The Eva Hamilton Scandal — Part Three

The New York Times — Wednesday, 4 September 1889

A VILLAINOUS CONSPIRACY

ROBERT RAY HAMILTON THE VICTIM OF A PLOT

He is Made to Believe That He is the Father of an Illegitimate Child Bought by Eva Mann.

A story was told in Inspector Byrnes’s office last night which places three conspirators — Robert Ray Hamilton’s wife, Mrs. Swinton, and Joshua T. Mann — under a caesium light. It establishes the fact that the child which Mr. Hamilton believed to be his offspring came from a midwife’s, and was foisted on him basely and heartlessly. It gives more of the shameful history of Swinton, Mann and company, and is so convincing that Mr. Hamilton is said to have come to his senses and will endeavor to atone for his folly by allowing the law to proceed against Mrs. Swinton and “Josh” Mann for palming off the child on him and for conspiracy.

It appears that a counter-conspiracy against Mr. Hamilton was gotten up by friends who thought too well of him and his name to allow them to be any longer sullied by contact with the creatures who got him into their clutches. Among these friends were Elithu Root and Charles A Peabody, Jr. Thursday last Mr. Root called on Inspector Byrnes and asked him to…