The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-09-04
THE CONSPIRACY EXPOSED
How Robert Ray Hamilton, theVealthy
New Yorker, Was Duped Into Marriage.
Curious Sequel to the Atlantic City Tragedy
Alleged Plot to Obtain the Riches of
Weak-Minded Young Society Man.

NEW YORK, Sept. S.-Mrs. Swinton and
her son, Joshua A. Mann, who were con-
cerned in the Robert Ray Hamilton trouble
at Atlantic City, n. j., are prisoners at po-
lice headquarters in this city, having been
arrested by detectives acting under orders
from Inspector Byrnes. They are charged
with conspiracy. At the request OF Eilhu
Root, attorney for Robert Ray Hamilton,
Inspector Byrnes last week hunted up the
history of the woman who Is now Mrs.
Hamilton. The facts unearthed reveal the
details of a conspiracy, at the bottom of
which is the woman who made the murder
at Atlantic City, and whose object was to
force money from Hamilton and to become
possessor of the family riches.
The Investigations of the detectives have
proven her to be disreputable and IN
scrupulor- character. The fact has been
established beyond doubt that tho child
which Mr.. Hamilton evidently believed he
was the father Of has not a drop of his
blood In its body. Inspector Byrnes has
conclusive evidence that the child was
bought from midwife for the sum of SO
and palmed off upon Hamilton as his own.
The conspirators in the plot were Mrs.
Hamilton and Mrs. Swinton. The latter
has made confession of the part she took
IN it.
On last Thursday Elihu Root requested
Inspector Byrnes to meet himself and ). X.
Clarke his law partner, at the house of q
relative of Mr.. Hamilton up town. After
long talk, the conclusion was reached that
Robert Ray Hamilton was the victim of
black-mailing scheme. The woman he had
married had claimed that her child was
born at Elmira on Dec. II of last year. 1t
was learned at Elmira that Mrs. Hamilton
had lived with Joshua Mann at that place.
DIR. Burnett Morse. of Elmira, who, Mrs.
Hamilton claimed, had attended her when
the child was born, was interviewed by
detective sent from here by the Inspector.
He said he remembered Mrs. Hamilton, but
said she did not have a child while he at
tended her. When the result Of the detect
ives Investigations were reported to the In
Bpect0r, he sent for Mr.. Hamilton and told
him what he had learned.
Mr.. Hamilton said that when he married
the woman he thought that he had merely
righted wrong. But If he found that he
law take its course. He was anxious to
have all the facts In the case ascertained,
and was willing to have it proved that he
had married the woman under false repre-
sentations, If 1T were possible. Mrs. Swim
ton and Joshua Mann came to New York
last Friday, but were not arrested until
yesterday. Mrs. Swinton, finding that the
game was up, made a confession to In
spector Byrnes, which, In substance. was
as follows:
About Nov. TO- OF last year. Eva Hamilton told
me she was going to Elmira and would be back
about Dec. 10. During her absence she wanted
me TO make set or baby clothes. asked her
what she wanted with them. She replied that
she was going to adopt child on Rays account
and brin4 il up. Mrs. Hamilton did not come
back until Christmas morning. Then she brought
wit IA q "a in si<r
los East Twenty eighth street for Joshua, Eva
Mr. and Mrs Mann. They renamed there &c on ne
week and then removed to fiat in Fourteenth
street near Third avenue, where they also lived
sick and We sent for DIR. Kemp, who attended
i. The child :. died after few
went to @dWife and got another ehfid which
she brought to the house. The first child was
then buried. and few days later the second
] told her it would not do to get DR.. Kemp again.
SO We sent for DIR. Gilbert The child was re-
moved to my house, where it also died. In the
death certificate the name of the child was given
as Ethel Parsons, and the parents names
Walter and Lydia Parsons. The death occurred
on Jan. Ii. The first child died on Jan. A. The
name given was Alice Mann; George and Alice
Mann, parents. In both cases the cause of death
was given as want OF breastmiik. Before the
e got third 80 baby. ~ This bis" one ONE was was
three days old and dark complexioned,
and mach unlike the others. Eva said she
hated this one. 1t looked like Dutch baby, and
she could never kiss 1t. She told me to take it
back to the midwife and tell her that she did not
for another baby ws Vent to mdwe an
bought q child for 80. When we got back home
took the other one away. Eva wanted 10 have
he was the father of it, On such representations
she begged him to marry her, and give the child
O name
According to Inspector Byrnes Mr. Ham,
also. that he was the child's father, and
finally married her on Jan. z, at Paterson,
n. j. Mrs. Swinton told the Inspector that
Eva had frequently represented that she
was married to her son Joshua, and
fact 1t has been learned that last March
Mrs. Hamilton give Mann check for &, 900
on the Union Dime. Savings Bank. He
drew the money and deposited it in his own
name. On April Is he drew it out. Mrs
Hamilton heard of it and it angered her.
She went to the bank, made statement
that she was the wife of Joshua Mann, and
that he was demented and had run away.
She wanted the bank to make good the
officials could not help her: Mrs: Swinton
says that Eva has frequently told her since
her marriage to Hamilton how she imposed
upon him. and said she had carried out the
and silverware left by Mr.. Hamil-
tons mother in her will TO
Robert Rays wife. When she got
possession of these she said she would make
plenty of money. Inspector Byrnes has in
yestlgated all the statements made by Mrs.
Swinton and finds them to be true. DIR.
Glioert. who attended the second child,
told the Inspector that Mrs. Swinton and
Mrs. Hamilton begged him to save it's life.
and stated that its life was worth 100000
TO the mother.
Joshua Mann says he met Mrs. Hamilton
eight years ago in a house in Thirty-second
street They have been living as man and
wife occasionally ever since. During the
past year she has given him So 600 to live
on. He admitted that he knew of the de-
ceptlon OF which Hamilton was victim.
Mrs. Hamilton Evidently Frightened.
ATLANTIC CRY. n. j., Sept. s.-The baby
supposed to be the offspring of Mr.. and
Mrs Robert Ray Hamilton was taken TO
see its alleged mother at the Mays Landing
jail to-day, and the sheriff and those who
accompanied the child were surprised at
the small amount of attention Mrs. Hamil-
ton pail to the infant. The woman was in
q bad state of nervous prostration over the
absence of her husband, and her chief
anxiety appears to be lest Mr.. Hamilton
has lost interest In her case, and will desert
her.
"A Next Meeting mt Indianapolis.
TORONTO, Sept. 3.-The American Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Science has
elected the following officers: President,
George l.. Goodal. Cambridge, Mass; vice