The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-21


on Account of His Mental Coadi-
tion-Charged With the Death of
Hamilton and With the Murder of
His Wife-Hamilton Dupe of De-
signing Woman.
John D. Sargent, Of New York, who
was suspected of the murder of Robert
Ray Hamilton, a wealthy young New
Yorker, and who now stands charged
with the murder of his wife in Jackson
in March, 1897, has been released from
custody owing to his mental condition,
| says a dispatch from Cheyenne, Wyo.
There are some souls placed in their
tenements of clay who in quiet seek out
kindred souls and with them unite into
the grandest harmony of life, to spend
their time on earth with no disturbing
elements to mar or blacken, and finally
to pass into the unseen, leaving behind
the mortal body to be tenderly cared for
by grieving loved ones.
There are other souls whose entrance
into the world the evil genii-sometimes
1t seems the very fiend hinself-talze note
of. To those who have these souls
all that is evil comes Gifted with genius.
possessors of wealth, honored in their
parentage though they may be, the evil
spirits that presided at their birth bring
upon them spells that darken life, bur-
dens unbearable, send them hurting into
the abyss of crime-their own and others,
as the case may be-blacken and mar the
soul within them and bring their lives to
some violent and untimely end. And
then, disappointed at their prey having
been taken from them, these spirits Of
evil all too often turn upon the friends
of the departed, vex and harass them,
drive them to despair.
A TRAGEDY RECALLED.
These latter truths are all made mani
fest in the tragical life and death Of
Robert Ray Hamilton, and the still more
tragical sequel of his taking off, which
is briefly set forth above.
To few is given such a seemingly happy
lot as was this young New Workers..
Born to a comfortable estate, Of dis.
tinguished lineage, his talents recognized
by his fellow men, he fell the prey Of de-
signing women. He was lured into mar
riage by a most unnatural plot, the proud
name of Hamilton was dragged through
the mire, and he saw his wife a convict.
Freed from the calling chains of mar
riage by the courts, he fled from the sight
of men, far out into the wilds of Wyom-
ing. Finding only bitterness in life, he
announced his intentions Of there passing
all his days But even there the evil
spirits that had been his bane sought
him out and slew him. He came to an
untimely end in fording a shallow stream
john D. Sargent, his friend and partner,
wrote to his people that he died by acct
dent. The story was accepted for time
His will was offered for probate. Bitter
contests in the courts resulted. The old
scandal was revived. Then came the
rumors that his death was not an acct
dent. Sargent claimed the ranch where
they had lived as his Suspicion fell up
on him, and in Wyoming the accusation
was made that he had slain Hamilton in
| order to seize his property Threats Of
! lynching were made, but nothing came
of them till, in the midst of a Wyoming
| winter, the story came that Sargent $
| wife was dying on the ranch. A rescue
| party rode for miles through the storm
| and snow. They found the woman
| bruised and broken. Her husband fed to
escape their wrath The woman died, but
| gossip had it that before her death came
she had told Of the evil deeds her hus.
| band had done to her and months before
| to Hamilton.
RETURNED TO PRISON.
Sargent returned to his old home in the
East, bringing his children with him
| He put on a bold front. He denied the
| rumors that connected him with Ham,
ilton's death He declared his wife's in
| juries were accidental, due to a fall from
| her horse. But the rurnors would not
| down. Driven to It, he returned to Wy
oming with the avowed purpose of bring
| ing suit for defamation of character
| against his accusers. No sooner had he
| arrived in Wyoming last fall than he was
seized on, charge of murder in the first
| degree for having caused the death Of
his wife. He was cast into Jail to await
| trial next April. He stoutly maintained
| his innocence. He declared himself the
| victim OF a plot of powerful enemies.
| Breeding over his troubles affected his
mind, and, fearing that he would be-
| come hopeiessly insane, the authorities
| few days ago set him free from con-
| firement. He is still under Indictment.
but the authorities say they have Ito
| fear of his taking flight while his con
| oition remains as 1t is now.
Such are a few of the evils that have
ltcome more or less indirectly from the
marriage of Robert Ray Hamilton to
Evangeline L. Steele on Jan. Z, 1885, Ham
ilton was then thirty-eight years old. He
was son of Gen. Schuyler Hamilton
of the stock of Alexander Hamilton, WAC
fell in the duel with Aaron Burr. Edu
Gated to the law, Hamilton quickly mad:
name for himself, and, elected to the
assembly, had distinguished himself there
HAMILTON'S INFATUATION
Some time in 1885 he met Eva Mann
or, to use the name on her marriage Ger
tificate, Evangeline L. Steele. She wa:
/ a woman of slender build, with wei
rounded form, not surprisingly beauti
full, but still charming enough to bfnd
Hamilton to her for the next five years