The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-05-01
1>aM|NG THE DEAD
Voorhees, Committee Makes
an Unsuccessful Attack
on Ex-Governor
Albeit.
EVA HAMILToN's PARDON
Colonel Fuller Tells How It
4 Was Secured After He
Failed.
How the Hudson County Ballot
Box Suffers We're Paroled
Odd Proceedings.
specia1to The Jersep CITY Neirss.

TRENTON, May !, 1S95.-The voorhees,
Committee yesterday afternoon went
down into the grave and attempted to
ssnirch the reputation of Ex-Governor
ALBEIT. Lawyer William Corbin, who is
conducting the examination for the COM
mittee, had some sense of the
business he was about to engage in, Tor
al the opening of the session he said
Il wish to open up another subject
entirely different from any line we nave
yet pursued. 1 appreciate its delicate
character and its gravity and Importance
will be apparent to ALL" He referred 70
the case of Eva f.. Mann. the woman
who claimed to be the wife of the late
Robert Ray Hamilton of New York. She
was sentenced to two years in state
Prison for atrociously assaulting her
nurse in Atlantic City. She succeeded in
obtaining a pardon in November, 1880.
Reports have been current for a long
time that money was paid to secure
Mrs. Hamilton's pardon. 1t was said
that she paid 81. 300, of which $500 went
to her counsel and the balance to the
late Ex-Governor Albeit, and the COM
mfttee endeavored to trace the money,
but could get it no further than to the
hands of ex-Comptroller William C.tHep-
penheimer. General H-eppenheimer de-
clared on the witness standT that $1,000
was paid to him and thai he kept every
dollar of it.
ATTACKING THE DEAD.
In his opening Mr.. Corbin further
said that the new line of inquiry affect
ed the Executive Department. and had
to do with the ~pardoning and paroling
of inmates of the State Prison. He read
the constitutional provision making the
Governor. Chancellor and six lay Judges
of the Court of Errors and Appeals the
Board of Pardons and the laws affecting
the board. The Constitution requires the
assent of the Governor before a pris.
s,oner can be released.
NEdward D. Fox, the Executive and
Pardon Clerk, md Assistant Secretary of
State Alexander H. Hickey were the first
witnesses, and testified to the working
of the< court. They were called several
times during the afternoon. Mr.. Hickey
acted as Secretary of the court. Coun-
sellor Corbin produced the petitions,
~affidavits, letters and papers in the Eva
Hamilton case, which had been prepared
ard submitted to the Court Of Pardons
in February and March, 1890, by Colonel
Charles w. Fuller and ex-Judge William
T. Hoffman, who were Mrs. Hamilton's
counsel at the time. Assistant Secretary
hickey produced the minutes of the
court and found the entry
-tEvangeline Hamilton, sentenced from
Atlantic county September, 1889, for afro
ci0us assault. Pardoned."
The date was November rs, 1890. Mr..
Ccrbin explained that Mrs. Hamilton
had been sentenced for atrocious assault
on a servant. John H. Patterson, the
keeper of the State Prison, was called
next. He said
Il am a very reluctant witness, Mr..
Corbin, but l have nothing to conceal"
Il know you are a reluctant Witness
said Mr.. Corbin, ian it is only fair to
say that We v had great difficulty in
getting any information from you. You
have volunteered none; all of our in
formation came from other sources"
is this anything affecting the late
Executive?" inquired Senator DAILY.
1T is" replied Corbin. III
MIR. DAILY PROTESTS.
Then began Mr.. DAILY in an impress
dueing anything which will reflect upon
a Governor who was a great jurist and
who enjoyed the affection and respect
diction of this committee, and he cannot
defend himself.
know Of no rule of law which is
binding on this committee, but I know
one rule which would be respected In
any court of law and that is that the
dead that cannot defend himself shoul
not be attacked. I don't know what the
rest of the committee will do, but 1 for
one protest most solemnly against this
line of investigation"
II don't know what rule the Senator
refers to-" dryly remarked Mr.. Corbin,
and think he is a little premature
II have heard it rumored," replied
be smirched here this afternoon. A man