The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-07
H0RRIFYING BRUTALITY.
The Frightful Atrocities Practiced by a
Step-Father on a Three Year-0ld Boy.

James Robinson is now under arrest at Mar
tinsville, charged with the murder of his three
year-old step-son Following is an outline of
some of the atrocities practiced on the dead
child
During the post-mortem examination held by
Drs. Robinson and Hendricks. the murderer sat
on a low stool at one of the chimney corners,
and grimy smoked his old pipe, as unconcerned-
ly as though he were listening to an old wives
story related in backwOods jargon by his un
comely and buXom spouse. Among the devilish
crueltles practiced by this monster as disclosed
by his poSt-mortem examination, was the fact
that the bladder of the child had been burst
This was occasioned by the fact that the un-
natural and inhuman father was averse to help
ing the little fellow to attend to his natural
wants by night as well as by day, and so devised
a way by which he should not be disturbed by
unreasonable calls and damp beds in the
night time. This device consisted in the use Of
a string, so wrapped and drawn and tightly tied
about the offending organ OF the child us to pre-
vent any passage of urine to the bed. When
DR.. Robinson, in his first superficial eXanina
ton of the body. came to this evidence of VIC
lence and untold agony. he eXcitedly and shud
deringly cried out: MY God man, what does
this deep crease mean here on this chid!' refer
ring to a deep crease, with intiamed and swollen
edges and folds, midway of the urinary organ.
To DR.. r. S indignant questioning the grim
pi''NiNy ilNuVu' 'SCNOCli "iiiiH' tiA''V
he had resorted to the measure mentioned on
live different nights in succession recently, to
prevent beng disturbed by wet Sheets and after
he mad whipped the boy, at his hour OF gong to
bed, to make him answer a call of nature in ad-
of natures demands.
The decision reached by the post-mortem is
that the child came to its death by reason of an
etuslon OF blood between the skull and the lin
ing of the brain, superinduced by of the
blows described, or by reason of strangulation.
and the coroners verdict harlnonZes Herewith,
with the further finding by the coroner that
these injuries were inflicted by james Robinson,
the step-father OF the murdered child
Many touching stores are told by the neigh
bors with reference to the superior intelligence
OF the little boy. Some Of these stories tend to
show that the little fellow was trying to study
out some way to defend himself from his fathers
vengeful malice and hurtful blows, as, for in
stance, the story told OF how little Berthe pa
thehcaly told one nelghbor, PA beats me;
don't want TO go home, and how the little fellow
would beg others OF the nelghbors to Please let
me stay with you Ionger-ever so much longer
and the lake.
All are agreed that little Berthe was uncOm-
monty clever, tractable and intelligent, and
many say that. although only three years Old
he acted and talked like child of ten or twelve.
The neighbors-pOor, cowardly. timid crayens
knew of this poor boys hard lot, but were de
TERED from public cutlery by their fears of the
torch OF the lncendlary and other private lnju-
RES. The examining doctors say that the body
was HdtuIdllf' 10 CoIutig anu ltdlULIuls anu DIS
finely formed. as any they had ever seen, and
that the brain was of the highest order and char
acter, and that all in ALL he was fine, vigor-
Gus, healthy lad, and possessed of aphysical de
velopment, despite his terrors and pains by day
and his dread and anguish by night and despite
his hard fate in life, which was symmetrical and
beautiful beyond any child of their knowledge:
When you come to Know the facts which the
final trial next term will disclose your readers
will agree with me that neither the poor, friend
less small servant of the Old Curiosity Shop"
nor, indeed, oliver Twist himself never suf-
fered keener or more oft-repeated pangs from
the 'hurtful sword OF persecution and the I'M
mixed malace of hi. or bewailed with more
groanings and tears, even unto blood the doom
OF death, than fell to the unhappy lot of this
misused and murdered boy.
have most earnestly striven to get pernlis-
sion to publish the evidence taken before the
coroner but the circuit judge has instructed the
county clerk TO refuse all newspaper men VINO
ask for It, and to keep 1t from the public, as the
officers still fear mob violence. learn from the
prosecuting attorneys, however, that enough has
been developed to make clear case OF murder
IN the hrst degree against Robinson and they
Will ask the jury to hang him