, 1900-01-22

hSSPNi.
Her son, Joshua Mann, had little t,
distinguish him when he first came in
TO notoriety, unless, perhaps, his GRAY
ing for liquor, but nevertheless he ha,
become the husband of the woman VIII,
afterward charmed Robert Ray Hamil
ton.
When the relations between Hamil
ton and Eva Mann had continued 70,
four years the plot was conceived tina
a few months later resulted in the ar
rest of Mother Swinton' and Josh
Mann. The ~ostensible charge agains.
them was the grand larceny of $500
from Robert Ray Hamilton.
In December, 1888, statements were
made to Hamilton in regard to Eva
Mann that led him to pay $500 and a
few days later-on January Z, 1889
led him into having a marriage ere
mony performed.
OF the ingenious juggling of live and
dead babies that followed many de-
tails were told later in the courts, but
the outcome of it all was that the child
ton.
The crisis came soon afterward.
Hamilton did not find the role of hus-
band, particularly the husband of Eva
Mann, a c%ongenial one. Violent quar-
rels followed. In August, 1889, they
had practically decided on a
separation. Hamilton agreed to give
the m $1,000. She demanded So
900. A violent quarrel followed in their
home at Mays Landing, n. J..
Mrs. Donnelly, employed as a nurse,
rage. She had torn her husband
clothes nearly off; she had hurled a
whiskey bottle at his head; she called
the nurse names. Mrs. Donnelly re-
scented it. Eva Mann picked up a hunt
ing knife of her husband and stabbed
the nurse. 1t was thought for a time
she might die.
For this Mrs. Robert Ray Hamilton
otherwise Eva Mann, was sentenced to
two years Imprisonment in the Tren-
ton ~penitentiary. Her husband, driven
to despair and gaining an insight in
to her true character, sought the aiG
of Inspector Brynes, at that time the
head of New York's detective bureau.
The plot to lure Hamilton into a
marriage was quickly uncovered.
Mother Swinton" and her son, Josh"
Mann, were arrested and indicted.
Hamilton went on the stand and, rath-
er against his will, told how he had
been entrapped.
After the conviction of Eva Mann he
succeeded in having the marriage an
| child and saw that she was well pro-
| vided for. The proceedings against
Mother Swinton" and her son were
dropped.
Hamilton ven west. He had a ranch
l-Marymere-in Jackson's Hole near
the border, between Wyoming and Ida
no, just south of the Yellowstone Ma
tional park. He went to lavish expense
in fitting up the ton ranch house on
the shore of Jackson lake and there
he spent his time hunting.
John D. Sargent and his wife and
family lived on the ranch with him.
Apparently they were on the best of
terms.
On August 90, 1890, Hamilton went
on a hunting trip. He was expected
back the same evening. He did not re-
turn, and in a few days a search was
begun. On September 2 his body was
found in the Snake river.
Was it suicide, accident or murder?
The coroner's jury after examining
many witnesses declared that Hamil-
ton met accidental death. Residents
of Jackson's Hole did not hesitate to
say it was murder.
Sargent put in a claim for Marymere
and Hamilton's relatives let him have
it without contest. Eva Mann refused
to believe that Hamilton was dead, and
later there were reports that he was
seen alive in various parts of the world,
but the courts of New Jersey, in 1891,
declared him dead and ordered his es-
tate settled up according to his will,
one of the requests of which was a
handsome sum for a drinking fountain
in New York City.