New-York tribune., 1886-08-28
THE soMERvILLE TRIALS
Ey1prnc. IN THR POISONING CASES.

MRS RosusoN, DR snExRs AND T. \. sH1TH IN
| oounr-4rsrrMorY ABOUT INSURANCE. PoLr-
CEA
let TxIzoRkYu 70 JHn TRIBuxR|
BosToy, Aug. 27.-FIve hundred spectators,
mostly women, fs1 OF whom brought their luncn
AND their babies crowded the 5omerville Police court
rosn to-day 10 witnsss tue hrst examination OF hH
Sarah J. Robinson and Dr. CHARLES O Beers on tne
charge of numbering Lizzie A. Robinson By - minister
ing poison. Both prisoners occupied sests oy pe"
respective counsel. d. =. Crane and q ". Turner.
Mrs Robinson was dressed before In deep mourn
Ing. and heavy Grape veil ene SAT Win her A0"
averted from the spectators. and occasionally tears
woud roll down her easeks and she would be seized
with nervous trembling lasting some minntsA Nearly
dozen Witnesses were called by rhe Government, and
the prosecution was conducted By Chief OF Police Park
hurst
DE- Edward Wood, Professor Of Chemistry In Har-
ward UnIvsrsty testified 10 rsoetvnR sealed jars CON
tanning the lungs liver and ntsstnos OF Lizzie A Rob
insou He analyzed the liver for Arssnio and found
anti. large quantity therein but he did not have hme
IN eatimate the exacs Tho arsenio must have
pa,ssd through the sORaon, and thence through tho
circulation TO the liver
Mis-. Flora stan wood testified that she acquainted
with both the DEFENDANTS having first seen Dr. Bess In
July 1885, at the house Of MrG Robinson In Cambridge
Tns WA the lay OF Mr.. Preemans death She also saw
LzIe Robinson at that time. She mot Dr. bsers again
during L zziss sickness and also saw MIRA Robinson;
this was in somerville Mrs Rooinsou. the witness
s.d paid me last asssssment due on Liz1es ins-
rauce | wAs collector for tho lodge In which she was
n,urod called there and was refused an Inter
xsw with Iizze Robinson saying that the doctors
had torhidien any one TO her. Before Lizzie was
taken sick mother said she could not join tho Ordor
ualeaa she mother got the Insurance on MI free
mau's life When she got the insurance she SAID
Lizzis might join the Order as she WAS sure her
uncle would want her TO. Mrs. Robinson once said
III
Lizzie should die, and at another time that
abe wished Lzzle wasn't insured, for every one
that WAS insured died" (Nerriment among The spec
,.tor. which was sternly rebuked by tho Judge)
On cross-eIamination the witness said thAt LL1leb
policy was made payable to her brother. william j.
pohinsop who paid her assessmentA She said that
zz,e appearAnce up the last o December was that
of D. RECT health Albert V. BuEbee, OF Lawrence tes-
ne that he Supreme Treasurer Of the Order OF PHI
grim Fathers and paid tho insurance on Lzzies fe 10
william J. Robinson. Tho insurance on Mr. Frsman's
life was paid in September, 1888. and that On Lzzies
ia NAV 1856 Low A. Dane, brokor, testined In re
gard to transactions with Mrs Robinson; "On Pebru-
arv 49, 1885, he said 81 went to her house Ia Holland
Al, in consequence OF application made for loan on
her behalf by Dr. Beers We loaned her 800 on fur-
n,ture and plano She said there was no other claim
on them When the time Of ynent csmo she said sne
coult not nav IL I'll got the Insurance on Lzzles
life We put keeper In soon after. for We found she
had mortcaged the property again held mortgage
f,otn DR. Beers In 1884 for 1913. ThHt was paid
IN March 1885, Just before that he said there was 4
adv no would take up the morEs9e Tor him when she
got some mouey that was coming 70 nor -. J nn'.eg
,.,,inad 10 Knowing Mrs Robinson aud TO seeing her
with Dr. Beers WssbinGton-s on one oecAaion going
into bank. 49,. ,.. -, ,.,n., . ,,,,,.
earlier I'm the day the evidence given AGAINST Mira
Robinson and Thoma. H. smith on cnsrge OF having
poiaorsd William J. Robinson. Mr smith sat quietly
nd without In ss PSS. .n1 ns:easa
attenvey TO VIVA! Wa, :.s s,nmI,tsa IasV Ssrk - W.
Ciinord. jr, counsel for smitn, "exsn ms Arxnment
ment's csso was the fac there proof tnat
Hmltn ever bonRht arsenic. Ih- Hoyernmeht snOWei
proof OF In the stomach OF tho dead hoy nut
Showed DO evidence couuect his client wish the adj
M nstration OF IT, In regard 10 Tue houNe o hr crlin
to- .no thai the deceased insured for tho benefit OF
his mother, but failed TO show no" tn' Noull anect
Smith. D., NJ. po,,. ..,, ,h., ho
had announced already his deter ninaon to argue
the That determination he III adbrre to. for Ia
knew IN the present state OF punic eXNienent how
little svid-nce rrquirel to hold his cient for the
CrnnI Jury He would therefore allow hs
clients case to With the court. Julk" story
Robnscu wAs in good heamh before nis last
x. not rroSsbe sna 1t got into Robinson. ooy IN
any other than 10y being adminstered within food
Mr sn,itn hal ans taing To do with thl- c.se The
whence showed that he was At the R'fr.on
ynnng man and only on" h-si,r The mother VINO
cared for him "staniin+ a.onr sAl the judge "that
Unexplained, there Is TO my m'd probable c'nse To
show tnat he Kn"w what was gong on Inc qnr'uon
was rot relative butt ne hal any Interest BIZ wonld
NOT have allowed It to a3~hr on the snffA =. Tho facts
,buw that he must ave kno Nn what was going N.
tuereore prob bic cause TO Mold Doth the defen-
allts for the Grant jury.
Immediately after tis decision VT CliH1rt asked ior
a r. iuction of the $lOOUO bail to 5000 lie
thought MS client mlkht pr'cdr- tue la =
ter amount ami that his nnery was
necessary 10 the proper preparation O his defence. Mr.
Crar- sa.dn~ shod ASK FOR no reiu don Chrf 0f Po-
cc PArknurs urSed tai th" bail he Kept at $4,000 In
order mat the Government iugAt be- secur~'. He
doubted II the Grand ry would i the prisoner 10
bai. Judge story refused To cn+nge the oA and or
dered the prisoners reconmitieL