Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Scandalous Hamiltons: A Gilded Age Grifter, a Founding Father's Disgraced Descendant, and a Trial at the Dawn of Tabloid Journalism
    The Scandalous Hamiltons: A Gilded Age Grifter, a Founding Father's Disgraced Descendant, and a Trial at the Dawn of Tabloid Journalism
    The Scandalous Hamiltons: A Gilded Age Grifter, a Founding Father's Disgraced Descendant, and a Trial at the Dawn of Tabloid Journalism
    Ebook349 pages5 hours

    The Scandalous Hamiltons: A Gilded Age Grifter, a Founding Father's Disgraced Descendant, and a Trial at the Dawn of Tabloid Journalism

    By Bill Shaffer

    ()

    Switch to audiobook
    Read preview

    About this ebook

    An Alexander Hamilton heir, a beautiful female con artist, an abandoned baby, and the shocking courtroom drama that was splashed across front pages from coast to coast—this is the fascinating true story behind one of the greatest scandals of the Gilded Age, and the story that gave rise to the sensational tabloid journalism still driving so much of the news cycle in the 21st century.

    “Fans of Erik Larson–style histories and anyone who just loves a fun, gossipy read will love The Scandalous Hamiltons.”—Apple Books, Best of the Month Selection

    "Adultery? Check. Attempted murder? Check. Baby-trafficking? Check. These are just a few of the missteps of the woman who rained humiliation onto the House of Hamilton." —Marlene Wagman-Geller, author of Women of Means: Fascinating Biographies of Royals, Heiresses, Eccentrics and Other Poor Little Rich Girls

    It’s a story almost too tawdry to be true—a con woman prostitute who met the descendant of a Founding Father in a brothel, duped him into marriage using an infant purchased from a baby farm, then went to prison for stabbing the couple’s baby nurse—all while in a common-law marriage with another man. The scandal surrounding Evangeline and Robert Ray Hamilton, though little known today, was one of the sensations of the Gilded Age, a sordid, gripping tale involving bigamy, bribery, sex, and violence.
     
    When the salacious Hamilton story emerged in during Eva’s trial for the August 1889 stabbing, it commanded unprecedented national and international newspaper coverage thanks to the telegraph and the recently founded Associated Press. For the New York dailies, eager to capture readers through provocative headlines, Ray and Eva were a godsend.

    As lurid details emerged, the public’s fascination grew—how did a man of Hamilton’s stature become entangled with such an adventuress? Nellie Bly, the world-famous investigative reporter, finagled an exclusive interview with Eva after her conviction. Hamilton’s death under mysterious circumstances, a year after the stabbing, added to the intrigue.

    Through personal correspondence, court records, and sensational newspaper accounts, The Scandalous Hamiltons explores not only the full, riveting saga of ill-fated Ray and Eva, but the rise of tabloid journalism and celebrity in a story that is both a fascinating slice of pop culture history and a timeless tale of ambition, greed, and obsession.
     
    “Historical true crime buffs will be engrossed.” – Publishers Weekly
     
    “Shaffer has an appealing writing style and a talent for sneaking up on the reader with each big reveal…Rich period detail.” – Booklist
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCitadel Press
    Release dateJul 26, 2022
    ISBN9780806542270

    Related to The Scandalous Hamiltons

    Related ebooks

    Criminals & Outlaws For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Kidnapped!

      Mar 8, 2023

      Kidnapped!
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Last Kennedy

      Apr 21, 2019

      The Last Kennedy
      16 min read

    • Article

      The Richest Girl In The World

      Aug 12, 2020

      The Richest Girl In The World
      10 min read

    • Article

      Milwaukee’s Cannibal

      Apr 11, 2021

      Milwaukee’s Cannibal
      1 min read

    • Article

      The Living Victims

      May 8, 2020

      The Living Victims
      7 min read

    • Article

      How Scott Peterson's Murder Convictions Were Suddenly Thrown Into Doubt

      Oct 16, 2020

      SAN FRANCISCO - Laci Peterson's 2002 disappearance from her Modesto, Calif., home on Christmas Eve made instant headlines. Her family initially said that Scott, her husband, was beyond suspicion. Then a woman surfaced who said she was having an affai

      4 min read

    • Article

      Uncovering Australia’s First Serial Murderer

      Feb 24, 2020

      The woman’s body was found by a local teenager, in a bed of brambles in a quiet, overgrown part of Sydney’s Queens Park. A small, slight woman named Iris Marriott had been bludgeoned to death by her attacker. Five months earlier, in July 1932, anoth

