Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-19
THE HAMILTON TRIAL.
The Husband and Wife Tell of the
Stabbing Of Nurse Donnelly.
A Question as to the Maternity of the Baby
Stumps Mrs. Hamilton and She APP
peals for Protection.

ness admitted that she was ordered out
of the room by Mrs. Hamilton, and after
having thrown Mrs. Hamilton on the bed
she did go away, but almost Immediately
returned to the room, and the aiterca-
ton began again. The question of the
counsel for the defense vas evidently to
establish an assault on Mrs. Hamilton by
the nurse previous TO the cutting. The
witness admitted having taken two
drinks of brandy that day before the
stabbng Mrs, Dounelly was asked If
she had taken diamonds OF Mrs.
Hamilton and Indignantly denied it.
She had no knowledge of them
Further examination related TO the hold
ing of Mrs Hamilton in bed, and the
latter's white wrapper which she had on
when the cutting took place was shown
witness, and she denied that she had
torn it when she had hold Of Mrs. Ham
ilton, although the garment was badly
torn Mrs DOnnelly was then allowed
to retire The state then rested Its case.
DR.. Crosby was recalled for the de-
Tense and testified that the nurse was de-
cidedly under the influence of intoxioants
when he first saw her.
HAMILTON TEsTIFIEs.
Then Robert Ray Hamilton was called
and took the oath. He did not look at
his wife, but ten times during the
first half of his examination referred
taheT as the defendant. He started in
1T once to answer the questions OF Capt.
Perry as tosthe,. beginning of the trouble
between the nurse aud his wife, which
began in New York some months ago,
when Mrs. Donnelly came home drunk.
He stated that both he and his wife dis
charged the nurse that morning, but she
refused to 60 Then he detailed the
quarrel between him and his wife and
stated that it was about yearly sum
of money for Mrs. Hamilton, as their
separation was talked of seriously that
morning Then he related how
the nurse returned in a drunken
condition, and cursed Mrs. Hamilton and
said she had seen her marriage certifi-
cate and knew her TO be an abandoned
character before her marriage; how the
nurse was elected from the room twice,
and returning the third time and making
a desperate rush to get at Mrs. Hamil-
ton, was cut by the latter. The cross
examination was as TO the amount of
whisky brought up in the room that
morning, and as 10 the quarrels between
him and his wife Hamilton was, as a
witness, decidedly favorable to the de-
feudant and gave his testimony coOlly and
was not tripped once in the cross eXani-
nation.
MRS. HAMILTON IS STORY.
Wken Counsellor Perry called Mrs.
EvangeIne Hamilton to the stand she
walked firmly and had ceased weeping.
After seating herself she nervously
twisted a fan which she carried. She
related her story in a hating manner.
Robert Ray Hamilton covered his face
with his hands as il in dread Of revela-
tious about to be made of domestic infe
Iicities Mrs. Hamilton sat directly in
front Of the jury, facing Judge Reed.
She stated that the nurse was of a
quarrelsome nature, and on the
morning the ARRAY occurred re-
marked she was tired OF seeing
me at the poor devil ali the time, mean
in- Mr.. Hamilton. Witness was afraid
10 cali her life her own during the time
Mrs Donnelly was in her employ. Mr..
Hamilton upheld her, the witness said,
which only tended to make matters
worse.
81 often spoke to her. the witness
continued, ''abOut her neglect of my
baby. She was in the habit of leaving it
at home and going out TO drink. Fer
abusive language was more than l !
could stand and 1 discharged her. l |
had given her teIegrams:So send to Rays !
father. asking MIN to come down and try |
and settle amicably the differences exist |
ing between rs, and she refused to send !
them. When the trouble began Mary |
kicked me on the knees and pulled me /
ont If q chair By the hair. Ray put her |
out of the room but she rushed back and |
tore my wrapper and chemise. -
Mrs Hamilton said she was afraid of |
her life and her fears were intensified by |
stories told by the nurse Of how she had /
assaulted people. citing one IN
stance in which the woman !
had told how she had cut her
husbapd's face with a Ratchet The /
said during the struggle the |
nurse picked up a whisky bottle and |
tried to hit her with it over her husband 5 |
shoulder. Mrs. Hamilton then related /
how the nurse threw her on the bed
The nurse was leaning over the witness
and her knee pressing on witness
stomach She said she picked mp a knife
from the bed ana reaching around
her husband, who was trying
to separate them, she struck at her as
sailant in self-GPfense. She did not know
Of the woman's injuries until officers
came 10 arrest her. The nurse had pre-
viousiy made threats against her life.
MRS. HAMILTON s ANTECEDENTs.
Prosecutor Thompson then took the
witness IL hand and made a most search
ing inquiry into her past life and career.
Under oath she stated she met Robert
Ray Hamilton about four or five years
ago. She was not very certain as TO |
places and dates, and quickly showed
signs OF displeasure at being questioned as
10 her past life. Her counseis objections
we're all oyerruIed by the court and the
witness had to submit TO the ordeal. She
first met Hamilton, she thought, at the
house Of a friend named Mrs. Brown,
residing in New York, but was not sure
TIE second meeting was on the street,
ma after that heS called son her ather
boarding house on Twenty first street,
between Sixth and Seventh avenues.
IN answer 30 a question as to
Who her parents were she said they
we're dead, and stated that previous to
meeting her husband she lived on money
eft by them Her father lived in Scott
7ale, Sullivan county, Pa. Her only
'elatives were several foster brothers.
Gu-;vtDr, rvDs not a {