New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-03
Strange Scsue ia Court.

u g Il
Strange scsne il Court
The prosecution in the case Of tie trial Of
Mrs. Robinson for murder, at Troy, ~ T.,
rested. and the defense was opened on the re-
assembling Of the Court in the afternoon
During the trial tsus far. the prisoner has
persisted in sitting in Court closeiy ssiIgd, not
withstanding repeated efforts to have her face
uncovered
Yesterday Judge Harris, on the opening Of
the Court, remarked that before the trial pra-
ceeded further he wished to say d word or two
We have thus far proceeded with this trial with
the prisoner masked We have had the SINGULAR
spectacle OF q prisoner on trial. charged with a
high capital crime, without the jury or the
Court ever having seen the prisoner Ii was b
matter Of ceremony. he admitted, but il Was the
form prescribed by iaw IN cases Of this charge-
ter, for the Jury to look upon the prisoner, and
the prisoner upon the Jury. He confessed a re-
pugnance to trying prisoner whose faee he had
never seen--whose face was so concealed that
even the Jury could not see 1t. He felt ii his
duty to command the prisoner that during tie
remainder Of the trial she shall sit uaveiisds Z
Mrs. Robinson rose from her chair, and rsis-
ing her veil, said g am here to undergo a
most painful and important trial / do not wish
to be gazed at z
Mrs. Robinson continued to sit veised until the
question arose as to the state of the prisoners
ss It has already been Indicated in the course
of the trial that alteration af mind WIS 10 he
\ relied upon for the defense. regret the neces-
sity Of alluding to the subject again, but If
| such is to be part of the defense, the prisoner
| must unveil her face so that il may be seen
That, in such cases, indicates more truly, aften-
times, than snything else, the state Of the mind
If the prisoner does not remove the VEIL it will
be my duty, however painful it may be, to direct
the Sheriff to have it removed, by foree, if that
becomes necessary -. -
After some little time Mrs Robinson raised
her veil, but concealed her faee from the furr
by her fan. Under an intimation that this
could not be allowed, she finally Withdrew her
fan aud remained entirely unveiled short
time, when she again partially drew it over her
face.
In the afternoon, the defense shaving been
opened by Mr.. Pierson, Judge Harris again
said:
Before proceeding with this case, ne will
make one more effort to 60 on with an unrnasEed
face. trust feel all the deiioacy consistent
with my position: but must do my duty fear
lessly and fairly Notwithstanding al my
efforts this morning, one veil vas withdrawn
and another substituted
g As yet have been unable to see the face Of
the prisoner, and doubt if one Of the jury could
identify her out Of doors. / know the sting is
severe, but it can't be helped The jurors and
WITNESSES ldlust CuiAiTuEl prisoner, ana SaH
will not remove her mask it will be taken from
her. 4
Mrs. Robinson hesitated, and then threw her
veil partly over her bonnet, but, rs if scbhing,
bent forward her head, burying her face alIpcst
wholly in her handkerchief She appeared
much affected throughout the afternoon, and
succeeded etfectually in concealing her face from
view.
The Troy Whig gives the following intimation
as to the cause of the prisoner strange conduct:
Il may not be improper to say that the ear
rent belief is--not TO use a stronger term-that
Mrs. Robinson. the prisoner, formerly some
twenty years ago--rssided in this city, as q
pupil ut the seminary; that her maiden name
was Wood that her family was one Of wealth,
standing and respectability, and residing some
where near Quebec; that while here she moved
in the best social circles Of cur city, al did
three sisters who also attended the seminar as
different times; aud she subsequently married
an army officer in Canada, who died that she
then married surgeon in the army in the
Provinces, from whom she separated; and that
she is now the yeled prisoner at the bar. charged
with the crime of murder. These, we believe
are the outlines of the narrative generally
creditea--we may say, not doubted from the
firstly very many. For what reason her
identity has been attempted to be disguised NE
know not. Shortly after the prisoner was ar
rested, o gentleman from Quebec Or vicinity
came mere; and statement was put ferth to
the effect that the prisoner was some other per-
SON; but it is now to be presumed that the
representation is not sustained in the public
belief
g Whoever the prisoner is, she has from the
FIRST possessed the facilities for securing for her
self the ablest counsel, and many comforts not
possessed by all who inhabit a eell.n
-
PREDIoTIoN As TO GGBA.--The Attorney Cen
erai, who is student Of history. in arguing the
Alagon land case in the Supreme Court, re-
marked that the Count of Amanda, who in 1888
when the Plenipotentiary from Spain and as
such signed the treaty Of peace between the
United States and England, wrote on the same
night letter. to his sovereign Charles the Third.
giving an account Of what had been done, and
adding;
have just affixed my name to the treaty
with deep grief, for foresee infnita trouble 10
Spain frem the existence of 8 North American
Republic. sEsta Repu5liea he aaeido plgnie9;
dia ueaara q,taado iisgara a ser gigeate 3
Gais cofoso.''f
He then stated that s' the United States would
move down 10 the Gulf Of Mexico, and that they
would take Florida and New Spain, tMexieo)
and at last the Island Of Cuba"
--sThis Republic has been usisrea into the wesld
pigHly but the day Win eems ghen i Ri have sEszn
Into gigantic proportions aud bs colossus,