      2 min read

    • Article

      Gottcha

      Oct 12, 2018

      Gottcha
      7 min read

    • Article

      Olivia De Havilland Dies At 104, Starred In 'Gone With The Wind'

      Jul 26, 2020

      Olivia de Havilland, the last remaining star from the 1939 epic film "Gone With the Wind" and a two-time Academy Award winner who for decades was seen as the essence of Hollywood royalty, has died at her residence in Paris. She was 104. De Havilland,

      7 min read

    • Article

      Royals Rocked By Tell-all Book

      Apr 17, 2022

      There’s been a deluge of royal tomes in recent years, but none so far has been as widely anticipated – or feared, if you’re a royal – than Tina Brown’s impending The Palace Papers: Inside The House Of Windsor – The Truth And The Turmoil. A close frie

      2 min read

    • Article

      Wives’ Tales

      Nov 30, 2018

      Wives’ Tales
      4 min read

    • Article

      Chicago Hip

      Sep 29, 2017

      Chicago Hip
      2 min read

    • Article

      Remains

      Sep 1, 2017

      THIS IS what you think your mother’s remains will look like. The ash will be black, like all that soot in the fireplace. It will be heavy, like wet sand. There will not be too much of it. It will fit in a small urn with intricate designs on the borde

      6 min read

    • Article

      A royal ROMANCE

      Sep 15, 2022

      A royal ROMANCE
      9 min read

    • Article

      "The Sum Of Our Fears"

      Jul 21, 2019

      "The Sum Of Our Fears"
      9 min read

    • Article

      Barcelona Elected A Feminist Government. Here’s What Happened Next.

      May 3, 2019

      Barcelona has been taking a feminist approach to governance by bringing a female perspective to urban planning.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Friend Or Foe?

      Aug 24, 2023

      Sitting on the grass beside my girlfriend Grace, I spotted a familiar face approaching from across the park. ‘Can I join you?’ Chelsea, then 17, smiled, plonking herself down. It was March 2018 and I’d been with Grace, then 16, for six months. I was

      4 min read

    • Article

      The Office of Historical Corrections

      Oct 7, 2020

      The vision for the Institute of Public History that summoned me from my former job as a history professor at GW had been grandiose. An ambitious freshman congresswoman demanded funding to put a public historian in every zip code in the country, a cor

      1 min read

    • Article

      As Her Family Home Has A Starring Role In A New Television Series Karen Lowther Shares The Fascinating Stories Behind One Of Britain’s Most Historic Houses

      Jan 27, 2020

      As Her Family Home Has A Starring Role In A New Television Series Karen Lowther Shares The Fascinating Stories Behind One Of Britain’s Most Historic Houses
      6 min read

    • Article

      Everest Death Toll Rises To 10 This Season After 4 More Climbers Found Dead

      May 24, 2017

      The bodies were discovered in tents by Nepalese Sherpas at Camp IV, the camp closest to the summit of the world's tallest mountain. The victims have not yet been identified.

      2 min read

    • Article

      “As We Say Here In The South, ‘He Was Raised Right, Not Jerked Up’”

      Sep 12, 2019

      Reading the August/September 2019 issue, I marveled at a couple who collect buildings, laughed out loud at the naming of a dog, snickered at Elvis and creative cussin’, cried at the saving of a sea turtle, and got hungry from all the delicious food a

      2 min read

    • Article

      Swan Dive

      Sep 20, 2021

      Swan Dive
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Scandalous Hamiltons

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The Scandalous Hamiltons - Bill Shaffer

