1. When the Hamilton story emerged, it commanded unprecedented, international newspaper coverage, thanks to the telegraph and the recently founded Associated Press. How did the information technology of the time affect the development of the case?
2. Do you think that the case would have developed
differently in modern times? If so, then
how so?
3. The Scandalous Hamiltons includes court
records of Robert Ray Hamilton and his involvement with Eva Steele, a grifter
who set her sights on his money and stood trial for stabbing their baby
nurse. How does the public nature of
celebrity court cases that receive extensive publicity make them different from
non-celebrity cases?
4. The story of the Hamilton scandal swept through
the nation and became one of the biggest sensations of the Gilded Age, with its
captivating story of bribery, sex, and violence. Does this story remind you of any modern-day
scandals? If so, how do they compare?
5. As lurid details emerged from the Hamilton
scandal and spread through the sensational newspapers, the public’s fascination
grew. What about this and similar
celebrity scandals so intently captures the imagination of readers?
6. Is it escapism or something more?
7. Themes of ambition, greed, and obsession are prevalent
throughout The Scandalous Hamiltons through the actions of Eva
Steele, who was willing to do whatever it took to obtain a fortune. How does the desire for fortune influence an
individual’s actions?
8. Are there any lessons we can learn from Eva’s
story?
9. Shaffer weaves together multiple stories that go
beyond the pages of newspapers and court documents. How are Robert Ray Hamilton and Eva Steele
humanized throughout his account?
10 Given
the legacy of the Hamilton family name, what role, if any, did that legacy play
in Ray’s decision-making process?
11. Do you see any similarities of this Hamilton scandal and the one with Alexander Hamilton when he was blackmailed by the husband of Maria Reynolds with whom he had an affair?
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