The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-10-07
THE ROBINSON MURDER TRIAL.
of Hall, Mrs. LumsfOrd's
BrOther-A Touching Scene in Court
Hal subsequently, Arrested.

Testimony of Hall, Mrs. LumsfOrd's
Touching Scene in Court
Hall Subsequently Arrested.
MANSFIELD, September 29.-This has
been a most exciting and interesting day
IN the Observation-Disclosures murder trial.
rive witnesses were examined. and letters
OF Robinson to Mrs. Lumsford introduced.
all OF which served to make a much stron-
ger case on the side of the prosecution
thar was predicted. A brother Of the
murdered woman, w. B. Hall, was on the
stand. de suffered a most lengthy and
rigid examination. His testimony shows
that IN Cincinnati, IN his presence, Robin
son had threatened to take Mrs. Lounsford's
life if she ever married any one while he
was living. During his examination a
most touching scene was enacted bv the
witness. In q most touching and feeling
manner he expressed his opinion of the
wrongs done his sister. He continued his
remarks for some time, and at its conclu-
sion burst out in a food of tears and
Wept unrestrainedly for some minutes. 1t
was a long time before the Court could
resume the trial. The courtroom was
crowded and but few present but who
were affected. DIR. Taiers is now on the
stand and is giving his testimony in refer
ence to the teeth marks, &c. After the
adjournment of the Court this afternoon.
Hall followed the counsel for the defense
down the street. On account of his bois-
ferrous and threatening conduct he was ar
rested and taken to Jail. In his pocket
an open knife was found, and it is believed
he intended some harm to the counsel.
MANSFIELD, O., September 3O.-In the
Robinson case to-day, the forenoon was
consumed in taking the testimony of DR..
Decamp, of Mansfield, and Prof. Watt
and DIR. J. Taft, of Cincinnati, experts, as
to the teeth marks. DR.. Decamp was sub
mltted to a thorough and exhaustive cross
examination, including experiments by
making impressions on the arm with hard
circular substances, and noting the effect
OF the working of the muscles, &c, on the
character of the impression. The testi-
mony OF the witness was explicit as to the
ability to Judge what made the impression
by the impression itself on the human
arm. He testified to the surprising accu-
racy of the fit of the cast of Robinson's
mouth to the marks on Mrs. Lunsford's
arm. Prof. Watt, of Cincinnati, was on
the stand a short time, and testified that
marks can be identified by such a test as
that made by the dentists of this city
DIR. }. Taft, of Cincinnati, was also on the
stand, and gave similar testimony.
The afternoon has been devoted to the
further examination of experts in dentist
ry and anatomy, Casts of Robinson's
teeth were exhibited and explanations
made by experiment of the effect of teeth
marks on the human skin. The testimony
was quite strong to the effect that Robin
sons teeth could have made the teeth
marks, and that there is such a dissimilar-
lty IN the human mouth and the position
OF teeth that it is very unlikely the marks
were made by the mouth of any other
person: The evidence, particularly the
scientific, is quite strong against Robinson.
The prosecution have not yet rested.
MANSFIELD, O., October 8, I87O.-The
morning session of the Court was devoted
to the examination of DR.. Howe, of Gin
clnnati. The defense attempted 10 prove
by his testimony that the fact of the hu-
man skin retaining the impressions made
upon 1t, was an improbabiIity, if not an
impossibility, and that it was his opinion
that no medical person could testify to
such a matter as being feasible. His ex-
ANIMATION was most thorough and covered
considerable ground that had been gone
over. During the afternoon, several wit
nesses were examined, by which it was
proposed by the defense to throw suspicion
upon a colored man who they proved went
to the Atlantic House in this city, on the
night OF the murder, between twelve and
one o'clock, or about the time the murder
was supposed to have been committed
In the morning he left on foot for the
West, and when some distance out of
town he stopped at a house and made
known the murder. The cross-examina-
ton of the colored porter of the above
| hnuon nrOual That H. LII IL
man enter the hotel and gave him the
lounge in the Office to sleep on. After
ward, and while sitting by a window, he
saw a white man approaching rapidly from
Mrs. Lumsford's house, passing the hotel,
in the direction of the depot. The counsel
tried to show that the guilt of one or both
the above parties was not improbable. DIR.
Osmond, of Cincinnati, a dentist, was on
the stand for the defense, and gave his
testimony as an expert. He testified that
the mouth of Robinson was not a~peculiar
one. He meets with such formed mouths
daily in the practice of his profession. 1t
was his opinion that the casts taken of
Roblnson's mouth were imperfect, and by
no means correctly showing the formation
Of the same. He swore, positively, that
teethmarks made on the surface of the
human skin were imperfect as to the shape
of the mouth, and that the same could not
retain a correct form of the mouth, espec-
tally for so great a length of time as 10
give the molding a reliable representation
of the mouth that had made the same.
The scientific testimony given in by both
sides Is considered the best in the State,
though the opinions of gentlemen in the
case differ very materially in important
points. 1t is thought the defense will
close their case tomorrow. Two or three
days will be then occupied by the coun-
sci summing up the testimony. The jury
in this case is composed of men of the
leading citizens in the county, and all of
them above the average intelligence. 1t
is considered the best jury that could be
procured in the county, and their verdict
will be rendered without any prejudice.
We give their names: William McCel-
Ian, Abraham Bushey, William NJ. PARCEL,
H. E. Gibson, John Deardorf, William N.
Rex, Samuel Bloom, L. R. Edgar, Wilson
Beelman, Levi Griffith, John Myers and
Daniel Cole.