      dbook_preview_excerpt.html}ۖƑ>Md")(ip1 Ȫ@Bt41/ 7Ο̗wDnYUdFeǎק/y?W*S,^n㔆3> S1wTcOq>#,y"KU8z*TEoBwLwq &]UE?Eh{||HUP`7}=ݱ8P5u8Ð)堏~?p[LxQxPr21 5acbNM_8a:xnk&ڄ3_]6G! SܦSw*/8②IqW|o4Aw_ %,S4Ä1g(8b9q򄆣KU;+5UK*t:8|!u =u<uSa7Ǹ+N>b)w"uEznpF}7-}S܇Q>`xٟ!ݗcOc\wSL4]悄xg_-@v;<%m8@UlVP?v+;?x7wPx8E+-ުN6kS"s<_~ݓ'O\EpZߦ캍ITHV_xqOIѧ~nP+LFO xW1/TunvH9cnϞc}z' n3M]x"`: 8Է_,d}8AsO IOX'~KKx2J0íLióJ|xnGsPr#6+V4U,X#= `b_OIa~z{*jɲ.R,mn9OXz( Qi7m @,Q#n4OdĤOzR|P#U2rrz=W*ָ͠E0jK9| Ya g]y22Ba`] (Nc(&-Ldǁx1㒦L\]5 Sl!4' QNke8A:{ٍq:gqXb>1a`m3+# ȸo>BB: VtZx}X 9 VGbb6ʟ}_ŗ%MX'Ljč]>xDZ> &#j0O'<UOKpc' `1 뵰4gE4#^5]@Bn_-ֽ37W3^mV<P Zve)aBVZ H3wtsc g`8[O`&a ;e}'}uP-eq7Gf9b%`t:"'1iwZ.hdƺl^=^{?9Q^ jf>\Op2C[ _G[WE)E/WtaSJ\ ^aYlѳ8+,=QR]hHwrh;̫z; 8yjEW.ԿGloQɗRJ7M@Q̂n̤Ykdpgy[l@/?ỿ+!'?[>4|eC? \o!D 0*ӿKkdz+B{ \_-}=3| Cp ɓEvpЩK=N+.eGPo_ 8` HNq:T5|]/iׁ|CU)oءo|GB5)K@ H~w='k |?X,̡LG2 01bl]5m:F:r6GxA(7)I}*{(M)e',P`)#,Υ0+aՊxOO@JNhN2E2FQHA0J|>Ǽj$!sxG mNOۜkE+#6 9_pUҰ C$&4 u*B35U =8G [:~H-L9Uá.'sBЮzfm(`7߸_$ ꁐ x0c&f`!ʬŘGz:17N<9J1^FRReDT*ɭl?eU\D)CB%3THNzl1kW++ބR]->̍8!]0=)5!%\B=8UZwvU+8^VP[xB+cAF `,80Ϭf{ *T/4ʢIF%\_Ȳ0 2r'Vhʹ?r>ɬ `f\\ّp ՊG̠iΝdvC*qc' 0{ʤãU=}#5, kiݝu0f/!8>@= LGS(X9!ipszBFV IBaB⼁8FJ*Sq72 8 zLS4]+Ά1 :5 M&R[CO<%Jӫ%%J4gC<Γ꽍,FDMxVdPkAzJ3x`Q$pquv45I_W =\Bl i,)1-yM G #{pH&ůet~wG 4h^Eݲ^dHFe0늂5KU 7FǓ#'<3^9PeeM"TFRGt&b42ָ J-#s1l2O9&\ Y5?{ڔn)h$P .[LBk`%?'``E?u" \:!e&222ZEt'bFng6 zmQzm9i*d -6$:'b>|*)vsn~ymO/uT~7? ~g/~(~sW%0*9`e9CM΢Yr#}5WtS@?!Г,nwX~Y Rn4Z+TBEyˌ,㚠nD`'=cz%#hA e&)*rs i]V:vJ ?"u8W34?ȦMT BF| jPa9X:XWj*ȣ6ݒ]h>2r>g}; L}}-ahO@@=Ղs/2 m!׎wRrۚx64j=![n¯A4_k<(tn U+ve:f#t2UqxOD4k\kya@ggk3i¢j6ge)jWZ~+ !jC=Xݑ\1-O~+; C-:#׫;(B=M{{zym61%yawu).d =g-x`%1<׿}f4j<1Zb;Wּa2xPdۓbZ2tx],]5]uZx?wpFG m%m?