Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-09-16
RAYS DEATH IN DOUBT.
No Conhrmatory Reports Re-
ceived by His Relatives.
EVA MAY FIGHT FOR HER BOWER.

Present Legal Status of Hamllton's suit
to Annul the Srarringe-Eva 1yept but
Short Time when She Heard OF Her
Husbands Alleged Demise.
NEw York, Sept. 16.-Although no more
definite news regarding the reported death
of Robert Ray Hamilton was received 10y
his friends in this city yesterday, It Is gen
orally believed that the man whose corpse
was found on Aug. 20 entangled among
the branches Of tree overhanging Snake
river, Idaho. was Hamilton, and that he
met his death through the slipping Of his
saddle girth. The first news that reached
this city of the death Of Hamilton was re
ceiyed by Charles Al Peabody, who is re-
lated to the family. A telegram dated last
Friday at Pocatello, Idaho. aud signed by
Cassmir DE r. Moore reached Mr. Pea
body on Saturday. II simply stated that
Robert Ray Hamilton had been drowned,
and that he (Mr Moore) would start for
home Immediately. The information was
sent TO the members Of Mr. Hamiltons
family.
Mr.. Peabody was disinclned TO talk
about the matter yesterday, and said that
he would rather wait until there was no
doubt Of Ray Hamilton's death before taxi
ing it for granted that he was dead
A Mystery Yet.
An intimate friend Of Hamilton's, who
is acquainted with the country in which he
il supposed to have met his death, said that
Hamilton left here about Decoration Day
with the intention of spending the summer
at his ranch on the Snake river He had
made arrangements TO meet az the ranch
Boston man from whom he had bought a
share in IT, The two men were going To
hunt together, and the party was to be re-
enforced later on by friends of both who
were to visit them.
What nobody understands yet Is the de-
lay of the news Of Hamilton's death. Ac-
cording to the dispatch received from
Montana DIR. J. O. Green, son Of President
Norvin Green, OF the Western Union Tele-
graph company, discovered Hamiltons
body on Aug. %, at a distance Of only
thigty miles from the ranch, and the
friends of Hamilton were notified, but
when this notification was sent does not
appear. IL is certain that no such infor-
nation reached this city before last satur-
day.
Eya's Lawyer Talks.
Charles w. Fuller, Eva Hamilton's coun-
sci in this city said that he was not
thoroughly convinced Of Robert Ray Ham
iltons denth
Should the report prove true" he said
Mr. Hamiiton's death abates the suit so
far as he is concerned. The executors Of
the estate, or his heirs, however, have the
same rights that he did to attempt to annnl
the marriage. But they'll never aunul it
The charge that Mrs. Hamilton had an
other husband was abandoned early. The
burden Of proof was on Mr. Hamiiton's
side, and naturally he would have great
difficulty in making out case that would
be sufficient to annul a contract of this
character.
THE fight on the part Of the defense has
been for delay, In order that Mrs. Hamil-
ton might be in court ia person to testify.
If the issue comes up again, every legal
step to defend Mrs. Hamilton will be
taken, and the highest court of the state
Of New York must pronounce that mar
riage iavalid before we STOP
Mr.. Fuller said that Baby Beatrice, now
nearly 2 years old, was being kept in close
custody for Robert Ray Hamilton by Mrs.
Status of the Legal Fight
A legal friend of Mr. Hamilton's said
that the suit to annul the marriage it il
not divorce suit If Hamilton is really
dead, stops; for death annuls the marriage;
but that his executors will probably begin
a suit to prove that the marriage contract
was obtained through fraud, and is, there
fore, illegal and void. This would be done
to prevent the notorious Eva from getting
any share Of the estate The baby that
was bought for $40, even should the suit
against Eva fail could have its Legitimacy
attacked in separate proceeding.
Alleged Confirmation Of Hamilton's Death.
A dispatch to The Times from Sing Sing.
n. r., which has the ear marks of "fake,'
states that Schuyler Hamilton, OF Sing
Sing, brother Of the late Robert Ray Ham
ilton, has just received two letters from
the scene Of HamiltOn's death. One was
from John d. Sargent, the keeper Of the
ranch at which he was staying, and the
other from Cassimir De r. Moore, Of Sing
Sing, who had gone out there on a visit
Mr. Sargent's alleged letter gives the full
story Of the tragedy, but tells nothing new,
except that Hamilton's body was buried
"close TO our house, on spot overlooking
Mary Mere and the Teton mountains
The alleged letter is dated Sept 2 and
concludes as follows: "He once told me
he would rather be buried here should
anything happen. l know he was going
to change his residence aud make this his
home He told Mrs. Sargent that he
meant to ship out his library and other
things and live here permanently AL
though we have known him but short
time, we grieve for him from the bottom
of our hearts / have done everything /
could do and will take every care of his
things until hear from you"
The letter from Moore is unimportant
and looks even more unreliable than the
Sargent missive.
Mrs. Hamilton Hears the News.
TRENTON, n. j., Sept 6-Evangeline
Hamilton, the widow of Robert Ray Ham
ilton, ate her breakfast Monday in igno-
rance of her husbands death. Then she
sat down composedly TO sew buttons on
shirts
Headkeeper Patterson and his wife broke
the news to her. They imagined that she
would weep and wall and go into Mysteries
She did cry and wiring her hands and show
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