Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-19
THE NOTORIOUS MRS. HAMILTON.
Her Trial Begins for an Assault on Her
Child's Nurse.
fBy Telegraph 10 tho Dispatch.l

fBy telegraph 70 the Dispatchl
Nays LANDING, \. j., September Is
Tho courtroom was crowded this morning
with people anxious TO hear the proceed
ings in the case OF Mrs. Robert Ray llaLnl-
ton, indicted for an atr0ciOus assault upon
her child's nurse, Mary DOnnclly, and to
get a glimpse o. the now famous principals
in the affair. A few unimportant cases were
heard and at aboutll o'clock the caseoi Mrs.
Hamilton was called. At about tho same
time the outcr doors were swung Open and
Mrs. Hamilton, the much alked-Oi prison.
er entered leaning on the arm Of Captain
Perry. her counsel. Immediately follow
ing them entered Mrs. Kupp, the proprie-
tress of the Noll cottage. and Mary Ann
Donnelly. the wounded nurse. They were
all shown seats within the rail, Mrs. Ham
ilton sitting beside her counsel. She
looked pale and wan and her face showed
evidence Of the strain Of her close confne-
mcnt. Mr.. Robert Ray Hamilton few
minutes later entered the courtroom and
took a seat beside Mrs. Eupp. lie did not
look towards his wife.
The work of selecting u jury was quickly
DISPOSED Of the full quota being selected
in comparatively short time. Mrs Ham
ilton frequently sObbed aloud during the
selection Of the jury and gave every EVIL
dence of hopeless dependency.
NlT-. lfNfIlltfln AflNNiEt'A u rfNAt iA' al IA
tears during the hearing. Her husband
Robert Ray Hamilton, paid no attention
10 her. but kept seat some dis
lance from her. Hamilton testified that
thore had been many quarrels between
Mrs. Hamilton and the nurse DOnnclly, and
between himself and Mrs Hamilton. In
most Of these Quarrels he (1amiiton) was
the greatest sufferer, because when II was
his wife and nurse that quarrol!ed lac inter-
Vtned 10 keep the peace aud his clothing
suffered from both women. ana when ms
wife 0uarroled with HIM his clothing again
suffered. Drink WAS at the bottom OF
MANY of these 0uarrels. On the morning
thc muse Donnclly was stabbed the nurse
WAS very aggressive, and after being elected
from the room had rushed back and at
tucked Mrs. Hamilton. Hamilton as usual
iuterfered, and Mrs Hamilton seized "a
knife belonging to him which was lying on
the bed ana struck around Hamilton's
body. The testimony of both the nurse
and Mrs. Hamilton corroborated this, al
though each abused the other. Under
cross-examinatlOn some details or Mrs.
Uamiltou's hfc were brought ont which
ocree with the published accounts Of her
character. Her couusel's objections TO this
line of questioning were all OyeTuled.
Whom asked if q child was born III
Pennsvlvania witness refused to answer
and appealed 10 the protection OF her
counsel. who entered an objection, but
was overruled, and the question was only
Withdrawn when Mrs. Hamilton stated u
the Court that 10 answer would be ncrlm-
mating to her Again did she look up to
The Court appealngly when Prosecutor
Thompson asked: Are you the mother
Of that child?" This question was with
drawn under the same ruling, but the In
cidcnt clearly made an impression upon
the jury.
timony her husband sat and stared at her
nost of the time. Hamilton testified tC
tho generally wretched state Of affairs be-
,,,nnv az to the fracas in which the cutting
was done was distinctly favorable TO his
tyifq