St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-19
Mrs. Robert Ray Hamilton on
Trial for Slashing Her
Servant.
Her Husband, Realizing His
Deep Disgrace, Does Not
Recognize Her.
The Family Skeleton Paraded
Before a Crowd Of Specta-
tors in Court.
Mrs. Hamilton Refuses to An
sWep Questions Concern
ing Her Record.

Mays LANDING, N. j., Sept. 49,
The court room was crowded this morn
ing with people anxious to hear the pro-
ceedings in the case of Mrs. Robert Ray
Hamilton, indicted for atrocious as
sault upon her child's nurse, Mary Dom
nelly, and TO get glimpse of the now
famous principals in the affair. Mrs.
Hamilton sat beside her counsel, Capt.
Perry, and looked pale and wan. and
her face showed evidence of the strain
of her close confinement. Robert Ray
Hamilton did not look towards his wife.
The work of selecting a jury was
quickly disposed of. Mrs. Hamilton
frequently sobbed aloud during the Sc
lection of the jury, and gave every evil
dence of hopeless desDOndency. DIR.
Crosby, the first witness called. de-
scribed the nature OF the wound
and added that Mrs. Donnelly was
now entirely out of danger. Mary Ann
DOnnelly, the nurse. was next called.
She testified that on the morning of the
assault she responded to Mrs. Hamil-
toms call to lock her trunk. Upon reach
ing the door Of the room she saw that
Mr.. and Mrs. Hamilton had been quar-
reIing. and that Mr.. Hamilton'S
SHIRT HAD BEEN TORN OFF.
At Mr.. Hamilton'S request she wentin
search of policeman, but could not
find one. She returned to the room,
when Mrs. Hamilton seized her by the
throat and called her vile name. The
witness grappled with Mrs. Hamilton
and demanded that she withdraw the
epithet. Mrs. Hamilton then threw a
bottle at her. MIR. and Mrs. Hamilton
then grappled and the witness stood in
the door, which was half-Open, when
Mrs. Hamilton suddenly sprang toward
her and drove the knife into her side.
TThe knife was here shown the witness
ness said Mrs. Hamilton was of quar-
relsome disposition, but had never had
any serious quarrel with her previous to
the stabbing. Nothing of Importance
was developed in the cross-eXamination
of the nurse by Capt. Perry, and at its
conclusion the court adjourned until Q
O'Clock. Mrs. Hamilton was led from
the court room sobbing bitterly, while
her husband, Mrs. Rupp and the nurse
went out together. The afternoon ses-
sion began at 2 O'clock. Nurse Donnel-
ly took her place on the stand. She
said that Mrs. Hamilton took out of her
trunk the knife with which the cutting
was done, where she had packed it.
Mrs. Hamilton called her names. Ham,
ilton told her not to hit her. She then
left the house TO see the SWInton party.
and on her return she found Mr.. Ham
iltOn'S
TROUSERS HAD BEEN CUT
on the right knee, and the coat split
down the back. The knife and gar
ments were both offered in evidence.
On cross-examination by Mr.. Perry she
said she was wet nurse and married
woman: had seen her husband, who
lives in New York, on May 81. She
had not lived with him for years. He
left because of family Quarrels. She
testified that Mrs. Hamilton had quar-
Ielsome disposition and had dis
charged her on previous occasion. but
had begged her to come back. She said
Mrs. Hamilt0n's tongue would not kill,
but do deal of damage. MIR. Hamil-
toms testimony went to show particu-
larly that the nurse was very abusive
toward Mrs. Hamilton. The rent III his
coat he explained by the fact that early
in the day on which the stabbing oc-
Cured they had family quarrel, and
his torn nightshirt was also attributed
to this cause. The nurse was very
aggressive. A parasol was also broken
by the defendant. She wanted a greater
sum of money than he was willing to
allow her on separation. The knife
with which the cutting was done was
bought in Norway in 1874. The wit
ness never referred to Mrs. Hamilton
while on the stand as his wife, but
always was the defendant. She had
showed him bruises and scratches in
f1icted by the nurse. DR.. d. b. Inger-
soil, of Mays Landing, testified to hav-
ing examined Mrs. Hamilton when she
was brought to Jail and found the
bruises and scratches. Mrs. .Rupp
stated that she heard Mrs. Hamilton
say: cray Hamilton, you will have me
to the gallows yet" Mrs. Hamilton
testified that her husband upheld the
nurse, and that she was also very
abusive to her. The nurse told her she
would
CUT HER HEART OUT
if discharged. She threw her on the
bed and placed her knee upon the wit
ness stomach, and then the knife,
which was lying on the bed, was used
by her in self-defense. She stated that
she first met Hamilton four or five years
ago at Mrs. Browns in New York, be-
ing accompanied by Miss Bader. Mrs.
Brown was a married woman, and lived
with her husband. She afterwards met
Hamilton on the street, and finally he
called upon her. Neither of her parents
were living, and she had money left her
bv her father. She said she was no re-
lation to Mrs. Swinton, but met her in a
boarding house at No 10 East Twenty
eighth street, and she also met Josh
Mann. She was married last January
to Mr.. Hamilton, but declined answer
ing if she had been married before or
was the mother of Baby Beatrice.
Judge Reed stated that arguments
would be made and the case given to