The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-19
SURE It WAS HAMILTON.
DR.. James 0. Green's Testimon,
Taken With Regard to the
Casus Celebre.
He Says There is No Doubt Robert
Ray Hamilton Was
Drowned.
Warmly Rescnis the I'm pltcation That
There Was Any Fraud Perpe-
trsted In the Case.

The Iatest Now York sensation has bee
the story that Robert Ray Hamilton wa
living. The first authentic news OF III
drowning of tho unfortunate man III Snail
river, Idaho, was told tho Conrier-Journ
by DR.. James o. Green. formerly OF tn
city, who had just cons in from q visit I
Eamilton's ranch on Snake river. The new
was given to the Associated Press here, M
created great excitement III New York, wit
tho result that DR.. Green WAS overrun b
oneries from the metropolitan dailies dur
ing his stay here.
In some incredible way the story go
started a few days ago that Hamilton ha'
been seen alive on his ranch. Then ther
we're repd1ts that he had zone to Australia
Finally, the New York Sun came out with
column and n half editorial, and by impli
cation charged DIR. Green at conniving Il
the fraud of assisting in passing oil tb
body Of an unknown man for the remain
of Hamilton. Then one man declared h
had received Ietters from the missing man
80 much of a stir was created that Hamil
TOMS brother went over TO Pau, France
whore DR.. Green is spending the winter. {,
tsks bis evidence in the matter. DR.
Green's testimony sxplodes the silly stor,
of Hamilton's resuscitstion. 1t was cablec
to the New York Herald OF Thursday al
.That il undoubtedly the watch / tool
from the pocket of 4 dead man in the
Rocky mountains last SUMMER" said Dr.
James o. Green to-day. when the tlmepiecs
him by the dead lawyers brother, who
had Just arrived from America with a COM
mission empowering Consul Post to take
evidence proving the death. DR.. Green
armed to me and said: II wish the Herald
- "a. r>A thA n1t,hAaak VuA
= chs Wild, fantastic stories aHoat. Ham
ilton is dead, and he undoubtedly was
drowned while trying to ford q stream on
horseback after dark. The idea that a
corpse was dressed up in Hamilton's clothes
in order inst he might quietly disappear to
alleged wife and baby could not follow him
10 absurd. ..
ITO carry out such a theory one would
have to assume murder, for in no other wsy
could q corpse be procured. Jackson's
bols. the valley where the body WIS found,
il surrounded by high mountains. and the
point ON Snake river where the tragedy oc-
Cured. 10 over 15O miles from Ksintucky,
the nearest railway station. The suggestion
OF suicide il equally foolish. Nh. Hamilton
wal riding with his dog from his ranch at
one end Of Jackson's lake to bis ranch at
tine other end, fifteen miles. His workmen,
who were building a sort Of log hotel, had
complained that they needed fresh meat.
Mr.. Hamilton WAS therefore anxious to kill
some game, and was led ont Of his path by
an antelope, which he killed. 1t IVES prob
ably after dark, because men generally
ness, and when ! examined Mr.. Hanilton's
watch l found it had stopped at a few min
utes past nine. and mad only run down q
few turns of the winder.
"He had to cross the river to reach the
ranch, and there was an inviting looking
Ioy afr6tcninO into thu akYRAm inst Whert
the body was discovered, but the water be
yond was deep and swift end full of weeds
Hamilton, weighted with a full cartridge
belt. had on huge spurs. which no doubt
caught in the weeds. Ths saddle was pulled
nnder the horses belly, and SO the dog was
able to get at the antslops's launches,
which were tied TO it. and keep himself
alive during the eleven days before the
ssarchers came upon the place.
Until this moment l have kept secret
the real reason why the face Of the corpse
could not be recognized. ] did not want 10
shock the family. The fact is it was not
only swollen and discolored in the most
awful way. but fishes or turtles had mutt
lated it. As the body foated face down
ward, of course all the blood settled at the
bottom, and Hamilton's father could not
have told anything about the corpse except
by the clothing or private marks.
II wish the Herald would say that |
strongly object to the statement that / have
at any time identified the corpse. / did not
know Hamilton in life, and even if / had
it wOnld not have bsttered the case. The
reason why Hamilton WAS not missed
sooner ID very simple. His partner. Sar-
gent, was in the ranch at one end Of the
lake and Mrs. Sargent was in the ranch at
the other. Mrs. Sargent supposed he was
with her husband and Sargent thought he
wife met they knew something had happen
ed, and they called for a general search.
They supposed he had been killed by horse
thieves. and 1T was through one of these
searching parties that the hunting camp
learned the story of his disappearance.
MRS. Sargent told me Hamilton intended
10 go to New York in October and have his
marriage with Eva Mann annuIled, return
to the Rockies III the Spsing and stay there
for the rest Of his life. / did not meet ssr-
gent, but WAS told by his men that he had
folly identified the corduroy Jacket. coat,
dark trousers, leggins, gloves and boots of
the dead man as the clothes of Hamilton.
Besides that, l found a leather book OF
trout flies in q pocket with the name OF
Hamilton on 1t marked IN ink.
"lt will be impossible to reach Sargent
for some time. as there must bs at least
twenty feet of snow on the trail into Jack
sons Hole. 1t is one Of the widest and
most Inaccessible valleys in the Rockies
TIE tran | followed was tine enc Gen. Sheri-
DIM had cut for President Arthur's Yellow
Stone pArk trip. II viii Dc IMPOSSIBLE tC
legally identify Hsmilton's corpse Until Mr.
and Mrs.. Sargent are reached. They are
the only persons alive who can do il. Eut
10 one need have any doubt that Hamilton
is really dead, and that he died by acct
dent.
1.-The last | saw of the poor fellow wal
the boat containing the body covered witt
green bougls gradually disappearing in IT,.
distance. When 1 got to tho mead Of tin
lake ! stopped the carpenter who was build
ing a ho1se for Hamilton. and told him b.
must briid another kim of house i
cOff1,.
All the surrounding circumstances show
shat nothing WAS prearranged about thu
tragedy. Hamilton left one ranch to 90 (,
the other, ard took with hIIn the horse ant
dog found near she body. The clothes OIL
the body were his. The antelope hauncheI
account for the late hour Of the accideu
and the place where it occurred. His ha
foated away and his rife sank IN tn.
seeam. The sssrcbers told me they conlc
find it by dragging the bottom, but it voul,
be rustsd and Useless.
"Hainiiton's blankets we're left in tn,
ranch by him. showing that be did not IN
tend to stop ont over night. Besides. b
was full of plans, and actually died wniI
they we're ia progress. j have no DatIenc
with those who say that the failure to brin
the body to New York is suspicious. In
body IVES buried On my advice. am
physician. examined it to see if ther
we're any evidences of crime. and my dut
to society ended then. / told the peopI
there that rs ths corpse had been in tn