^_C73)?z v?uYDP߳%KmhTO"Ab]{;˂ ԇ\UMuBDpWXxϤי#C{>ZKaP1/:S"ޔ wsOVd!X /y@o=JG =Rvkz>v u;h~ysI\gu 5;KyU@$-aJ12q[e]nqe%i5tjm`+P!kP삌"2Cuzŷ>v 2i0omf^5+$)ˑh.zѳV3p֐k 23pj+[Q=L_dYa%AL7wb ѡ99 NXX QRR=KmQfd݋JԽ1DpO:]6ǿXV:A`0ۿ]̨Z3InV;UOVnr U]z;ҵƶZ֪9uڳTm}3+Z5 ^/`RDDlW /["t7uv0zhpv.]HLqN~}Tv ,LYνtNRv [Ƙ>Wֻg6/f_+3o4;EYtSqly-RhM)cDSQ\MȊ;r# lm(m1"g>/BZF(uõMu3/=nE#=B0T>N p ynz ΎL -f܏UB2HZ\3AZ.lt겋oঢ|胭^YoQC[4! 텰fX[7,z΍R۴Yvz 5L|F s kk56-wkhC7bu\G 꽹ox'ާϞ=*;SקJ7a#PwsFQftp*+g]rWϭET$ʖ|*l3がZ Њ[$in:P2W!:QYw=&}ޔ5LT1:-)yܫsaS!9U+/bkˎN[-߿-)Bs0F6Cpf:"h#Tpky bEUeM.v5/2lBV\ip7r:U]Y7d.Ռ6t:,"/;>)+GZջC[6 Sg6vV6^K](=ܵ`|a. ϹgzN=k;m~R;aYTWcY⫯.^~ i ꦣHࢫ9,uʏ~ʫBo[Cݥ](@lSn.pWܢO%ƪ6zG;9&0g\km6uYxScZ`?8HU!9=ҙzme9maCn V|xp ;oYsM=SwgoXe ֹ@ofn~f֐\׏kTGGv3nc݇Zg.~ זwec|έCn7aZ\ j#!T*ͮ(vl6蜖+ҥh~>R7ke4kJ l;x8dxo:T~mMMZdt](ޱ>I*v "?͹mOvkk#z!7d!&Һ;p IH;r!% ᶉbTyceIE@ x`ٖ*J> ~t[ 4#Xd6h<,a=s~3IP\8q^v5]wySa3@Hk\ɘ\F˕:Zi8 Xx+_2['ΓJ^BnRNaVWl ɅLmY`I ,&`_ v:˲&ƞ«8c6R{wH`clW]4%5~jTў(]*nB2eUUl@v9=2p}S.` w<3FM]'Z kJWg9*l!c&Yz6ꍜYE_'Ͻ`/1uM/b?$w<ΧgK"B+Nh 5Z|o{s{rҫ"*wv?4M+zj<܍@ε Riz׋ل d0{ η($3eWD«72A\Z7T-R#6ytA p ЁmNjbٽ V暉9r,E/ݢi@wVI{;),]m /-cSa)/jqA_r֜Db~mAq$6¨D{h͓OFR{'^=%';| ^Al]u#̠0qӹ7@k;~"T>IF܅NFkDj F6NJȘugwkmZ;r#\  84O4K9XkuBoلc;on9yh1]0:hr L&)6 HdR`Ъއ7>(4,+뛸e\,mK=+mO OTKŇl>Z$GXfWا{!iXBцՅmD m2=eYV4K^/Z%Cn\[ƉielLEhL3m>2˻,a,m$˔aq=%Hk 1ovssrVVOI:Cc7a wP`G3;+cY)OYMܛ@km21_Qήr\n9]{Csc>ѾsbcoJv.#T&?dj"۴tmcJ.c'`gBbꆳ@!TBGn99ckLLOv¦3n-V[?\q\΂I͋_$4MiS1M?2eY7CbJo+Y Iwt! Y0=/r79\w'u׽aiqqaKTxs\ͱgM俟vΐ&KY*c杹l\/j{ VO,=IҀHm,!6Z.Q{=Q62kQmj_۴ykdP$jƀf1 Y,AaҖ~g-3! iyJȓ˛ff9 퐒wZ&&kօ\/Etn ` bc !k-gjlv֎qNKmg+*g|Kr3{SxDvp#ncQ[j&}~~l0"-ʤrhamsʀ1@Cׇ ndl-QüD^+@ВObfi`Tu$#>ED!AhF,/?zthG,|zegQ g*`J>Y22t.}i`*?G3 yCѲW-hyxhOmQlT2zm` P @Ţ<(^';m?H؁[(!Ww/Q߼a^mD>*l+IuZ _% [y%)I%8}&zi>[[5Out\;Hd;d>LgG =;ǤE}JApjG̼޴L l(s py9Oձ$4VBdnYB23W;vo }Q:u U^c:3x-v"k?]ѳk̊U|$KG_tb%a-a]#)+*>iO퓾)?v';_݀m̩9q% Iuq|v5EBO7Hݭx-ut·+'8bEu$ ݉m]v
      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1