The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-19
MADE HIS HOME A HADES.
ROBERT RAY HAMILTON TELLS
HIS STORY IN COURT.

His Alleged Wife in Tears But They
Failed to Melt Hamiltoa's Heart
Quarrels Between His Wife and the
Nurse of Frequent Occurrence
NAYS LANDING. N. j.. Sept. ls-The
court room was crowded this morning with
people anxious to hear the proceedings in
the case Of Mrs. r bert Ray Hamilton, in-
dioted for an atrocious assault upon her
chil is nurse, Mary Donnelly, and to get a
gImp,e of tue now famous principals in
the atfllr. A few unimportant cases were
heard aud about IL o'clock the case of Mrs.
Hamilton was called. About the same
time che outer doors were swung open and
Mrs. Hamilt N, the much talked of prisl-
ner, entered, leaning on tine arm of Capt.
Perry, her uusel. Immediately following
them entered Mrs. Rupp, proprietoress
OF the Nell cottage, d Mary Ann Don
nelly, the wounded nurse Tney were
III shown seats within the rail, Mrs. Ham
lIton sitting beside her counsel Sic looked
pale and wan and her face showed evil
dence OF the strain of her close confinement.
Robert Kay Hamilton few minutes later
entered the court room aud took a seat bs-
SIDE NrS. Rupp He did not look TO va d
his wife. The work of securing jury was
quickly disposed of, the full quota being Sc
lected in compar lively short time. Mrs.
Ha llltol frequently sobbed aloud during
the selection of tho jury and gave every
evldence OF hopeless dependency.
Mrs: Hamilton indulged good deal in
tears during the hearing.
FAILED TO MOVE HER HUSBAND.
Her husband, Robert Kay Hamilton, paid
no attention to her, but kept a seat slrne
distance from her. Mr.. Hamilton testified
thDt fhara had olr 6.s.
Mrs. Hamilton and Nurse DJnnauy, I'd
between himself aud Mrs. Hamilton.
In mcs5 of these uuarrels lie
(Hamilton) was the greatest sufferer.
because wnen it was his wife and M So
Donnelly at quarrsied, he intervened to
keep the peace. and his clothing suffered
from both women, and when his wife quar-
relied with him his clothing again suffered.
Drink was at the bottom Of many of these
quarrels
THE sTABBING.
On the morning. Nurse Donnelly was
stabbed the nurse was very aggressive, and
after eing elected from the room had
ri he'd back aud attacked Mrs. Hamilton.
Mr.. Hamilton, as usual, inCerferred, and
Mrs. Hamilton seized a knife belonging to
him which was lying on the bed, aad struck
around Mr. Hamil6ol's body.
The testimony OF both the nurse and Mrs.
Hamilton corroborated this, although each
abused the other.
DETAILS OF HER LIFE.
Under cross-examination, some details of
Mrs. Hami tons life were brought out.
which rec with the published acc UNITS Of
her character. Her c0unsers objections to
this line of questioning were all
overruled. When asked if the
child was born in Pennsylvania
the witness refused TO answer and appealed
to the protection of her counsel VINO entered
an objection, but it was oyerruled, and TIE
question was only withdrawn when Mrs.
Hamilton stated to the court that to answer
would be incriminatiAg to her.
A SECOND EVASION.
Again did she look lup to the court ap-
pealiagly when Prosecutor Thompson
asked; Are you the mothe, of the childY'
This question was withdrawn under the
same ruling, but the incident clearly made
an impression upon the jury.
While Mrs. Hamilton was giving her testi-
rnony her husband sat and stared at her
most of the time. Mr.. Hamilt IN te tilted
to the generally wre ohed state of affairs
between himself and his wife, but his testi-
mony as to the fracas in which the cutting
was done was distinctly favorable to his
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