The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1879-09-11


ELLEN JEWETT'S MURDERER.
The Mystery Explained After Forty Three
Years.
1t was nearly half a century ago, or on
the 10th of April, 1916, that Ellen Jewett
was murdered at No. Al Thomas street,
IN New York. The only interest attaching
to the tragedy more than to scores Of
other homicidal happenings in New York
which have marked its history with blood
red letter days, was tnc fact that the per.
pctrator of the crime was never brought
to justice, and the circumstances were
such as to give the case permanent
place among the unsolved murder mys-
teIes of the metropolis.
After a lapse of forty three years, The
Star of Wednesday last, under the head Of
Light on Murder Mystery gave the
public hriet statement to the effect that
Mr.. D. B. Sanford, prominent citizen
and member of the Board of Education OF
Bayonne, N. j., had disclosed the name
OF the murderer, and that the crime was
committed by one Richard P. Robinson,
alias Frank Rivers who ut the time was
member of the old Columbia Engine
| Company No. ID. with which Mr.. Sand
| ford was also connected in 1S4l
A reporter called on Mr.. Sandford at
| his home in Bayonpe, and from the lips
of that gentleman received full corrobo-
; ration Of the statement, together with de-
tails of the affair. On the morning after
the murder, Mr.. Sandford says, he was
passing along Thomas street, and saw a
| crowd in front OF No. al. He stopped to
| inquire the cause, and then for the first
| tine heard that Ellen Jewett had been
killcd the night before. Bill Harrington,
a boss butcher in Washington Market,
went into the house and saw tho dead
body. The police were active in II cir
efforts to discover the perpetrator, and
soon after, probably the next day, Robin
son, alias Rivers, was arrested and charged
With the commission Of the crime. When
the case came to trial female inmates OF
Jew cit had been Robinson mistress; that
he had been with ncr on the night OF the
murder; that they had been heard quar-
rcling, and that after he left she was found
dead in her room. Robinson was defend
cd by Ogden Hoffman, one of the ablest
criminal lawyers OF the day, who after
ward died of cholera during the epidemic
of 1S49 The defense established an ans
on the testimony of reputable witnesses
which outweighed that Of the women Of
the house, and the jury brought in YER
dict of acquittal Shortly after Robinson
left the town. "a rbf Hsas
Some time after the trial, four or i've
months, Mr Sanford thought, he was
discussing the case with an acquaintance
of his, who was also q friend of Robin
sons, one Carries Fountain, who then
| lived at No 141 Sullivan street. He told
| Mr.. Sandtord that had he cared to do ii
he could have given evidence at the trial
which would have corroborated that OF
the women, and secured the conviction
OF R@blnson. Fountain said he was in
the house on the night OF the murder, and
in the next room he heard Robinson and
the Jewett woman quarrellng. lie oyer
heard enough to know that Robinson in.
tended to leave her, and came to demand
the return of a ring which he had given
her. He was about to get married. She
refused to return the ring, and threatened
to expose his connection with hel TO
the girl whom he wished to we'd, Both
were very angry. Robinson was despcr-
ate, and the result was the death Of his
mistress. Aside from any desire Foun-
tain might have to protect the life OF
Robinson, a stronger and perfectly nat.
'lral motive for his silence during the
trial was the fact that he did not Nish to
make public the fact that he himself had
been visitor at the same house.
When asked by the reporter why he
did not infolm the authorities at the
time OF what Fountain had told him, Mr..
Ssndford explained that as Robinson had
been tried and acquitted of the crime, he
could not be tried for the same offense
a second time, and in any event Robin
son had disappeared, nobody knew where.
| He subsequently, heard that Robinson
we to Texas and died there. Fountain,
also, he believes, has been dead several
ye,rs. at the time of the murder 3lr
Sandfold says Robinson was harurn-
scarum young fellow, 22 or IS Year, vi
age, and that he had the reputation OF
being ga bad man" with women. He was
engaged to three or four at the same time
The girl he wished to marry was the
daughter of his uncle, Joseph Hoxie, and
among others he was engaged to Mis-
Mary Chancellor of Long Island, whose
brother was member of the Columbia
Engine Company along with Sandford
and Robinson. The only reason Mr.
Sandford had for breaking silence after
so many years as to the statements msae
. bv Fountain, he said, was that the INST
ter had been brought freshly to mind By
reading q review Of the Ellen Jcweti
murder in some newspaper. and that hs
, thought it had been mystery long
enough. 2 = lss % -