The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1860-03-29

The Last Arkansas Tiagcdy--.Murder
and Lynching.

ANS"'o'"oou w WV J"DSuoh VI
the Tyrzona, with the St. Francis river,
the residence Of the Robinson family, has
for some years past been infested with
several men who are, in the literal sense
OF the word, "border ruffians." Among
them were William and Phillip Cheek,
brothers, aged respectfully twenty and
eighteen years, who had succeeded in get
ting the confidence Of Robinson, who wa.
farmer about forty years Of age, with a
wife and three children.
On the night Of the elst Of February
just as Robinson was stepping into bed a
bullet fired through the window entered
his breast, killing him instantly. His
wife who was sitting near, undresscd and
engaged in taking the garments from her
youngest child, fearful she should share
her husbands fate, fed with her little one
though the swamp to the nearest house
where she gave the alarm. A day or
two after she was waited on by William
Cheek, who stated that Mr.. Robinson, not
long previous to his death, had employed
him to collect 800, which he intended to
keep, and he had committed the crime a.
bove described that the money might not
be called for. He threatened her at the
same time with the most fearful venge,.
ance if she revealed what he said. This
conversation Mrs. Robinson at once com.
municated to her neighbors, who arrest
ed Cheek and his brother Philip and lodg.
ed them in Jail. On the fourth day Of
their imprisonment, Phillip Cheek declar-
ed he would confess all. He stated that
Mrs. Robinson herself was the instigator
OF her husbands murder, and that his
brother was entirely innocent, he alone
committed the deed and Mrs. Robinson
had paid him for doing so. The youth
concluded his story by producing from his
person the sum OF one hundred and eigh
ty four dollars, which he declared was
portion of the money with which she Lad
brbed him 10 imbrue his hands in hu-
man blood. On this confession being
made public, sympathy for the widow
was changed to indignation. and she al
so was arrested as an accomplice in the
death of her husband. She adhered TO
her assurance that she knew nothing OF
the authors Of her husbands death, but
what William Cheek had told her, anl
that be would kill her for revealing what
he had said.
On the lst inst the two men and the
widow were brought before magistrate,
when it appeared that the murder was
arranged before William set off on his col.
lectiug journey. During his absence
Philip shot the unfortunate Robinson as
before described, and carried off two hun
dred dollars which the latter had hid in
his smoke house. William was however,
unsuccessful in his collecting tour, and
the pretended confession from him; and
by representing the widow as a principal
in the crime. to render Philips escape
less difficult.
The examination having been concluded
after the examination Of quite number
Of Witnesses, the Justice discharged Mrs.
Robinson and remanded the two brothers
to Jail.
They were not destined to return to
their place Of confinement, however. No.
sooner was the decision known than
rush was made from the crowd of specta.
tors, the Sheriff knocked down, and the
murderers dragged to the woods. A rope
was procured, and one Of the crowd
a friend Of the murdered Robnson-fast.
ened it around the neck Of the younger
brother, Philip. Throughout the trying
scene the youth full criminal had manifest.
ed but little emotion. To all appeals he
turned deaf ear. Not word could be
obtained from him. He neither prayed
10 heaven nor expostulated with his fel-
ow creatures. AS the moose was tight
ened around his neck, in the act of tying
t, he exclaimed: "Don't choke me -
He said no mole, and in a few minutes
his body was dangling from the limb Of
rec.
When be beheld his brother thus given
,ver a victim to death he must ip few
share, William became violently
'gtated-he begged to be permitted to
,rav The permission was granted