Bag of Bones—The Sensational Grave Robbery of the Merchant Prince of Manhattan

In 1878, two years after his death, the body of A.T. Stewart—one of the wealthiest men in America—was stolen from St. Mark’s Churchyard. The ghoulish crime, the bumbling chase for the culprits, the years-long ransom negotiations, and the demise of the Stewart retail empire fed a media frenzy for the ages. When the widowed Cornelia Stewart eventually exchanged $20,000 for a burlap bag of bones on a country road in Westchester County, not everyone was convinced that “The Merchant Prince of Manhattan” was really home.

???? But Bag of Bones is more than a grave robbery story. A.T. Stewart, a pioneer of the department store business, rose from the flood of Irish immigration to being mentioned alongside the names of the Astors, Vanderbilts, and Rockefellers. Treated as the black sheep of Gilded Age New York’s affluent society, the Stewarts relied heavily on their friend and confidante, the handsome and conniving Judge Henry Hilton, for entree into elite social circles. In the end, perhaps they gave Hilton—executer of the Stewart estate, and then manager of all Stewart businesses—too much control. As author J. North Conway leads readers through all the?futile tactics used by police to identify the grave robbers, he also unveils the villainy of Judge Henry Hilton, who not only interfered in the case repeatedly, but also dismantled a once-great business empire piece by piece . . . all the while profiting quite nicely. By the end of this fascinating slice of history, one is left to wonder who displayed the greater evil: the grave robbers, or Judge Henry Hilton.

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As news of the A.T. Stewart grave robbery spread, letters from parties claiming responsibility started to pour in:

An anonymous message from Rutland, Vermont, sent to police headquarters and composed from letters and words cut from newspapers: “In one hour I will be in Canada with A.T. Stewart’s body. A woman has his remains.”

???? Another letter, unsigned, written decidedly in a woman’s handwriting, and sent directly to Mrs. Stewart: “Dear Madam: Your terms are unsatisfactory. Whenever you wish to make the sum $100,000, you will place a personal in the Herald as follows: Agreed to —S.H.H.C. Until then you will not hear again from us.”

???? Another letter complete with a hand-drawn skull and cross bones and the words DEATH written in huge letters was addressed to Mrs. A.T. Stewart, Judge Hamilton and Mr. Libbey: “If this reward is not given in 5 days it shall be lost… [Signed] Sam, Pres., WILL, Vice-Pres., MICH, Tres. And CONNERS, Sec.”

??? A brief, enigmatic ad appearing in the Herald: “NICHOLS & HILTON.—CALL OFF BLOODHOUNDS and discipline the Police. P. X. Y-8 —$100,000.00”

???? Another unsigned letter sent to Judge Hilton: “Privately offer the Roman Catholic Bishop from $1,000 to $5,000 for the return of A.T. Stewart’s body and I think it will be returned without the thieves being rewarded for their labors.”

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