New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-12
CASE OF ROBINEr. THE SUPPOSED
SUICIDE.
THE pEAD-ALIvE sUPERCARGO WRITES A
LETTER
Cor-,srcndepce Of rhe y O. Ps.ysne
d. SAf furds u. 1913

THE DEAD-ALINE SUPERCARGO WRITES A
LETTER.
rcr-.rcpasn,e Of The y. O. Pe.yan..
P,sAnA, Satardsy Juue 10, lSjS.
Tvo steamers since receunted TIE suicide Of Mr..
William Robira, supercsrgo OF the Gillian ship Mer-
cedes frcm HcpC Koug, by esping ont of one Of the
portfolios Of the Gst So she arived in the Bsy
Of Valparaiso. A.er s mysterious silence Of sEhole
month on the subject the newspapers Of VALPARAISO
have drbbed oa sone facts IN relation 20 toe suicide,
vnioh proves TO have been no suicide a. al
On the 22d day OF December, 1857, the Clihsn ship
Mercedes. Cart Andres Loft sailed nom Hong hoog
ior Valparaiso, with what VAS supposed 10 oe ahc1
cargo of sc,ds of which slc0,yO0 N ysue belonged
TO tie house OF Asop Co., So coo TO Hu,n Gfunng
and 81 eco 70 tFo otaer house, Tsenty'three dsys
AZ ses ire broke Gu, ID the after hoo whose hscaes
~ere closed but 4 ~ss .Itireulshed f''hov' ,nuen
dsmsge. From the moment of me escnrtehce ltWas
observed that tns supercsrso, MI. N.istn hoo1nee
fsho was formerly nerchsn. Of San trArcscol os'
care very dsspouden', tscurr, snd al times sp-
pssred TO be deeply afflicted. In's sres, Shtnse "a
him was attributed 10 the sct ths' ]. was u.s0yre
a. tie time Of the fe tbs. tne cases Tnion GAG oesn
taken on bosrd in Chins contained empty sscAs IL
s.e6d of siigs.
Cspt Loft watched tie movements OF Mr.. RooIntt,
snd came 10 the conclusion that be inteneed 20 com
1Dt suicide. One dsy the captsln went 70 heone.
room found HIN in extreme distress OF MIND Al
bis side be had loaded pistol. IL was quite eNde"
IDst he vas shout to take his Own ne ine esp1a'u
perusGsi him 10 forego his rash prcJee' pouf'ng
words If hope into his ear sud his freudly and syu
pathetic counsels appeared to have the desred euec
But few days elspsed, however, before koolnet
sgain fell into dependency. Loh rsdouoied MS
wa.chfuness, but he toek no serious precautions
against the sUpercargo.
On the 9th OF Apr the Mercedes arrived IN the Bay
of Valparaiso. The csp,sn gong 20 the sts'e.room
Of Re t ser the vesssl Lad come to arcaor ound
3 rcte IL which be announced that nc had resolved
20 ccmuit suicide. snd the motives whicn sctuated
nlm in bic sad purpose.
This letter and the DIS appearance Of the super
cargo were conclusive the mind OF the captain tnat
I'D efts fka
spre sd ever Valparaiso, raising many cottctnFes as
10 the cause. But only three days had esp'ed wnen
L was discovered tina. tue suicide wss not only awe
but that be walking the streets oi tns Guy.
There wss 30 much OF mystery 10 all this that the
public curiosity became greatly excited uO. was
Rcbinet resuscita ed, whom all the world believed
had found sepucheI IN the sea IL appeared IN
credible that be could still be alive, because the YES
SCI Rad been scrupuously searched BY the officers and
crew, as wei. az by the police.
