party in his support and bring to its aid the democrats who were diasatistied with Tammany and its mavage- ment. In Pennsylvania the Camerons had had to make # life and death struggle, and they had won. He sees nothing in the result that alters’ or changes the general phase of political affairs, and he does not believe that it either indicates or foreshadows the re- sult in the next Presidential campaigu. He believes that the democratic party is stronger to-day than ever before. and to his mind a impartial analysis of the vote shows that wherever the opposition to the re- publican party has been united the result has gen- erally favor of the opposition. Mr. Pendleton is firmly pinion that the democracy will elect the next President of the United States, beeanse he it positive that its next nominee will be a his support the of all the elements who are opposed to the republican party. In ce jusion he said the result of the late election, as far as it affects republican inures more to the benefit of President any one else, as it proves that under his adiministrae tion the republican party can be thoroughly united, CONSPIRACY TO KILL A DOCTOR [From the Boston Advertiser, Nov. 9.] A curions case has been presented before Judge May in the Central Municipal Court during the past two days by H. W. Chaplin, counsel for the govern- ment, and State Detectives Pinkham and Philbrick. It arged that Edward J. Ames and Dr. Asa G. Ket: nn, conspired to procure the murder of Dr. Daniel H. Spofford, of Newburyport. Drs. Eddy Spofford are notorious mesmerte doctors, and all t parties directly concerned are believers in Spiritual- iar doctrines connected with it, isc of a liquor saloon on Portland street. ‘The substance of his story was that Ames became « frequenter of his place about three months ago, an after forming an intimate naintanee with him, proposed to him that he should procurea man to give Dr. Spotford “such @ licking that he would never got over it." Sargent told him he was the man who could do it, if there was money enough to make it an object. Chey had various meetings to arrange about the price and as to how the job should be done, Atoncot these interviews Dr. Eddy, who was said to have the funds and to be the principal in the conspiracy, wat present under the axeimed name of Libby, . Sargent was paid several sums of money, amounting in all to $140. He claims that at the outset he notified the de- tectives, and that he had no intention of killing 1 Spofford, but only to yet some money out of Ame and Eddy. Under the advice of the detectives, Spoftford, who had been made acquainted with the de- tails of the affair, was kept ont of sight for some time, till the conspirators believed he had been dia- posed of, and then they were arrested. Sargent. testi- fed minutely as to the interviews and the movementé of himself and his employers, and in some of his statements he was corroborated by some of his as- soctates, one of whom ix a keeper of « house of ill fame, and tho others bartenders and quostionable characters. The defence put in no testimony, but its theory ia that the conspiracy is on the side.of Dr. Spofford, whose design it claims to be a desire to himeelf on Dr, Eddy and make trouble for him, There have been unpleasant relations between the families, Mre. Eddy and ber husband believing that Dr, Spofford hus an evil Intnence over her, so that he keeps her sick, Jodge May decided to hold the dew fendants for trial in the upper court. He remarked, in giving his decision, upon the of the ease and the character of the He: not will. ing to say he did not believe partion, which he, if he dismissed defendant =e ens