Evening journal., 1889-09-19
SELF DEFENSE THE PLEA
Mrs. Hamilton Claims the
Nurse Attacked Her.
EyNs VERSION or THE ASSAULT.
Robert Ray Hamilton on the stand he
Wholly Ignores Ills wife and studious-
~ Refers 20 Her as sthe Defendant
other Interesting Testimony.

wholly Ignores His Wife and studious-
~ Refers 20 Her as "the Defendant
other Interesting Testimony.
MAYS LANDING, N. j., Sept 70. The
large crowd in the little court house 10
which Mrs Hamilton is 70 be tried contained
great number Of women, many of them
elegantly dressed ladies from Philadelphia
and Atlantic City. Hamilton was not in
court at the opening, but bis double friend
Vollmer was present The defendant sat up
the greater part Of the night IN the dimly
lighted attic She smoked cigarettes almost
continuously and frequently resorted TO her
favorite drug, morphine At i0.9 o'clock
Prosecutor 81 Pleas Thompson stepped for
ward and said in low voice.
Il move the case OF the state against Mrs.
Hamilton
The swinging doors were pushed aside and
the prisoner, wan and weary looking and
attired in the same long directoire cloak she
wore on the day she started for Mays Land
ing, stepped slowly up the aisle accompanied
by her counsel Mrs Rupp, Of the Noll cot
tage, and Mary Ann Donnelly, tho wounded
woman. They all took seats within the rail,
Mrs amiton sitting close beside Mr. Perry
Pros utor Thompson being on her right.
Hamilton Ignores His Wife.
Contrary 70 general expectation Mr. Ham.
ilton came into court after tho prisoner en-
tered and coolly sat down beside Mrs Rnpp,
within easy reach OF bis wife, whom he
seemed 70 entirely ignore. Counselor Perry
proceeded 70 question the jurymen called,
and within very short time the full quota
were seated in the jury box During the ques-
tioning Mrs Hamilton broke into sohs TO-
peatedly aud showed great agitation Hor
checks were pale and sunken and she wore an
expression OK great dependency.
Nurse Donneily IN the stand.
After the prosecuting attorney had re
vi ewtd the alleged assault upon Nurse Don
nelly that lady took the stand and testified
that on tina morning Of the assault she was
called to Mrs Hamilton's room 20 lock
trunk. She found that Mr. and Mra Haml.
ton had been qnarrehng, and that Mr. Hami-
toms shirt had been torn from his body Mr.
Hamilton asked her 70 80 for a policeman,
which she did, but was unable Go find one
Upon returning 70 the house she WINS seized
by the throat BY Mrs Hamilton who called
her yilo name. She then grappled with
Mrs Hamilton and demanded that she r.
tract the ep.thet. Mrs Hamilton then threw
bottle at her whereupan Mr. Hamilton In
terfered and grappied with his wife, who
broke away and stabbed her lthe nursol
The witness identified the knife with which
the stabbng was done
Mrs. Hamltun's Tongue.
The afternoon session began al o'clock.
Nurse Donnelly resumed her place on the
stand She said TINT Mrs Hamilton took
out OF her trunk the knife with which tho
cutting was DONE where she had packed it,
When Alrs Hamilton called her a vile namo
Mr. Hamilton told her not 10 strike Mrs Ham
ilton. Nurse Donnelly left the hOuse % see
the Swinton party, and on her return she
found Mr. Hamlton's trousers had been cut
on the right knee and the coat split down the
back The knife and garments both were
offered IN evidence. On cross examination
by Mr.. Perry Mrs Donnelly snid she was wet
nurse and married woman: had seen her
husband who lives in New York on the 27th
OF May, She had not lived with him for
years; be left her because of family qunrrols
She testified that MrH Hamilton had "a quar-
relsome disposition and had discharged her
on previous occasion, but had begged her
70 come back She said Mrs. Hannlton's
tongue would not kill, but do "A deal of dam
age
Mr. Hamiltons testimony went TO show
particularly that the nurse wa. very abusive
toward Mrs Hamilton. The rent ia his cont
he explained by the fact that early in the
day on which the stahbing occurred they had
a family quarrel and his torn night shirt
was also attributed to this cnuse The nurse
was very aggressive A parasol was also
broken by the defendant She wanted a
greater sum of money than be was willing 10
allow her on separation. The knife with
which the cutting was done was bought ia
Norway Ia 1874.
He Called Her "the Defendant"
The witness never referred to Mrs. Hamil-
ton while on the stand as his wife, but all
ways as the defendant She had shown him
bruises and scratches inflicted by the nurse
DR.. D. 3. lngcrsoll, Of Nays Landing, tes-
titled TO having examined Mrs Hamilton
when she was brought to Jail and found the
bruises and scratches
Mrs Rupp stated that she heard Mrs.
Hamilton say, Ray Hamilton, you win have
me TO the gallows yeti
Eva Explains the stabbing.
Mrs. Hamilton testified that her husband
uphold the nurse, aud that the nursa was
also very abusive 70 her The nurse told
her she would cut her heart out il dis
charged She threw her on the bed and
placed her knee upon the witness stomach,
and then the knife, which was lying on the
bed, was used by her in self defense She
stated that she first met Mr.. Hamilton four
or five years ago at Mrs. Browns in New
York, being accompanied by Miss Baeder.
Mrs Brown was a married woman aud lived
with her husband She afterward met Mr..
Hamilton on the street. and finally he called
upgn her. Neither Of her parents were liv-
ing, and she had money left her by her
father She said she was no relation 70 Mrs
Swinton, but met her in a boarding house at
No. 10 East Twenty-eighth street, and she
also met "Joshn Mann there She was mar
ried last January to Mr. Hamilton but de
clined answering if she had been married
before, or was the mother Of Baby Beatrice,
for fear VI being criminated.
Both sides then rested, and Judge Reed
stated that the arguments would be made
and the case given 10 the jury later.
John Cronse College Dedicated.
SYRACUSE, n Y. Sept i9.-The John
Grouse Memorial college for women, the gift
Of the late John Grouse TO Syracuse univer~