Subsequently the following facts were elected: On
Friday the 9th CT April. in the night, when tue ves
eel wss rear Valparaiso, Robinet resolved 10 throw
himself into the from ons OF the cabin ports. But
at the moment al realizing his st,smpt his courage
failed him. sad he changed his determination, choos-
!ug an essier Death by sudsnum. But the captain
had adusrated the poison, fearing that he would at'
temp. 10 destroy his LIE 10 this way. Hsvng written
the letter spoken Of above, he repaired TO the tle
room where the captain kept hs chropometers where
he stoSet hinself away IN snug pace, ana noahy
swallowed the dose he lad prepared, which produced
other flee. than profound siupor, wolcn lasted
u hours. TIE first idea he mad Weakening was TO
fly 10 another weasel in order 10 spare his fsml-
ly the shame of seeirg him crlmnaly prosecat-
3D. On Saturday, in hs concealmen, ne heard
several persons, who visited the vessel, speak
Of bim in q very angry manner, making grave
charges sgairst hiu. Tuis deeply wounded nan, and
col rmed am in the resolution he had come to- to re-
yes al 10 the captain; but this he could only do et
night fearir that the crew should discover nlm be-
fore all would be lost. In this painful conflict ecres-
day came he having subsisted for three days on NJ
fie hraa he I q u.
night he presented himself 10 the master, who was
very mucn ssouisned, OF course, a. hs appearance,
fully believing hun dead. He told hi3 story 10 the
csptsin, who disnissed him from tha vessel;
fhe folIowiog day the supercargo invited meeting
Of his employers through the tollosing letter; ,o
"CExrLEMES: In attempting the crime sgainst God
and society have been povdenta saved Ia the terrible
position which lind myself know how dti nt will De
io promptly ssi'y ba. have been the victim Of
den: and my acts color Suspicion against
me- For reasons resolved remain concealed il tho
might saord to seize boat go aud
be whatever debt which might result from voyage
arranging Affairs China land indirectly supporting my
III. who would protect me and then re.oahed in the
position formerly had return 10 the bosom OF my family Con
cesrg myself board In place where seemed impossible
spy Que bread and which in
middle OF the night abe heard charge. made
against by visiting the vessel IN resen to the at
fairs the voyage and uspons advanced as TO the crime they
believed bad perpeus,ed witch had no foundation 10 fact
fhe my being covered with such great and ni.
caumnss that without pren;e woid be impo.s
II
honor and suffering rs'u from circumstances Of which had
become the victim induced aks tst might ter
Beirg resolved 70 free my name aud my
the csuu nies when circulated against present
e you, whatever be the Tor
tain that acts have given rise TO suspicious wnSn without
s,tenpt against life could never have been con-
eeiy.d. Thus self Jour orders expAn matters
my power aud that msy be promptly examined by
es, authorities you believe regard to the
my yoys aud Of the disposition made by
Of The funds thai you inirusied 70 my care.
sppssn, before you the public before my wife and
children oonsered desd and In view Of ss snhedos'
OF honor ssrsibiy mus: have experiences yoa
will bs convinced how great must 'e my ep-ntaAe IN not nav
A. =. vorr 1,.na.yr comr sse with the duty owe 70
you and 10 myself Wv. KOBiNETp
At the NE etDg Of the creditors Robnet exposed ths
perfcous in.rigues 20 witch no had been made vic
tD, a,tributiDg them 10 the vengeance Of ths Chi
rese whom he hso reposed mia confidence, because
lie ad lent bis services 10 the allied forces in various
attacks sgainst Cantor. IL was he who caused the
baker Of Hong kong TO be arrested for poroning his
bTesd, in orcer 10 exteTminste large NUMBER OF
strangers resident IN that city. lie aso ploted an
American msnofwar up the river TO attack fortress
OF Canton. Seryces such these the Chinese could
lot psrcon.
Since she declaration Of the war the Chinese have
prohibited meTce With foreigners under severe
penalties and RobiDet xss obige to send his mer
chandise from Canton 10 Mseao through the msdi lm
OF Coirese sgentf from whence IL was transported 10
steamer 70 Hong horg, and embarked on b)sfd the
Meresces. He had not the slightest suspicon that the
packer Of the goods mad committed any fraud upon
him.
The creditors were completely convinced Of the in
Of Roboet, and prayed the Court 20 disniss
the case against hin. On the 9TH Of Msy the vessel
sailed for China in ballast, with Robnet on board,
thOfies snd IN caee Of tneir reiusa to do him JUS
tice, be VII place the matter No the hands of the allied
forces.
How much Of the cargo wss sacks and how much /
SHE, the Valparaiso papers, vita their usual enter
prize, ave 10, yet ssceraired.
All the above facts have been derived from the pro-