Author Bill Shaffer presents the truth beh ind one of the greatest scandals of Gilded Age America:
\nIt&rsquo\;
s a story almost too tawdry to be true&mdash\;a con woman prostitute who m
et the descendant of a Founding Father in a brothel\, duped him into marri
age using an infant purchased from a baby farm\, then went to prison for s
tabbing the couple&rsquo\;s baby nurse&mdash\;all while in a common-law ma
rriage with another man. The scandal surrounding Evangeline and Robert Ray
Hamilton\, though little known today\, was one of the sensations of the G
ilded Age\, a sordid\, gripping tale involving bigamy\, bribery\, sex\, an
d violence.
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When the salacious Hamilton story emerged in
during Eva&rsquo\;s trial for the August 1889 stabbing\, it commanded unp
recedented national and international newspaper coverage thanks to the tel
egraph and the recently founded Associated Press. For the New York dailies
\, eager to capture readers through provocative headlines\, Ray and Eva we
re a godsend.
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As lurid details emerged\, the public&rsqu
o\;s fascination grew&mdash\;how did a man of Hamilton&rsquo\;s stature be
come entangled with such an adventuress? Nellie Bly\, the world-famous inv
estigative reporter\, finagled an exclusive interview with Eva after her c
onviction. Hamilton&rsquo\;s death under mysterious circumstances\, a year
after the stabbing\, added to the intrigue.
Regi stration is required. \;
\nYou may attend this program in person at the library\, or may attend virtually/online.
\nTo regi ster\, select either "Register to Attend Online" or "Register to Attend In Person." Online attendees MUST \;provide a v alid e-mail address.
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