The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-25
WHOLESALE MURDER.
A Woman Accused of Poisoning
at Least Eleven People.
Her Husband, Son and a Daugh-
ter Among the Victims.

WI &AhAoi1S oAS 2So@AhSs
Mrs. Sarah J. Robinson, q widow, forty
eight years ofage was arrested in West Som
erville, Mass, on rhe 11th, on charge Of at
tempting to murder her son, William j.
Robinson, by administering poison. The
woman and her alleged accomplice Thomas
R. Smith, were arraigned in the police court
in Somerville the following morning. Mrs.
Robinson came into court trembling, and ap-
peared very much shaken and shattered in
mind and boiy. To the complaint, which
charged them with "minglins poison with
medicine with intent to kill one William ].
Robinson" both pleaded not guilty. Judge
Story decided to continue the cases until the
18th instant, and teld Mrs. Robinson in s95,
600 and Mr.. Smith in $500 bail The
boy died on the morning of the 10Th and
the charge of wilful murder was made
against the woman. The alleged accomplice
Thomas r. Smith, a married man, fifty eight
years of age, who has home and family in
Hyde Park was also arrested as he was
about to enter the widows house in West
Somerville. He had been constant visitor
there. The arrests wee made afuer a chem
ical analysis by a Harvard professor had
shown traces of arsenic in matter from the
stomach Of the widows son, who was then
lying at the point of death at her hos, in
West Somerville. The dying boy asserte l
that his mother and Smith hal both given
him poison in his food. An examination of
the food given to the boy showed conclusively
that poison was administered.
This was the third death this year in the
house In March last her Oldest daughter,
Elizabeth. twenty-four years old, was
stricken down with peculiar Inalady which
baff!ei the skill Of her physicians. After a
short illness she, like the rest, passed away.
Hardly thres months elapsed when Thomas
A Freeman, child of whom Mrs. Robinson
was guardian, fell prey to illness and death
speedily ensuad.
The two last deaths following each other so
soon, and being apparently similar in their
symptoms, caused no little comment but
were regarded as peculiar rather than in a
suspicious light. The taking down of Will
liam a few days ago with just such
an attack as the others had, seemed
to demand an examination. The physi-
clan. DR.. White, procured a quantity
of the contents Of the young mans stomach
aud sent it to Professor Wood, Of Harvard
which showed large quantities OF arsenic.
Dr. White imme iiate'y informed the police,
"ho arrested Mrs. Robinson and Thomas 4.
Smith.
Tu , poll, found that Mrs Robinson, who
i; apparently q cultured woman, originally
came from Chelsea, but for about four years
previous to her coming to Somerville resided
in various nei ,hborhoods in Cambridge.
The first known about her was when living
on Brookline street in the latter city. It
was there that her husband, who was
q carpenter by tru1e. died very suddenly
four years ago. He was taken i'll on
Fourth of July night with cramps and alb
dominal pains, which resulted fatally in few
hours. His death was attributed to drinking
ice water VIII en- overhea:ed. Mrs. Robinson
next moved to Hewes street, where the sec
ond sudden death in her family occurred,
the victim being ten-year-old daughter.
. The circumstances Of that death were
regarded as" very peculiar at the
last-named place she moved to De Wolf
st. ees While living there her sister died in
South Boston, wherenpon the latter's hus-
band, Mr. Freeman, and his two small chill
dren went to live with Mrs. Robinson The
infant child died soon afterward Mrs. Rob-
inson soon after moved to 81 Boylston street,
whe Mr.. Freeman was taken suddenly i'll
and died, the snddenness Of his death aga n
attracting attention and suspicion.
man, and, still later, of his son Thomas, are
circumstances which the police interpret as
shedding little ligh on affairs. Mr. Freeman
was member Of secret society known as the
United Order of Pilgrim Fathers, in which
his life was insured for s., 900. The money was
made payable to his wife in case of his death
but his wife dying before him. the money
was male payable to Mrs. Robinson, with
the understanding that it was to be devoted
to the support and education of his son. The
death of his son placed the ruoney unre-
stricted in Mrs Robinson's hands.
Then the daughter of Mrs. Robinson, who
died in March, also had her life insured in
the same society for $1,000, which was made
payable to the son William, whb died on
the 18th He in turn was insured for $2,.
O00 for the benefit of his mother, Sd that
the latter will receive the insurance
on his life andl what has not been spent
of the sum re:eivei on the daughters.
Mrs. Robinson's husband was insured for
5000 in the New England Mutual Relief
Association. The payment Of the policy was
contested OIL the ground that the agent who
received the premiums embezzled the money,
and the case is still pending before the Su.
preme Court
The police say, without giving details, that
they have learned Of eleven sudden deaths in
Mrs. Robinson's household within the past
four years. . 1t has never happened that the
same physician has been called twice.
The man Smith, charged with being an &C
comphce, has been frequent visitor to Mrs.
Robinson's hous,. He says he is an old
friend Of the family. 1t is said he is socia
member Of the same Pilgrim Fathers society
that Mrs. Robinson and her children bslone
to, but is not entitled to the beneficiary advan
tages He is fifty-eiyht years old ami re-
spected citizen OF EIyde Park, where he i
superintendent of Methodist Sunday y-school
An autopsy on the body Of William Rob
inson and that of the Freeman boy showed
the presence Of arsenic in such quantitie:
that careful analysis was not necessary to
demonstrate its presence.