Evening journal., 1889-09-20
ONE CENT.
IW0 YEARS FOR ASSAULT
Mrs. Hamilton Found Guilty
by the Jury. ~s<
HOW SHE BORE THE SENTENCE

Tho Judges Charge TO the Jury said te.
Have Been Against the Prisoner-Ham.
iiton Was Not in Court Whom sem
tence Was Pronounced.
NAYS LANDING, n j., Sept 20-At the
opening of the Hamilton case the court
room was crowded but the large assemblage
OF spectators were doomed to disappoint-
ment, for Mrs Hamilton sent down word
that she desired to waive an appearance as
she was too badly prostrated from the effects
Of the previous days excitement TO appear
The reaction from the effects OF the large
amount Of opium which she had taken to
sustain her during her ordeal had set in, and
she was nervous wreck. Another notice
able thing was the absence Of all the actors
who have hitherto played 80 important a
part in this domestic drama, as neither Mr..
Hamilton, Edward vollmer, Mrs. Rupp, the
proprietress Of Noll cottage, or Nurse Don.
nelly put in an appearance Not one Of thi.
quartet are in Mays Landing, and the female
curiosity seekers looked and gazed in vain
Capt. Perry's Argument.
The jury being in their seats, court waa
promptly opened, and Capt Perry began his
argument He said he hoped the jurors would
frame their verdict according to the testi
mony, independent OF newspaper reports or
other influences He closely reviewed the
circumstances which ledup TO the assault and
showed very clearly that Mary Ann Donnelly,
the nurse, was the first aggressor and that
she forced Mrs Hamilton 10 pick up the knife
IN self defense. She had threatened 10 kill
her mistress, she was hot tempered and frenz-
led with brandy, and she assailed Mrs Ham
ilton with murderous intent.
Prosecutor Thompson's Address.
Prosecutor Thompson began his argument,
in which he dwelt upon the testimony given
the day before, especially that Of Mrs. Ham
ilton, and could not see where any doubt
could be entertained as 10 the cause of the
cutting, He stated that it was an atrocioua
assault and could not be changed Mr..
Thompson laid the testimony of all the wit.
nesses Of the direct cutting open 70 the jury
and appealed 10 them TO consider that and
not the former relations Of the nurse or the
family quarres Of man and wife
The Judges Charge.
The afternoon session began at 40 o'clock,
and Judge Reed charged the jury The
Judge explicitly informed them that this
was not quarrel between two passionate
women but deadly fight, that they were ia
decide whether she had acted in self defense
! or whether she had used her weapon for o
deadly purpose. IL is for you 60 decide from
! the testimony given whether Mrs Hamilton
4 was justified IN using the knife or not. Give
y her the benefit Of any reasonable doubt
The charge lasted one-quarter Of an hour,
4 and at o'clock the jury retired 70 the up
per chamber under the charge of Constable
1 Senft The judge stated that il Mrs Ham.
T iiton were found guilty, the maximum PEN
/ Iaft. 90 49,. AL. a
New Jersey was ten years IN state prison on
a $1,000 fine, or both, at the discretion Of tho
\ court
I The Charge Against the Defendant.
; When the court adjourned the morning
d session at 1880 it was generally believed
a that the jury would bring in a verdict Of
e acquittal, or there would be a disagreement,
+ but when Judge Reed delivered his charge to
/ the jury 1t was decidedly against the prs-
oner, and il was plain 20 be seem that it had
b It's effect At 3 p m, just one hour after
5 going out, the jury filed into the court room
r again, and every one scanned their faces as
If 20 learn the fate Of the unfortunate
woman.
Guilty IA Indicted.
d The judge ordered the prisoner to bs
. brought into court She was dressed in
( neat dark suit and dark hat, and was nerv-
D ously pulling ON pair of gloves when she
q came in She looked pale and careworn.
! After being seated the clerk asked the iury
7 If they had arrived at decision Iinmedi-
! ateiy everything was quiet, and Foreman
4 Reeves replied 1--WE have. We find the
4 prisoner guilty as indicted
4 How Eva Received the Sentence.
+ Mrs. Hamilton was whispering to her coun
sci at the time, and as she heard the verdict
I announced, stared and gasped, but in a SEQ
= ond recovered herself and gave no other
I sign Of emotion. The jury was polled, ana
D each answered guilty as his name was
+ called. Judge Reed waited a few moments
: as If TO give the prisoners counsel time I'd
make a motion for a new trial, but no such
motion being made, the judge, in a cold
I hard voice, said:
: "Evangeline Hamilton, stand up,n and
I thereupon sentenced the prisoner to tws
+ years in the penitentiary In pronouncing
I sentence Judge Reed said to the prisoner,
, "You have been convicted of atrocious as
Z sault, but we have taken into consideration
e the conduct Of the nurse, and we give you q
z lenient sentence Of two years in the stats
& prison
How the Jury First stood.
/ II was learned after court was dismissed
/. that the jury stood eleven for conviction and
d one for acquittal on the first ballot Charles
Whippy, Of Atlantic City, was the one in
favor Of acquittal He was soon induced tc
agree with the Others, however, and thus
!. ends the celebrated Hamilton case.