EPISODE · Oct 14, 2025 · 50 MIN
The Scandalous Hamiltons: The True Crime That Shocked the Gilded Age
from The Gilded Gentleman · host Bill Shaffer, Carl Raymond
The height of the Gilded Age also brought about the rise of tabloid journalism. Newspapers competed with one another to see who could expose the most sensational headlines and scandalous stories. In 1889, Robert Ray Hamilton, the great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton, found himself in a tangle of lies, deceit, forged identity, attempted murder, and fraud that made headlines all over the country. The story, which went on for nearly two years, has been forgotten today, but author Bill Shaffer brings it all back to light in his book "The Scandalous Hamiltons". Bill joins the show to explore this complex tangle of true crime that shocked Gilded Age readers and will undoubtedly raise an eyebrow even today. This episode was produced by Kieran Gannon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What this episode covers
In 1889, the great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton became ensnared in a web of lies and deceit that shocked the nation and scandalized his revered family.
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The Scandalous Hamiltons: The True Crime That Shocked the Gilded Age
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