New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-22
EVA DROPS HER MASK.
1T HAD NOT SHIELDED HER MUCH
pIosz OF THE TESTIMONY IN THE CONTEST
ANTS CASE.

n
the audience for whose amusement Robert Ray Hami
toms estate paying. Every is familiar with the
character of the woman in the play who wears The
mask of pilanhropist until her true character Is
discovered and she is driven TO the wall when she
throws oil the mask and exclaims dehantly
IL am worse than you thought; now do your WORST"
Eva threw discretion, modesty and all the other
qualities which is supposed TO DESIRE u the
winds, and said plainly and boldly that she had been
the mistress OF Joshua j. Mann. Then, almost before
the sounds of her voice in making this confession Oau
ceased she her way to her former bone to pay
her last respects to the memory of her MOTHER VINO
had died the night before.
When the proceedings were begun, at 1880, MI
Fuller, Eva's counsel asked that the contestant OK
animation be postponed, on account not only OF her
Illness but Of the fact that her mother had died the
night before and she wished TO start for home on the
/ O'Clock train. The "many sympathy" OF the sur
rogate which he expressed in such strong terms when
he excused Eva on Monday. had evidently oozed away
10 extent because he refused to excuse her. Then
she took the witness stand and questioned again
by Mr.. Root. The first few questions and answers
brought out the fact that Eva had made up hei nina
IN confess the whole story Of her dsreputable life WIN
Josh" Mann. she took up the thread OF her nara
tive about the various babies connected with the case
She made two admissions. but neither of them threw
much light on the question. First she said that the
baby born in Pennsy lvana November 49, 1o-5, was
not the offspring of Robert Ray Hamilton. She also
admitted that the baby chrisened Beatrice Ray Hali
ton. at Atlantic City, not HamiltonS child
Mr.. Root then returned to the subject of the hotel
registers at TOwanda and Laceyville. she could not
say whether the names j. j. Mann and wife ana
Joseph steele" were the handwriting of her brother
or not she not familiar with her brothers hand
writing
At this point Mr.. Fuller began his redirect eXamna-
ton. 1t at this point that Eva began the ory
of her shame. In brief it was this she met josh
in Philadelphia, in 1881 or 1oo2, and her I'M
proper relations with him began week after they
met. Absolutely nothing ever said about mar
rage she had never said that she was Mann's wife
and she had never heard Josh" say that she his
wife she supposed however, that people seeing
them togc.her much, thought that they were mar
RED She had taken the name Of Mann at Mr..
Uamilton's request, to facilitate some leal-esate
transact ions al Passaic.
Mr.. Fuller then led his own client into a trap.
"Why," he said, did you tell the officials Of the
bank where you deposited your money that you were
Mrs. Mann7"
Eva began her answer, when Surrogate Ransom
wanted 70 know if Eva had not sworn, Just a minute
BEFORE that she had told any one that she was
Mann's wife.
Eyes, butr-the but" was thls-"l did not intend
TO include the bank officials
ANYHOW, they did not ask her if she had ever been
married 10 the man whom she named as her husband.
This great carelessness the part of the bank officials
was not the only reason why this bit of damaging
evidence was in existence She was not on good
terms with her family at that time, and she wanted
10 leave her money so that Josh" could get it in
case she should die
did your people believe Mann to be yOur hus-
band q" asked Mr.. Fuller
81 don't think they ever believed he was. Ihey
might have inferred that he was answered Eva.
The next question was remarkable from any point
Of view In the face Of the fact that Eva had sworn
ain that chn al Ipen in
troduced Josh's wife. Mr. Fuller asked this ques-
ton:
"why were you introduced as Mrs. Mann"
ITO cover the relations existing between u.s. was
the answer.
.what were your relations with Mann during your
visits to Laceyville Towanda and Elmra 7" asked Mr.
Fuller.
Eva actually blushed when this question was asked
and She appealed to the Surrogate for protection
against the inqusitiveness Of her own counsel she
received cold comfort however, as the surrogate told
her to answer.
"Wen, was his mistress. Now
This finished the redirect examination, and Mr.
Root began the cr0ss-eXamination again lie asked
why Eva had changed the evidence which she gave
the other day. she declared thai she had not
changed it, and then said that in looking over her
testimony of the former day she had discovered that
there were some points which she wished 10 make
more clear for fear they might be misinterpreted.
Mr. Root wanted 10 know if Mann was an i'm
tece all this time, as she had testified before liat
he was She lodged about that question for awhile
and then said:
well. what l mean is that Mann was i'm
beetle, unable 10 take care OF himself mean thaI
il was unsafe 10 allow him 70 20 out on the street.
because nc would al 90 to drinking When he
was drunk he was nothing but an imbecilc.'
When she visited her parents with Mann, previous
TO 1855 they did not occupy the same r0Oh but dl'ci
,he accident which happened to JOSH III 1883 they
occupied the same room at home.
And why do Ecu suppose that your parents might
have Inferred that you and he were man and wife Z!
..Wel from the fact that We did occupy the same
room, to their knO~Icdce7
why did you say that you took Mann to Lacey
VILE in october, 1888, simply an cacort2"
"WeIl. don't know whether you would call it simply
an escort or not; took him because wanted him.
That closed her examination and she hurried out
of the courtroom
Henry Spencer of No. 145 West feminist, who mar
ried Josh's sister, the next witness. lie hdu
known Eva since 1850. when she was known a. Nia'
Brill lie knew perfectly well that Eva ana josh
were living together, and had never coil'ideicu Una"
they were married. In fact, he and his ~ile hdo
talked with Josh often about his relations with Eva
Josh had been a salesman and had made d good
GALAXY prevous to the time he met Eva, and his sister
asksi him one day why he did not leave her ana re
turn TO his business Josh had replied that ne was "i
IN do So Then the witness had asked why he ala hoI
take Eya's diamonds and her bdnk-Dooh ana ~ snip
out" a., ,.
.ing snencer said that he had been known under the
name of Collins and that he had been locked up on
charge preferred against him by his wife, The fact
va, also brought out that when Mr. Hamilton began
the suit against Eva for the annulmcnt OIL 'ne,r mar
rage Spencer or Collins went TO inc once Vi Hoo' 4"
Clark and offered 10 give Damaging o''uOi'o 80
~, r.. ZOO They finally compromised on @l1O'
a,'S cnaocor gave Mr. Root a number OF letters from
iva ~ his wife spencer regretted that he had sold
them 50 cheaply because they were worth ""'h more
he thought ,od ,roroap
After recess Josephine Johnson. coiofeu "ona"'
,t.tt. IA. IVa at