, 1877-09-10
A SAD'TRAGEDY.
The Killing OF John Robertson, Of
Lake Zurich, on Saturday.
Peter and Charles Davidson, Father and
Son, Charged with the Crime.
Tho Affair Supposed to Grow Ont OF an
Old Qnarrcl.
An Interview with the Prisoner
In the County Jail.

Yesterday afternoon two Interesting persons
wcsa brought into Chicago from Waukcgan by
the Sheriff Of i.aka County and 1oIgcl III tho
County jail. Thcir nanlcs arc Peter Davidson
untt Charles Davidson, father and son, anti they
arc there on charge of murder. Probably no
saddcr sight was to bo seen In that sat place
thnn that Of these two-thc one nh old tnan Of
81 and tho other young man Of 10-thrown In
to such 'inspeaknbly tragic situation.
The crime with Which they arc chnrHcd Is the
murder Of John Rob.rtsop, Of Lake Zurich,
brief mention Of which was matle In ycstcr1lay's
TRIBUNE. Tho affair has grated profound
sensation in the ncfghborhool IN which II oc-
Cured, whero all thu parttos concerned have
lived respected and honofed Tor some forty
years.
Tho circumstances under which the death OF
Mr. Robertson came TO pass may be briefly
stated. Iio was shot on Saturday after
trom Mr.. Dayilson's house. The bullet entered
under tho chin and passed upward, penetrating
the brain: Tie unfortunate man ltvc.l fur four
huure. The man who fred thu stlotiwns young
Davidson, Or 80 It 10 supposed, but this Is
question which will require further tnycsttga-
tlon. The deceased waa MI old md wealthy
farmer Of Lake Zurich. lie has held several
positions of public trust, nnl as been generally
cstccnlc,t as q man Of influence IN tho county.
MS DHATU SEEMS TO lave nERA
the outcome OF q series of troubles which havn
for nbout two years Ut more created d certain
agitation III that district, 1t arose IN sotlc con-
trovetsy concerning the right to sheep pasturc
which iuan named Allcn-WHo figures prnnit-
qu,rc; Or seized, 70 tile tlctrnent Of tho David
son interest There was violent quarrel, tn ttIe
course Of which Allen seriously wounded young
Charles Davidson. Allen was indicted, aud tho
csc was carried to tue Circuit Cuurt, wherc Allen
WIS nnetl S2)0 as.l costs. Then 1t was appealed
10 the HupFcmc Court, md from that 1t was sent
bAck last January, Alien bciug required to nay
tic penalty anil costs. Kobertson wns on A.
lcn's bail.bond, frun which It ID " be inferred
that there was some Intimate connection be-
Such, In brief, d tho prologue to the Tragedy
OF last Saturday. On the nlnrntng Of that day
Robertson und Alien came to payi1son's iiouse.
aud they were there till 2ociUck n the afternoon.
pus.ible to ascertaln from the prisoners, who
wctu under Instructions from tfeir counsel u
preserve rigid SILENCE It may be easily ltnng-
incdt however, t1lnt TIC old trouble woe revived
among tt,sm; Ronert:qn startca .5 to 70, and,
fred upon, md shut ~ al]uvc stated
Some tl,nc alter the occurrence Mr. Clark,
who Is Robcrtsun's son-lt.law. came to David
soO's house for the purroso Of arrestinE, him.
lie had no warrant, but Davidson, the elder,
At ONCE suHItEHpEAND,
and started for Lake Zurich 10 give himself up.
Meanwhile, Constable Jayne, of harrington,
came up with warrant fur tho arrest OF Peter
Davidson, Ills vile. his son fhar'ce, md etran.
Davidson at first wanted to Eu On Il, Lake Z1-
rich, but cventua1ly tho Whuto party went to
Darlington, where an examination was held.
Thls resulted In tho rctease OF Mrs. davidson ant
tile stranger. against whom no charge cunid he
preferred, and u new warrant was Issued for the
arrest Of tic father atti son. They wcrG cs-
cortcltto Waukegun, but afterwards transferred
to the Cook County Jail, where they will await
the examination which takes place ut Barring
x x rep reporter II lin Tn,tusr went 10 tho Jail
to- sen evening" n cs,i e' t. Tneg vess e"s 'G1 @
sound asleep, and Il WA With some d,t
asoa:ys sey l H. eeoa 1 Oh aa spa sa ove
whclmcd VIII grief, and he spoke III Q qulct re-
signed sort Of way that indicated keen eet,se
Of bis melancholy situation. lfo is . tnan OF 81
years q aye. With Iron gray halt, and looks and
he y. Iiis son was in tho upper berth, aslecp
and tired nut.
The old nlan said he would be quito willing to
mdko astatement to the public Of the ctrrutn-
wss 70 sS o + b. fns bes s
strictly chaEgc1 by Ills counsel not to
make any. In answer to u question
as TO whether the shooting OF tobertson urtha
out Of tho oil trouble with Alien, he said,
"That Is m old Inatter, md ID now all past and
gone. would rather not say whether this l,ud
any copncGtloa with that Or not. hope you
will cxcuae me- making any statement"
Ills sou Charles, lie said, had Just bcc', on
M oas q e eorE atcr r0fqa Mt egsG IL. Ss .%
pose to chter tiIo medical college here. Wills
speaking OF Charles tho :.
OLD MAN's VOICE QuivEnEp
With emotion, anil lls leaned hEa vray head sos-
fall niKkt fzku z$ th1rt