Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-03
THE NILES MURDER
me Arrest OF Robbins, the Murderer
Of Wood.

luG dAlN5N anu AIIlNhA III AAAlo VIZ ~
Frank Robbins, the murderer of Mr.. Ward
of Niles, TrumbuIl County, isthe subject of
general comment, and there is a strong de-
sire to know all the particulars that can
be gathered together in connection with
the case. Without reviewing the eircum-
stances that led to the murder, and the
manner in. which it was accomplished, all Of
which will be developed in the exomin-
alton at Warren to-day, we merely reeite
g few new circumstances.
AFTER shooting Mr. Ward, Robbins and
Mrs. Stevenson walked down the railroad
track toward the house of his, father,
who is one ofthe most respected citizens in
Trumbull County. On arriving at the
honse, his father was abed- His stepmoth
er observing him to be somewhat excited,
said, Prank, what's the matter p " Moth
ing that concerns you he observed in re-
ply. He shortly after asvoke his father and
said, Father, have shot Jim Ward and
I want you to help me y 81 cant groaned
the father inagony. "WeH, fyou care more
for Jim Ward than for me, I'll go'' He
went to a writing desk and drew check
upon the bank at Warren for $1,000, taking
ont of desk for his own use about one
thousand dollars. He handed the check to
his father saying. ''That makes US
square" He then told him Of three horses
and certain other property he had
| --bfol he rs-. - b;s F,4bor II. 4I.,,
hitched up his fathers horses, and with
the woman started OF il a northerly direc-
tion toward Erie, Pa. The father was too
| paralyzed with overwhelming grief to re-
sist his son, even if he had thought best
Leaving Niles Oh Monday night at a late
hour, they proceeded, evidently not in very
great haste, at first, as on Thursday he was
seen at Orangevilie, Ashtabula County
of Ashtabula, the horses on reaching
that point being thoroughly exhaust
ed. Here couple of fresh horses were
obtained at the livery stable OF Mr.. Culver,
with which they pushed on toward Erie.
The news ofthe murder had already y reach
ed Erie by telegraph and Chiefof Police,
Crawley was at the train to make the ar
rest. Robbins and the woman passed at
a short distance from the depot but did not
stop at Browns Hotel, as has been agreed
1pon at Ashtabula. The woman parted
with him at Erie and then Robbins pushed
on with sjaded horses to North East about
fifteen miles beyond Erie on the Lake
Shore Road near the N Y. Line. On
arriving at the place stopped at q
tavern, kept. by Mr.. Ellison, where he .t
least had the nobility to offer ten
dollars to any one who would take
the horses and carriage back to their owner
in Erie. The two young men agreed to
take the horse back, but the excited man
ner Of Robbins; and his great desire to take
a freight train for Buffalo from North
East, when he might have taken passage
at Erie, much better had everything been
all right, made Ellison suspicious ol him
and he determined to return TO Erie with
the horse and confer with the police in
regard to the matter. This decision of
Ellison put new phase upon the position.
The woman had probably taken the pas
senger train to Buffalo when she left Rob
bins at Erie and had proceeded to Buffalo
to await his arrival by a freight train at
that place. Before Ellison had reached
Erie on Friday morning, informing Chief
Crawley Of the suspicious man at North
East SO anxious to catch freight train,
the morning train east from Erie had left
or Buffalo. He thereupon telegraphed to
Buffalo, but before his telegram had reach
ed that city, Robbins, already reunited with
the woman, had taken an early freight
toward Niagara Falls. Chief Crawley tel
egraphed Gallagher from Erie on Friday
morning. On Friday night Gallagher met
Crawley at Erie, and the two proceed
ep on to Buffalo, which point
they reached on Saturday morning.
The Trumbull County officers, who were
on the pursuit from Warren overland, had
not, it seems, up to this time, got on the
track ofthe parties.
On the arrival of Gallagher aud Crawley
in Buffalo, they secured the services. of
Chief Darcy and started in pursuit They
learned that Robbins and the woman had
left the freight train which tLey came from
Erie, at MetcalFs cattle yard and had walk
ed from that point through by roads to
Black Rock Ferry, where, finding the Fer
~ boat to the other side of the river had
ceased running, they paid a negro 1850 10
take them across.
Black Rock is about three miles north
o. Buffalo, on the road to Niagara Falls.
Being ferried across at this point, they
were landed at Fort Erie, in Canada West.
The officers in pursuit having been in form
ed Of the crossing Of the river by man
and woman at a very early hour on satur-
day morning, obtained a hack and follow
ed to Fort Erie shortly afterward. Here
they expected the fugitives would be found,
though they strongly suspected that they
might have pushed on towards Welland,
which is about twenty miles further west.
They were, however, in Fort Erie, where
they had put up at hotel, hoping for lit
lie respite from their anxious flight. Gala
CHER being known to Robbins, remained in
the background, while Crawley and Darcy
proceeded to the hotel Oh reconnaissance.
By representing themselves as bounty
;urnra-a j-,-t E---4 tic states, the landlord
was very gracious unto them, and they
prosecuted their inquiries without moles- |
tation at first. They secured lodgings for
aTmOnth, and selected their apartments,
no questions being asked concerning any
other inmates of the tavern, the willy de-
.ectives, however, all the while keeping a
,bsrn lool-out