Robert "Robin" Hemingray - Carlotta Campiglio

JURY PASSES NO CENSURE ON HEMINGRAY'S

TREATMENT OF CARLOTTA THE BEAUTIFUL.

AT THE HEMINGRAY INQUEST.

In the upper panel the members of the Coroner's Jury appear on the right. On the left sits Coroner Leland and Autopsy Surgeon Bacigalupi. Below are sketches of two of the principal witnesses giving their testimony. On the right, Mrs. Rose Hemingray and on the left, Miss Cora Westphal. A small portrait of Robert Hemingray that also appears was reproduced from a snapshot take as he was leaving the Coroner's office.

Survivor of Unhappy Union

Relates the Story of His Brief

Courtship of the Woman

Who Was Not His Wife.

J. E. LOCKE TELLS

ABOUT SUSPICIONS.

The Coroner's jury in the inquest on Carlotta Steffen Campiglio, who passed in this city as Mrs. Robert Hemingray, found a verdict yesterday that:

Carlotta Steffen came to her death by a gun shot wound in the brain, inflicted by herself with a suicide intent, during a melancholy mood.

After the inquest members of the jury explained that they had seen no reason for censuring Hemingray, as there was nothing in the testimony to show that he had directly contributed to the cause of the suicide. The jury was composed as follows: G. F. Buswell, St. Nicolas Hotel; Fred Boss, 22 Sycamore street; Eber White, 62 Second street; J. E. Bidwell, 403 Twenty-ninth street; F. Korten, 2245 Powell street; H. C. Lynch, 615B Mason street; C. J. Borgfeld, 16 Metcalf place; W. Spanhake, 481 Geary street; and Max Roe, 249 Pacific street.

Robert Hemingray was called to the stand after the jury had been impaneled and was questioned by the Coroner in this wise:

State to the jury what you know of the shooting resulting in the death of Carlotta Steffen?

All that I know in regard to it is that on last Saturday night, November 29th, as I returned from the track Carlotta was standing in front of the mirror. As I walked in I spoke to her.

ADMONISHED ABOUT GOSSIP.

What time? Pretty near 6 o'clock. After I spoke to her I said (I remembered that my brother spoke to me that Carlotta had told him of some remark I made about his wife): "You must not gossip, gossip is a mischief maker, and I never want you to do it again." At that the conversation ended. I washed my face and hands and went to dinner. After eating dinner my brother and I went down town. We went down for the purpose of purchasing the Christmas magazines and on the way back stopped at one or two places. Then we went to the hotel. My brother preceded me as we went down the hall, he having opened the door. He put his hand on the knob of my door and as he did so a shot rang out and a moan. I said: "Great God, — what is that?" I said, "Go in there," as I started down the hall; I was afraid I might faint and fall. As soon as I got back in the hall I thought possibly she was joking and had the revolver out and it exploded, and did not want to call Locke's attention until I knew it was serious, but did not to go into the room for fear something had happened. I went to his door and tried to talk in a calm manner, but was so nervous that I could not. Then I went to see if my brother had gone in there. He came out and told me I had better get the janitor. He went back in and asked his wife first to go in. I told Mr. Locke and in a moment he came running out with my pistol in his hand. He said: "That is what you get for having such things around here." He did not seem to regard my feeling in the matter. I said, "Great God, is she hurt?" He said, "She's dead, that's all." I would not go into the room; it was an impossibility. I was afraid to put my foot over the threshold without seeing her. When the policeman came I said, "I want to go to a hotel or any place to get away from here." My brother took me down. I went to the Palace hotel. That's all I know. There is one statement I would like to make. So long as it was practicable I tried to protect the girl. I maintained that she was my wife until her mother spoke to the contrary. When I came down and spoke to Mr. McCue at the police investigation and he said: "Mr. Hemingray, if this girl is not your wife you should say so." Then I believed the press received a dispatch from her mother saying she was not my wife, and I could not protect her any further. Then I thought I might be doing harm in not telling.

Where did you first meet her? In Indianapolis, Indiana, at the Hot Springs.

Had you known her before? No, sir.

From Indianapolis you came here? No; from there we went to Chicago.

A BRIEF COURTSHIP.

How long were you acquainted before you went to Chicago? I arrived in Indianapolis at 9 o'clock and was introduced to her, and in the evening we left for Chicago.

Then about how long had you known her? All told possibly I had known her twelve hours, possibly fifteen hours.

That was her home? No, she was living with some girl there.

During the time you were living in San Francisco were your relations happy? Always. Of course I suppose we have had our little squabbles as anyone else would have. Only the night before, as she came in the room she grabbed hold of me to dance commenced humming a tune.

Was that customary with her? She was always playing with me, was just like a child.

Was there neglect in the course of your business? That was the first time, except I attended one prize fight here, that I was absent from her in the evening. Excepting the one night at the prize fight, not even in Chicago, have I been away from her in the evening for more than an hour.

