The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-19

the man known as Edes, hut he pad
no attention to them, except 10 call
him TO the office and warn him against
being seen on his promises.
I'm about a week Afterwards Edes
was shot there by some one unl<noH n,
probably by Edes himself. to awaken
suspicion against Mr.. Hamilton. He
was i'll for three or four weeks after
wards, and when he was partially re-
covered he professed to recollect that
he was Hamilton instead of Edes
Mrs. Hamilton professed TO believe his
statement, or at least did not deny his
claims. Proof would be offered that
before his illness she wrote him a let
ter, calling him her dear husband,
and signing herself Gala Lily, as she
sometimes did in her letters to her
friends it being pet name applied
to her fair, stately beauty when a
schoolgirl.
This letter was found by Detec-
tive Swan, or rather by Mrs. Fry in
the lining of Edes's coat, but through
his efforts, and he transmitted it to
Detective Bruce. 1t would be produc-
ed in court in due order of the testi-
mony. The rest was known,-the claim
to Mr.. Hamilton's estate and family.
At this point nothing would be said
about the motive, which was only too
apparent, but illusions must be made
ley, alias Primus Edes, for the MUIR
der of his wife, the beautiful, unfor-
tunate Lenora, who died of poison, but
two weeks previous to the claims set
up by Edes. She received by mail
a poisoned ring and was asked to wear
1t in remembrance of her husband who
would soon return to her. The name
signed was Henry Ashley, and it had
been proved that after wearing the
RUG a week she died. The body was
buried. but afterwards disinterred, and
it was proved that she was poisoned
by the ring, without doubt. This
charge would be proven by competent
witnesses to be true. 1t was very
startling when taken into account with
Edes's infatuation for Mrs. Hamil-
ton, and his claim that she was his
wife
You will see how diabolical was his
plan and you can also see his motive.
But for his love for Mrs. Hamilton he
would never have dared to thrust his
claim before the public; but as Samson
was shorn of his strength by the; fair
hands of Deliah, so has many a weak
er man been robbed of his reason by
love of woman. Mr.. Hamiltons course
has been straightforward throughout
Having nothing to conceal. there have
been no efforts at concealment. He
warned Edes not to come near his
house, as you or l would have done ).
But when he heard the shot fired he
jumped from his bed, rushed out saw
that he was lying wounded upon the
ground, and forgot his displeasure in
doing all that he could for the sufferer.
Mr.. Marks is a respectable man who
was known to the Hamilton family In
early life, and as an old acquaintance
was kindly received by my client. He
has followed the calling of book agent,
and fingered a few days in Grovedale
till a consignment from the publish
ers should arrive"
Mr.. Ferguson then called attention
to the strange fact of the plaintiffs
plea of lost identity, so evidently bas-
ed upon that of the respondents. 1t
was most unusual thing to happen
to any one, only d few cases being
known, and yet here was a second
man in the same town laying claim to
the same malady. Was it not too abb
surd for belief? Only a man laboring
under great emotion would have been
led to such an absurd claim. and only
great villain would have sent a
poisoned ring to his wife to have got
rid of her so that he might lay claim
to another woman. 1t was a bold
scheme, a suicidal scheme!
Mr.. Ferguson spoke with earnest
ness and eloquence, well sustaining his
| reputation, and he was listened to
| with marked attention by every per-
| son in the court room. The counter
| charge of murder against the plaintiff
| created no little excitement among
| those who now heard it for the first
time. Many recollected hearing about
the beautiful Mrs. Anderson, supposed
to be Lenora Ashley who registered
| at the Essex House the night before
Mr.. Hamilton went away, and they
kpew that in some mysterious way
she appeared to be connected with his
disappearance. Indeed, in so intricate
case it was not surprising that the
popular mind should fail to under
stand 1t.
But one thing seemed very plain aft
er Mr.. Ferguson sat down, even before
witness was called-that Primus
Edes was trying to wrest from Vane
Hamilton his family and property, and
that Mrs. Hamilton was guilty of aid
ing and abetting him. Mr. Ferguson
had lightly tuched upon her evidence,
so slightly as to make it appear he
considered it absurd, particularly the
claim that she could detect people by
individual odor." Was anything of
the kind ever preached at trial, and
would it not be, sometimes, if there
We're any reason or precedence for 1T?