The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-19

He IS Ofis Y DEAD.
A Formal Inquest Held on the De-
composed Body Of Robert
Ray Hamilton.
No Doubt that the Man Found
Drowned In Snake River
Was He.
The Story of q Wrecked Life Recalled by
Lonely Grave In Wyoming
Wilderness.

published In IHE lNDEPKNDENT, ana from
Helena was sent broadcast over the country.
The remotcness of the spot where he met
his death, the fact that no effort was made
10 remove the body from it's lonely grave in
Wyoming, and the further fact that tho ex-'
posure of Hamilton's disgrace in the cast
had given him good cause to shun the face
Of his fellow men, all gave rise from time
to time to doubts as to whether the
drowned man was really he. A coroner's
Of the man drowned in Snake river was that
Of Robert Ray Hamilton. the descendant of
an old and famous New York family and
the victim. part willing and part unwilling,
Of one of the most sensational cases of i'm
position on record. In order to tell the
story of the inquest at the lonely grave in
it is necessary to briefly review
the incidents in that remarkable drama of
real life.
Early in July. 1889, Robert Ray Hamil-
ton engaged rooms in the Noll cottage in
Atlantic City. He was accompanied by a
handsome blonde woman, n nurse and an
old baby. They were visited
ut times by one Joshua Mann and an old
woman. his mother. On Aug. 26 there was
a quarrel between the blonde woman and
the nurse, Mary Ann Donneily, in which
the latter was badly out by dagger in tho
others hand. Then part of the story came
out, and it was found that Robert Ray
Hamilton had married woman Of ques-
tionablo reputation, known as Eva Mann.
Mrs. Hamilton WAS arrested on the charge
of felonious assault, and then another
chapter was added to the story. 1t WAS to
the effect that the baby, supposed to be
that of Hamilton and Eva Mann, had been
purchased for $40 to palm of on Hamilton
to induce him to marry tie woman with
whom no had been intimate for years.
Mrs. Hamilton WAS convicted of the as
Jersey psnitentiaty. Hamilton brought
suit to annul the marriage on the grounds
that the woman had been the wife of Joshua
Mann before he married her. While this suit
was pending Hamilton came west. and
with John Delaney Sargent. former stage
driver in the Rockies. decided to establish
a tourist resort near the lower end Of Yel-
lowstone park. The two went to Market
Lake. Idaho, and securing park train went
up the Snake river. thence through the
Teton basin and over the Teton range into
Jackson's hole, then known as the resort of
horsethieves and desperadoes. At tho
north end of the valley, near Jackson's
which was to serve as hotel and outfittinR
station for park tourists. Thus, in June,
1880, Robert Ray Hamilton dropped out of
sight.
j. o, Green, son of President Green, of
the Western Union Telegraph company, set
out to enter the National park by way Of
Beaver canyon in August, 1890. and went
oF Hovo rAtp Arri Mt
the lodge he was told that Hamilton had
gone hunting some days before. A search
was instituted, resulting in finding body
in Snake rlver answering to that OF Hamll-
ton. II was dressed in Hamilton's cloth
ing and had on his watch. Green was pos
80 stated when he reached Helena,
from which point the news was first given
out. At first everybody was disposed to
believe tho story, but then came doubts.
The news of the death did not seem to fall
with any weight on the Hamilton people,
The publication of the funeral notice was
delayed for long time. 1t was also learned
that in the month preceding his death
Hamilton had made his will. naming Gill
bert nj. Spier as his executor. Speir. with
a friend, G. d. II. Moore, had arrived at the
Sargent ranch day too late to attend the
burial of Hamilton. Neither spier, Moore
nor Green had made any effort nor OK
pressed any desire to remove the body, and
instead Of fastening to soms point from
which the family could be notified, took
their time about it. In fact the first news
given ont WAS on the arrival of Green in
Helena after pleasant jaunt through the
park. There were other REASONS for disbe-
lieving that Hamilton was dead. His death
did not annull his marriage with his wife.
Eva or Evanealine, but threw upon her the
burden of proof in the legal squabble over
the estate. IT she were to share in tho estate
ahe must prove that she was the widow OF
tho deceased man. The advantage
which the Hamilton family OBJ
tain through tho death of Robert Kay IN
the contest with Evangeline was apparent
when the matter came before tho surrogate.
In spite of the undisputed fact that mar
riage ceremony had beon performed, Evan
geline. who had meantime been pardoned,
was declared to be Mrs. Mann and not the
widow of Robert Ray Hamilton. OF course
she took IN appeal.
Later came something more definite re-
garding the death OF Hamilton. Henry
Strong, of Grosne, Chenango county, N. y,
who had been in tho Yellowstons park,
came east and declared that he had seen
alive in the park, having recog-
nized him by his voice as well as his feat
ures. Later came A. O. Howard, OF the
const survey service, who said he had been
q schoolmate of the deceased man, and that
from Hamilton, who was supposed to have
been dead in tho latter part of August OF
that year. While there were Inconsistencies
in the full statements of these men. they
were not without their weight. Finally,
young citizen OF Idaho. who had
been in jackson Hole with party OF min
ing engineers, returned home after having
been some time in the mountains aud re-
ported that even the residents of Jackson
Hole doubted very much the identity Of the
body. The st. Louis Globs-Dcmocrats start
ed nm investigation that would
forever settle the matter. Leaving
Market Lake. the nearest railroad station.
the correspondent OF the Globe-D Democrat
went back twenty-five miles to village
called Ri1burg by the Mormons. who out
number all the other inhabitants, and Kahn
tuck, by the postoflice authorities. Here he
called upon Roman Safert, one OF the work
men who had testified TO the identity Of the
body found in Snake river. Safert was
still sure that the body was that Of Hamil-'
ton, but when nsked TO describe tho body
he said among othor things that the upper
front teeth had been filed with gold IN
most conspicuous fashion. As n matter OF
feot, the upper front teeth Of Robert Ray
Hamilton were notiocnbly large and ner-
feot. The most intelligent and influential
men there were confident, not only that