Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-09-20
GUILTY AS CHARGED.
NO MERCY FOR MRS. ROBERT RAY HAM
ILT0N.
Prosecutor Thompson Makes a Scalhirg Plea, and
the Jury Finds Her Guilty-A Sentence
OF Two Years in the Peniten-
tiary Imposed

The Court did not open this morning for
the continuation OF the trial of Mrs. Eva
Hamilton for the atrooious assault upon
Nurse Mary Donnelly until 10:45 o'clock
The delay was caused by the detention,
through al accident to another train from
Atlantic City, upon which were the judges,
attorneys and other officials connected
with the case. When the Jurors had taken
their seats, the Sheriff stated that the de.
ferdant, Mrs. hamilton, begged to be
excused from appearing on account of seri-
ous illness, and the Judge allowed the case
to proceed.
PLEADING FOR MRS. HAMILTON.
Then Capt. Perry, counsel for the de
tense, began his argument He said he
hoped that the Jurors would frame their
verdict according TO the testimony, inde-
pendent Of newspaper reports or other in
auenc5s. He closely reviewed the circum-
stances which led up to the assault, and
argued that the testimony showed clearly
that Mary Ann DOnnelly, the nurse, was
the first sggressor, aud that che forced Mrs
Hamilton to pick mp the knife in self
defense. She had threatened to kill her
mistress; she was hot-tempered and frsn.
zied with brandy, and she assailed Mra
Hamilton with murderous intent.
AN ATTEMPT AT PATHOs
Was Mrs. Hamilton justified in striking
the blow in self defense? Is there any one
in this room placed as Mrs. Hamilton was
on the bed in the desperate clutches of the
drunken nurse, who would not take
similar opportunity TO protect their life
Gentlemen of the juIy, consider well the
facts in the case and give my poor tOrsaken
client the full benefit of the aggravating
circumstances which compelled her TO
commit the act for which she is held.
It was now Prosecutor Thompson's turn
and he at once proceeded TO dissect the
testimony from the States standpoint
He dTelt upon the proposed separation be-
tween Hamilton and his wife, and of the
cposed money consideration of five or
six thousand dollars. How che demanded
more and had placed a price on her mar
risge relations.
ROBERT RAY SCORED.
He said that both Hamilton and his wife
repeatedly Contrsdicted themselves while
on the witness stand and that their testi-
mony was 8 tissue of fslsehocds from bs
ginning to end; that Mr.. HamIltOn's life
would probably have been taken were ii
not for the timely arrival of Nurse Don
nelly, and that Mrs. Hamilton was for
tunate woman in not being here to-day TO
answer charge of murder instead of afro
cious assault, and closed by urging the
Jury to find her guilty of the latter offsnse.
Judge Reed then adjourned the Court un-
til As.
AGAINST THE PRISONER.
It was nearly O'Clock when Court ie-
assembled. Judge Reed at once began hi-
charge 10 the jury. The whole matter
hinges on the plea of the defense" " he said
''The blow may have been struck in self
defanse: but when a deadly weapon Is
used, in self defense. it materially alters
the case" Continuing, the Judge dwelt
upon the fact that the knife thrust was a
deadly one, and the only way in which the
plea Of self defense could pos,ibly be teaa-
BILE was that the blow was struck TO save
dsfsndsnt's life, that she was in imminent
danger and had to deal the deadly blow to
save her own life.
His charge was clearly against the
prisoner He set aside all the facts which
it was said led up to the cutting. He in
strucied toe jury to give her the benefit OF
any dou6. as to the character of The crime
They might bring in a verdict of assault
and battery if they thought her knife
thrust was not malicious, butif they view
I'd the matter from the standpoint that she
reached around to stab the nurse, then
there was no reason why they should not
return verdict in accordance with the in-
dictment.
GUILTY AS CHARGED.
The jury then filed ont of the room and
within short time returned bringing in n
verdict of guilty Of atrocious assault.
Mrs Hamilton was led into the court
room by Sheriff Johnson, and when the
foreman Of the jury declared the verdict,
s1e fell in swOOn on the floor. It wss
most dramatic scene, and brought teaIs
to almost every eye in the court room.
She was sentenced to two years in States
prison.
BLANEs HER HUSBAND.
After the verdict was pronounced, Mrs.
Hamilton talked freely to the reporters
and others. She condemned her husbands
apparent desertion and made several re-
marks concerning his relationship with the
nurse previous TO the sffray which has
landed her 10 Jail. She said the sentence
vas hard to bear. She was willing and