New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-13
WAS SHE HAMILTON'S WIFE!
EVA MANN CoyrESTING HIS WILL
TO SHOW THAT HIS ALLEGED

WIDOW HAS ANOTHER HUSBAND.
Tho actual contest over the will Of Robert Ray
Hamilton was begun before Surrogate Ransom yeS'er'
day. Charles W. Fuller appeared for Eva L. Hahil-
ton the contestant: Elhu Root and J. C. OConor r.
rcnrc,entod the executors Gilbert NJ. Sper and Ed
mund L. Eaylies; Henry L. sprague representa-
SCHUYLER Hamilton, IT,, the principal legaee ana Sher-
man W. Knevals looked after the interests OF the Daoy'
Beatrice who receives an annuity of 1900 under the
will. Mrs. Hamilton came in heavily yelled. Inc
only testimony introduced for the contestant yesterday
was the evidence OF the Rev Edison W. Burr, who
sworc 10 having married Robert Ray Hamilton ana
Evangeline H. Steele The testimony on the Other siuc
was to prove by crcumstantal evidence that Eva
was the wife Of Joshua j. Mann at the time the marriage
ceremony performed. No direct evidence was i'-
troduccd 10 show that marriage ceremony was per-
formed between Mann and the woman, but ABUNDANCE
OF collateral evidence brought out TO show that
she introduced Mann as her husband and that they
were generally known Is ard wife among people
whom they met also that they had lived tOSetIcr Ill
this city and had visited nor home in bradford County
Penn together, Eva introducing Mann TO her relatives
as her husband IL also shown by documentary
evidence that when Eva made deposits in the Union
Dime saving, Bank she had described herself as
the wife Of Joshua j. Mum.
The Rev Edison v. Burr, of Elizabeth. y. j., was
the first wltne,, called. Iii, testimony was that
while he pastor of the Market street Methodist
Episcopal Church at Paterson, y. j., on January :,
I-o9 he married Evangelinc L. steele to Robert Kay
Hamilton Upon the cross examination he said that
he wa not sur. that he could identity her now B0th
Of them declared, the minister said that neither OF
them had ever been married before.
William T. steele Of LaccyNiIc, Penn, brother OF
Eva. was called 10y the executors. lie sad that Eva
went away home at the of sixteen, ana thal
she had returned 10 remain any length OF 'iiie
since once she returned with II man named JOhn
IIcndrick, and subscqueutly-in 1o74 or l7oo-wlth
Joshua j. Mann She introduced Mann TO the mem
Der, of the family a. her husband Alice steele. the
wife Of the prevou, witness corrJboracd her husbands
testimony. Eva told her. she said, tiat She was mar
r.cd b Mann in Philadelphia.
William Foylc. Il lawyer, who present at tho
trial Eva, brother Joseph steele. for grand larceny
AZ Towanda, PENN IN December, loos, testified mat
upon the trial Mann was witness, ana testhed tiat
he was the husband Of Eva. lie s"oIe that TIC H'u
married her seven years before.
John : Mu-os, proprietor If the hotel at Laceyvlllc
testified that Mann and Eva were guests at his ho'ei
in December. l-o- and at several other times Ihey
occupied the oainc and were registered a' man
and wife.
Tianci, ". Lcakc, the b)okkeepcr Of the Union
Dime savings Bank, produced the signature oooN V.
the bank, together with handbook IN the name Oh
Eva L. Mann and Il number OF checks Oh which money
mad been paid T. Eva l.. Mann between 1856 anu
i--9. The la,l check, which closed the account was
signed Eva l.. Hamilton, otherwise Eva L' MHhh'
In the Signature book the statement tha'
Eva L. Mann WAS the wife Of Joshua J. Aann. Two
Of the check, on which money was pad by the bank
trauscred the Of $500 from the account oi E'"
L. Mann - that oi Joshua j. Mann.
Dr. william 81 Kemp OF No. 267 West Twenty
th.rl.,i. va, called after recess. lie first SAW tho
woman whom he aitcrward knew Mrs. Slann, IN
i--5 al SO. 50 West Ninth-st. lie wa, called upon
t. attend her. and he knew her in the Nhth-s mousse
a, Mrs. Bill lie never saw Mr Bill. lie did not
~co thc woman again until october IL. loe0 when 10
wa- called m To her at No. 200 Wet twenty
second It, Their. he va, introduced to her a. Mis-
Mann, and IVA herself introduced him t. Joshua D.
Mann d. her husband. Acdin he Va, called upon I"
pr,,,rbe FIR "A SEX lahy at No. 81 East
ruirty.nr,t t. lie went there on Christmas Dayo
l-s- He Wa, again introduced 70 Mr.. Mann. The
baby. he wa, odd hat been adopted By Mrs MANN
The baby died ou January 4, l5oD, at No. -" Eas'
Fuureeuti-st.. and he made out the death cerch'aIe
lie distinctly remembered that tie bdO' last name
Char,.s IL Harriet the paving telle~ Of the Blocker
street savings Bank. trstlncd that Eva h. Mann
,,.r,d an account at the bank March 81. 1r7o.
by dcpD,uus ~, pOj. size diow OUT Uc d,t VI S n
none, and closed tie account On october 10, loOV
Jane, ii. DiAou testified that he lived ar no 81
West Eleventh t. the same nous Nav" and IVA
ic knew them - such. lie mad gone to the steamer
10 them depart i'r hui',pG III May I'7'' i"''
Eva only "a ed her heavy mourning vel Two or tlrc3
for a witness 10 identify her. she 1, rather GOOD
i,ohlus and a litt. under medium height heT S,n ,
pcNin }, clear ana ia!r Se D b ~, ,c -, fnemcnt
i3 n,,,u She wa, neatly DRESSED IN a dark go" ana
,,rr a .,slslln -acquc While she standing {" be
Mined o,k Her naarer. however had touch OF
defiance in 1t during the ordeal to TnlcI s"e ""'
subjected The case viii be continued 10 DAY