The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-15

her tho burden OF proof in the legal sruabble
over tho estate. II she were to share In tho
| estate she must needs prove she was the
| widow Of the deceased man. Tho advantage
which tho Hamilton family obtained through
tho death OF Robert Ray in the contest with
Evangeline was apparent when the matter
came before the Surrogate. In spite OF the
undisputed fact OF marriage ceremony. Evan
| geline was declared to be Mrs. Mann and not
| the widow OF Robert Ray Hamilton. OF course
she took an appeal.
| Later came something more definite regard
| ing the death OF Hamilton Henry Strong OF
| Greene. Chenango county. N. Y. who had been
| in the Yellowstone Park. came East and de-
| clared that he had seen Hamilton alive In the
park. having recognized him by his voice as
| we'll as his features. Later came A. o. How
| ard OF the coast survey service. who said he
| had boon O schoolmate OF tho deceased man.
and thnt he had received letters later than
August from Hamilton. who was supposed to
| have been drowned In the latter part OF Au.
| gust OF that year. While there were inconsis-
| tencics in the full statements Of these men
they were not without their weight.
The Hamilton family tried to keep the mat
ter quiet, but It would not down. On the con-
trary. as time passed the belief that Robert
Ray Hamilton was alive grew strongerin those
who thought most about the facts. Tourists
returning from the region brought strange
stories. The men who conducted the search
were, with one or two exceptions. not acQuaint-
ed with him In his lifetime and not willing to
swear the body was his. Even J. O. Green. who
had examined the body after 1t was taken from
the water. said he could not swear 1t was Ham
ilton's. He beloved 1t was because he found
certain defects on 1t which belonged to Hamil-
ton. People In the East were told that seven
other men had been drowned in Snake River
that year. and they began to wonder whether
one Of these bodies had been dressed in Hamil-
tons clothes and passed of on the public as that
Of the body Of the legislator. Had not hospital
or medical college subject been carried over in
trunk or q barrel and then put in the river
to pose as Robert Ray Hamilton's body3
Finally. O reputable young citizen Of
Idaho. who had been in Jackson's Hole with
party Of mining engineers. returned home after
having been some time in the mountains. and
reported that even the residents Of Jackson's
Hole doubted very much the identity Of the
body. His report was brought to The Sun.
and an investigation that would forever settle
the matter was instituted.
As THE SUMS correspondent. in his journey
to the FELTON, region. drew near to his desti-
nation he found the public interest in the
C6so BToWlHS StEOuSeIs duu tildC tne Uc-
lief that Hamilton was alive was more
firm. Leaving Market Lake. the nearest
railroad station. he went back twenty-five
miles to a village called Rixburg by the Nor
mons. who outnumber all the other inhabi-
tants and Kaintuck by the Post Office authori-
ties. Here he called upon Roman Safert. one Of
the workmen who had testified to the identity
Of the body found in Snake River. Mr.. safert
was still sure that the body was that OF Hamil
ton. but when asked to describe tho body he
said among other things that the upper front
teeth had been filled with gold in most con-
spicuous fashion. He had often noticed the
CLEAN OF gold when Mr.. Hamilton laughed. he
said. Mrs. Lolita Springer. q young widow
who had been employed as q domestic at the
lodge while Hamilton was there. described the
teeth Of the man exactly as Safert die. In fact
the upper front teeth OF Robert Ray Hamilton
were noticeably large and perfect
This fact seemed to confirm. beyond all
doabt, most startling belief prevalent
throughout the community. The most intel
ligent and influential men here were confident
not only that Hamilton was still alive but that
q man resembling him had been sent to jack
sons Hole to personate him. and had there been
put out OF the way by John Dudley Sargent.
Indeed.when one considered the extraordinary
fact that no effort had been made to remove
the body to a suitable resting place. and that
no inquest had been held over the body by the
Coroner 1t was impossible to escape the con-
clusion reached by the citizens living nearest
the region where Hamilton was alleged to have
been drowned. Accordingly the following afi-
davit was filed with Coroner Code of Evanston.
Wyoming. who had jurisdiction over the dis
trict:
!" Stale Of Wyoming Oouaty Of UIntah:
THE afflant. John r. Spears. after having
hnn Arcf Httlv md Nkok
there is buried in the said county and State
the dead body Of a man reported to be Robert
Ray Hamilton. and that the said body OF the
person 80 buried was inferred at or near what
Is known as Jackson's Hole; and that afflant
is informed and believes that the person 30
buried came to his death by unlawful means
and by Violence and that said body was buried
without any inquest having been held there
on"
Thereat Coroner Code. with W. A. Hooker.
an experienced surgeon Of Evanston. Joined
party organized by The Sun correspondent.
and on Thursday. Oct l. left Market Lake
station in q binding snow storm for Jackson's
Hole. Their adventures in crossing the plains
and Teton Pass and in following tho Sheridan
trail to their destination must be told at an
other time. One week later. on Thursday. Oct
9. they oamped on Jackson's Lake. a quarter
OF mile from the Hamilton lodge. and tho
next morning the body was disinterred and
carefully examined for such marks as would
identify 1t II 1t were really the body Of Robert
Ray Hamilton.
some OF those marks were simple and easy
to distinguish. Mr.. Hamilton had glossy black
hair. his upper front teeth were noticeably per-
feet. while those In the lower jaw were crowded
and overlapped. The Sun correspondent had
an accurate description OF Mr.. Hamiltons
Al,t