She had no feeling that you neglected her? No, sir. I got some expensive clothing for her in Chicago and was always attentive to her.

How long had you known the young lady up to the time she killed herself? As near as I can remember, it was about five weeks. I do not remember the day we left Indianapolis but she was with me in Chicago fifteen days.

Has she ever stated she wanted to go home, or was unhappy, or anything of that sort? Why I had made the statement to her that if she did not want me any more or wanted to go home any time I always had the money to let her return.

Did she feel that she could return in honor? Well, I did not know anything about her home affairs.

Did you think offering her money would recompense her wrong? That was in Indianapolis, I believe, that I told her that.

In Indianapolis, the day you met her, before you started for Chicago? Yes, sir; I told her that at any time she felt that she wanted to go back I always had the money for her to do so.

WERE NOT MARRIED.

In your relations you have never done anything to cause her to take her life? No, sir; she could go to the races at anytime she wanted to.

When this young lady left her home to go with you did she do so under the promise of marriage? No, sir.

Did the question ever come up or you promise to do so? No, sir; I never promised to marry anyone. I believe we did once speak about it, and I said I would never marry any woman.

Where did this conversation take place? In Indianapolis, if I remember correctly.

She did not start on the trip under promise of marriage? Absolutely no.

Did the question ever come up afterwards? No, sir.

She never asked you to right any wrong or anything of that sort? Right any wrong (amazed).

In taking her from home? I never took her from home.

Well, where she was living? No, sir; it never came up any place, never such a thing.

C. T. Hemingray, a brother of the previous witness, corroborated the testimony already given concerning the suicide and the remark which his brother had made about gossiping. He was asked:

Where did you first meet this young lady? I met them at the station in Chicago.

Did you believe that he was married to her? No, sir, I did not.

Did you associate with her, or show feeling in that regard? Well, we were not so intimate, but friendly in every way.

Did not grieve her by showing any feeling in regard to that matter? No, sir.

Positive of that? I might have been quiet and stayed to myself a good deal when about, but did not act in any unfriendly way toward her.

Did you ever see any ill treatment by your brother? I did not.

Know of any cause outside of this evening to cause her to commit suicide? No, sir.

When you say her did she seem to be happy and contented? Yes, sir.

LOCKE HAD SUSPICIONS.

J. E. Locke of the Knickerbocker apartment house described how he found the body. The Coroner asked:

During their residence there did you notice any ill treatment?

No, except one time she came out in the hall and said her husband said she was his hoodoo, and I think my wife was there and we laughed at her. She then said that the worst part of it was that it was true.

Was she unhappy? No, on the contrary, she was unusually buoyant. She said on the night after their marriage her husband lost a gold matchbox, studded with diamonds. A short time afterwards a horse he owned fell and had to be killed or died, and other minor disasters ever since their marriage.

Did this seem to annoy his wife? She said it seemed to have its center in her, and when the Deputy Coroner and Detective Crockett were there and asked if I could understand any reason for this I told them I thought it was just melancholia, the condition working on her mind from this charge of being his hoodoo, and in her own mind she believed she was.

Anything further you know about the death? Well, some circumstances from reported remarks that followed looked as if they ought to be explained.

Anything bearing on the death of the young lady?

Only one criticism, that which was mentioned in her letter, that she might receive an assault if she showed any affection for this man, and another in the assertion that Mrs. C. T. Hemingray had said that in coming back they had tiptoed through the hall so as not to let the wife know they were in the room. The circumstances appeared to me as though she might have threatened to do this and the whole family and husband left her with the means to end her own life. These suspicions were only given to the authorities and not to the press. The fact that he weapon was left in the room was a serious suspicion.

That was not a remarkable fact?

Yes, it was a remarkable fact, with men living in a house that was always locked, where no one could enter without being seen, it seems strange that he should have the weapon in the house.

That is merely your point of view? Yes, sir.

What other reason had you to assume that she was allowed to take her life?

The other reason was that the wife of C. T. Hemingray mad the statement that she had prepared to commit suicide, for when she returned from the races she took a sponge bath and changed all her underwear. I could not understand how she could know she was doing this if she had not entered the room after the shot was fired. What right had she to say that if she had not been in the room. If she knew she was preparing for this end, as I understand it the action was criminal to go away and leave her to her fate. If they knew she was taking this bath for the intent of committing suicide, they should not have left the pistol in the house.

Mrs. C. T. Hemingray testified that she saw the deceased about 5:30 o'clock on the afternoon of the suicide. She was then taking a sponge bath and witness thought she was preparing for dinner.

Miss Cora Westfall, who was staying with Mrs. C. T. Hemingray at the time of the suicide testified that the deceased appeared to be in high spirits all that day.

Autopsy Surgeon Bacigalupi testified that the mortal wound was undoubtedly self-inflicted.