New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-27
PRICE THREE CENTS.
A NURSE FATALLY STABBED
MRS. ROBERT II. HAMILTON HELD FOP
THE ASSAULT.
CONFLICTING STORIES OF THE AFFAIR-AwAIy.
ING THE RESULT OF THE woMAN's
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rKmuSE.I ]


Atlantic City, n. J., Aug. 26.-Mary Ann Dom
nelly, nurse-maid was stabbed and fatally
wounded here to-day by Mrs Hamilton, wife Of
Robert II. Hamilton, in tie Noll Cottage. Tho
wounds arc SC severe and dangerous it is believed
the woman will not live through the night, and
the physician says that her death is probable at
any moment. The accounts of the assault ara
conflicting. One story states that the difficulty
began this morning, when Mr. Hamilton insisted
that his wife should return with him 10 New-York
City on the noon train. Mrs. Hamilton, according
TO this account, was heard pleading with her hus-
band TO remain here few days longer He said
that he had made up his mind to leave Atlantic
City, and demanded that his wife should accom-
pany him. While they were packing their trunks
Mary Ann Donnelly, the nurse of. their little
child, entered the room. She was under the in
fuence Of liquor, and was in a quarrelsome mood
Mrs. Hamilton ordered her to leave the room, but
she refused TO go, whereupon the landady was
summoned and caused the woman to 60 Dom
nelly returned however, in few moments and
was put out second time. Again she came back
and began to abuse Mrs. Hamilton. The latter
finally became so eXasperated that she seized
knife which her husband used on hunting expe-
ditons and plunged it into the stomach IF tho
woman DonnelIy, infcting horrible wound
d
physician was at once summoned. Two physicians
arrived at the rooms soon after the stabbing and
pronounced the wound probably fatal.
Another account gives a different version Of
the affair, declaring that the stabbing was re-
suit of quarrel between Mr.. and Mrs. Hamilton
in which the nurse Donnelly, interfered. The
origin OF this quarrel was DUE according to this
story, to the desire of Mrs. Hamilton to make a
few days stay in New-Yorll, contrary TO her
husbands wishes. lie demanded that she should
remain in Atlantic City with him. A quarrel
followed, in which Mrs. Hamilton, in her
fury and desperation, seized knife
belonging to her husbands hunting outfit and
made a lunge at him. He grappled with her.
pushing her over a chair. The noise of the strug-
gle was heard by the nurse, Donnelly who rushed
into the room to see what was the matter. The
wife at once turned upon the NURSE charging her
with telling lies to Mr. Hamiltof1 bout her conduct.
In another moment she had plunged the weapon
into the woman. In view of the conflicting
counts it is difficult to tell what were the cir
cumstances leading up to the tragedy.
Mrs. Hamilton locked up without bail this
afternoon, TO await the result of the womans in
jurieS, and Mr.. Hamilton has been held as wit
of the stabbing. At the preliminary hearing
before Judge Irving Mrs. Hamilton stated that
she did not use the knife until the Donnelly woman
attacked her, and she feared her life was in dam
ger Mrs Hamilton was greatly excited at the
hearing, while her husband, though calm, seemed
to feel the significance of the occasion. He stated
that he was busy packing his trunk and did not
notice his wife with the knife in her hand until
it was too late to prevent her from using il.
Mr. Hamilton married two years ago, and
has a child a few months old. Six months ago he
took his wife and child with the nurse DOnnelly
tn where pNIPctpd
several months. He soon returned to the East
however, and came to this place. where his wife
net an old acquaintance Joseph Mann, OF No: Ill
said, has been the cause of the trouble which
eliminated to-day.
Tonight the officers of Atlantic City are search
ing for the thief who stole $4,000 worth of dia-
monds from the room in which the tragedy oc-
CURED during the excitement this afternoon. The
authorities and pawnbrokers throughout the coun-
try have also been informed of the robbery.