Robert "Robin" Hemingray - Carlotta Campiglio

DENIES KNOWING

SUICIDE'S INTENT

Robert Hemingray Says That

Carlotta Steffens Was

Contented.

LANDLORD MAKES A

SENSATIONAL CHARGE.

SAYS MEANS OF SUICIDE WERE

PLACED IN THE WOMAN'S

POSSESSION.

Another Romance in Her Life is

Brought Out by a Letter of

Inquiry From Her

Mother.

Sensational developments in the case of the suicide of the reputed wife of Robert Hemingray at the Hotel Knickerbocker last Saturday night induced Hemingray yesterday to make a statement for publication. One of these was the statement to the Coroner by J. E. Locke, proprietor of the hotel, that he had in his possession facts going to prove that the dead girl was goaded to suicide and purposely provided with the means of making away with herself. Another development was the message from the girl's mother, making public the fact that the couple had not married as Hemingray had stated.

"It was an utterly heartless and un-called-for message that Mme. Campiglio sent from Cincinnati," said Hemingray. "I did what I could to shield Carlotta's good name, but her own mother must needs publish the girl's shame. I met the girl, whose real name was Carlotta Steffens, about four months ago in Indianapolis, and knowing that she had sustained similar relations with other men, offered to take her to California with me. She consented, and I have provided for her ever since. There was never any question of sentiment between us, and she never complained.

"As to the statements of this man Locke that I knew of her intention to commit suicide and afforded her every chance to carry out her purpose, he must surely be joking. This thing ruins me with the very best people I know - the people whose esteem means most to me. It is simply idiotic to suppose that I would, under any consideration, have had the tragedy occur if it were in my power to have prevented it. But above all I do wish that I could have given Carlotta Steffens the burial of an honest woman.

"It is quite true that circumstances were related to Mrs. Locke that seemed to us, after the suicide, to indicate that it was deliberate. For instance, Carlotta gave my brother's wife her track ticket that afternoon, saying that she would not want it any more; but as to any explanation, I am absolutely at sea. We had a little tiff that afternoon about her repeating to my brother's wife something I had told her in confidence, and she said 'I know I did it, Bob, and it was wrong, but I don't know why I did it.' That was all."

Locke was examined last night by Detective T. L. Ryan, but refused to make any other statement. Ryan has not yet made his report on the matter. The body of the dead girl was embalmed and shipped to Cincinnati by Hemingray's orders last night.

An entangled romance in which a young San Franciscan figured was one of the incidents in Carlotta Steffen's checkered career. In July last the San Franciscan's employer received a letter signed "Lottie del Campiglio," and giving 636 West Fourth street, Cincinnati, as the writer's address. Mrs. del Campiglio begged the pardon of the concern addressed for writing on a personal matter, saying that the information she desired was of vital importance to herself and her family. Of the young man in question, she wrote: "He claims to have an important position in your office and wishes to marry my daughter, who has been raised in comfort and luxury. As I have never met he gentleman I was obliged to apply to you for the information as to his being a true gentleman, and capable of keeping my daughter in the same position in which she has been raised."

The reply was not of such a character as to reassure a match-making mother, and so far as is known here the affair went no further. The young man in the case left San Francisco several months ago. His friends here think he never met the girl personally, but merely corresponded with her, possibly through some matrimonial bureau and that while he was writing her tall stories about his standing and circumstances, she, too, was busy making him believe that she was wholly innocent, refined, and socially a person of consequence.

A dispatch from Cincinnati last night says:

"The suicide of the young woman, who was known in San Francisco as Mrs. Robert T. Hemingray and in this city as Miss Carlotta Campiglio, has caused a sensation in Cincinnati and Covington, Ky. She was known in both cities as "Carlo the Beautiful" and had many admirers. The mother is prostrated with grief at her home in this city. When seen to-day she said her daughter had been married to Hemingray several months ago. The remains of the young woman will be brought here for burial.

The real name of the suicide was Carlotta Steffen, and her father is said to be a wealthy grocer of New York. The mother of Carlotta secured a divorce from Steffen several years ago, and subsequently married P. F. Campiglio, organist at St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church, Covington. Hemingray is a son of the late Robert Hemingray, formerly of Covington, but of late years of Muncie, Ind. He is a nephew of Ralph Hemingray, a wealthy glass manufacturer of Muncie."