The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-06-10
From the Albany Atlas Of the 18th.


h The Prosecution in this case rested yesterday
noon. and the Defense was opened on the re-as
Hsembling of the Court in the afternoon. Dur
ing the trial thus far the Prisoner has persisted
in sitting in Court closely yelled notwithstand
ing repeated efforts to have her face uncover
ed
Yesterday Judge Harris, on the opening o
the Court. remarked that 'before the trial pro
ceeded further he wished to say q word or two
We have thus far prOceel led with this trial with
the prisoner masked. We have had the singu
lar spectacle OF a prisoner on trial. charged
with high capital crime, without the Jury @,
the Court ever having seen that prisoner. i
was matter of ceremony, he admitted, but Il
was he form prescribed by law in cases of this
character, for the Jury to look upon the Prise
ncr, and the Prisoner upon the Jury. lie con
fessed repugnance to trying prisoner who's,
face he had never seen whose face was SO con
cealed that even the Jury could not see it. ii,
felt it his duty to command of the prisoner. tina
during the remainder of the trial she shall si
unveiled"
Mrs Robinson rose from her chair, and rails
ing her veil. said-'i am here to undergo
most painful and important trial. l do moi
wish to be gazed-a at
Mrs. Robinson continued to sit yelled unit
the question arose as to the state of the prise
ner's mind, when Judge Harris again remark
ed:
SIT has already been indicated in the course
of the trial that alteration of mind was to b,
relied upon for the defense. regret the ne
ccssity of abiding to the subject again. but i
such is to be part of the defense, the prisoner
must unveil her face that it may be secn.-
That, in such cases indicates more truly, often
times. than anything else, the state ofthe mind
Ii the prisoner does not remove the VEIL it will
no bnwnynr inf, ii l,n ii
rect the Sheriff to have it removed, by force, il
that becomes necessary"
After some little time Mrs. Robinson raised
her veil, but concealed her face from the Jur,
by her fan. Under an intmation that thi,
could not be allowed, she finally withdrew hel
fan and remained entirely unveiled for a short
time, when she again partially drew it over hel
face. In the afternoon, the defense having
been opened by Mr.. Picson, Judge Harris again
said:
Before proceeding with this cass, we will
make one more effort to go on with an unmask.
cd face. trust feel all the delicacy consisten,
with my position but must do my duty fear.
lessly and fairly. Notwithstanding all my eff
forts this morning, one veil was Withdrawn and
another substituted. As vet have been una.
BILE to see the face of the prisoner. and doubt il
one OF the jury could identify her ont of doors.
know the sting is severe but it can't be help
ed. The Jurors and the witnesses must con.
front the prisoner. and if she will not remove
the mask it will be taken from her.
Mrs. Robinson hesitated, and then threw
the veil partly over her bonnet, but, as if Sob
bing bent forward her head. buryng her face
almost wholly in her handkerchief She ap
pearcd much affected throughout the afternoon
and succeeded enectually in concealing her
face from view. The Troy Wing gives the fol
lowing intimatiOn as the cause of the nrsonor's
strange conduct:
1T may not he improper to say. that the cur
rent belief is--not to use a stronger tcrm--tlat
Mrs. Robinson, the prisoner, formcrly-somc
twenty years agO--resided in this city, as pll-
pill at the Seminary : that her maiden name was
Wood that her family were one OF wealth
standing and reSpcctabilty--and residing some
where near Quebec that while here she moved
in the best social circles of our city, as did also
three sisters Wl0 offended the Seminary at diff
terent time: a Il she subsequently married an
army Officer N Canada. who died; that she then
married a surgeon in the army, in the Provinc-
eS. from whom she separated: and that she is
now the Yelled Prisoner at the bar, charged
with the crime OF murder. These. we believe.
are the outlines Of the narrative generally
credited--wc may say not doubted. from the
tirst--by very many. For what reason her
identity has been attempted to be disguised we
know not. Shortly after tic Prisoner was ar
rested, a gentleman from Quebec or vicinity.
came here and statement was put forth to the
effect that the prisoner was some other person:
but it is now to be presumed that the rcprescn-
tation is not sustained in the public belief
Whoever the prisoner is she has from the first
possessed the facilities for securing for herself
the abiest council aud many comforts not pos
sessed by those who inhabit Il cell