Connecticut western news., 1878-08-29
A TRAGEDY RECALLED.
HELEN JEwETr's MURDER FORTY YEARS AGO IN NEW YORK CITY


 remember the stirring scenes attending the tragic death of Helen Jewett, who was murdered on the night of April g, 1886, while sleeping in her boudoir, No. Al Thomas street. Perhaps there never was crime in any country that exceeded in interest, in the mystery and romance of it's details, that which compassed the denth of the fair Helen Jewett, and still remains as much mystery as ever.
 The police court records furnish but meager notes of the affair, but cotem- porary newspapers were alive to the dramatic interest of the case, so that extra editions were issued during the trial of young Robinson, the girls al- legged murderer, finding ready buyers, and indeed inaugurating that feature of newspaper enterprise.
 Helen Jewett was an inmate of noted resort of the fast men of Gotham at that period. Scarcely out of her teens, with beauty of form and feature seldom met with, and possessing 8 gifted, even bril- liant, mind, this remarkable girl was petted and courted by a host of men who might have improved her station. But all such offers Helen steadfastly refused. To few admirers she was all encour- agement the otbers were peremptorily rejected. Richard P. Robinson, 8 young man nineteen years of age, of prepos- sessing appearance, and with turn for literary requirements, was one of the favored few. He was native of Dur ham, Conn.,, but made the city his per- manent home, his place of business being No. 1O1 Maiden lane, with the house of Joseph Hoxie & Co.,, hardware dealers.
 On Saturday night, April 9, so the first story ran, Robinson left his boarding house at No. 42 Dey street, to visit his inamorata. He was in jealous mood, and evidently meditated some terrible crime, for he "carried 8 small matched concealed beneath his coat" Reaching the house, as Rosina Townsend after ward declared, at 9:30 o'clock, he ascended to Helen's apartments, and ordered up some champaigne an hour later. Mid night had scarcely passed when the girl Townsend thought she smelt the odor of burning clothes, whereupon she rushed to the door of Helen's room, threw it open, and to her horror saw the bed was in flames, with the mangled body of Miss Jewett upon it. Her screams brought street-watchman to the spot, and before the fire had gained much headway the body was dragged off and the flames extinguished. Three sharp gashes across poor Helen's scalp showed where the fatal blows had been struck She must have died without a struggle, for an occupant of an adjoining room heard no sounds whatever. Robinson s cloak was found in the yard. The hatchet was discovered at daylight in neigh bor's yard, with piece of twine attached to the handle exactly corresponding to another piece of twine tied to button on the cloak. Helen's youthful lover was at once suspected of the dark deed. Assistant Captain Niblo of the ''Watch, '' or local police, repaired with officers to No. 42 Dey street, and Robinson was found in bed fast asleep. On seeing the corpse, he shuddered, but exhibited no other emotion. A coroner's jury was convened at eight o'clock Sunday morn ing, and Robinson was held on theil verdict to answer for the death of the fair victim, after which he was hurried away in 8 carriage to Old Bridewel prison.
 The scene of the tragedy in Thomas street that Sunday morning disclosed ar excited populace, which had not the1 become hardened to deeds ot violence of daily occurrence, surging about ths house.
 James Gordon Bennett thus describes a visit in person to the chamber of death "The house is elegantly furnished with mirrors, costly paintings, sofas ottomons and other household goods, ot almost imperial style. Entering Heller Jewett's room, my guide and I halted There stood the mahogany bed, all GOV cred with burnt pieces of linen, blankets and pillows, black as cinders. Stretched on the carpet I saw @ sheet covering something carelessly, as if flung over it My attendant half uncovered the ghastly white corpse. It was darkened room but began slowly to discover inea ments, as one would the beauties O. marble statuary. It was the most re markable sight I ever beheld. Not { ve1n was to be seen the body was al white, as full, as polished as the pures Parian marble. The perfect figure, ex quisite limbs, fine face and arms, anc beautiful bust, all surpassed the tradi tional Venus de Medicis, according te the casts generally given of her."
 Outside the building the crowd grew almost to the proportion Jf mob, SC fierce was the demand for sight of the place and the dead body. The authori ties were compelled to look to the safety of the building by surrounding it witt armed police, sheriffs and watchmen. morbid excitement pervaded the city and everybody looked forward to the approaching trial of Robinson with suct interest as only case of this kind could generate. Several prominent citizens were surprised in the house when the cry of fire was raised, and when the mur der became known it was loudly asserted that threatened exposure of Robinson and others led to the commission of the deed. The dead girl was buried in St. Johns burying ground on Monday April II, at II A. M.
 Ogden Hoffman, Esq, at that day the leading criminal lawuer in torur, doeo,nd