St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-28
The TRIPLE TRAGEDY.
Yesterdays Developments in
the Sensational Murder
Of Yesterday.
The Lives of Robinson and
Weiss Still Trembling in
the Balance.
t Seems as Though the Shoot
ing Was Inspired by
Pure CusSedness.
The Domestic Relations of the
RobinSonS--Some Inter-
esting History.

apoliS been so profoundly shocked as by
the crime of SilaS Robinson, who DELHI
erately shot and killed the wife, who it
appears was forced to leave HIM because
of his failure to provide for her, and
perhaps fatally wounded a young man
whose presence at her side did not indi-
cate any wrong motive, and then capped
out the atrociOuS act by turning the
murderouS weapon against himself.
The cruelty of the crime, the cold
bloOded determination of the murderer
and his disregard for the consequences
to his victims or himself are the revolt
ing features which are to most people
almost incredible. All day long the
morbidly curious applied for admission
to the morgue, in which lay the remains
of Mrs. Robinson, OF Vesta Ridlan. as
she was known, while the inquiries con-
corning the condition of Nick Weiss, her
companion, coupled with expressions of
horror and detestation of the murderer
and his crime indicate the public feel
ing of suppressed excitement.
THE INQUEST.
The corOner'S inquest began at Con-
nelly'S undertaking rooms at 10 O'Clock
in the morning, but was not concluded
owing to the absence of material wit
nesSes, and will be resumed this after
noon att O'Clock. w. 7. Kendall, who
employed Mrs. Robinson as clerk at
his fruit store, at 800 Washington ave-
nue. north, testified that she went to
work for him Feb. 2S last, and. with the
exception of a short time that she was
sick, which she spent with her mother
at Howard lake, she had been in his
store ever since. ''Robinson came to
the store often to see her." said the wit
ness. "He was there last night. When
he went out she told me he wanted her
to go to the Peoples theater with him,
but she told him she had to stay in the
store. She left the store about Q o'clock.
That was the last time saw her alive"
Patrolman John Harmon and Lieut..
Day testified to their finding the dead
woman's body and finding Robinson ly-
ing back in the alley. Robinson told
them he shot the woman and shot
Weiss; that he was sorry for the woman
but that he was not sorry for shooting
Weiss, as he told him often that unless
he kept away from his wife he would
kill him. Both testified to the finding
of the revolver beside Robinson.
Ollie Johnson. employed at KendalIs
store, said she knew the deceased as
Vesta Ridlan, but did not know Weiss.
She also testified as to RObinsOn's Wis
iting the store and to his visit at 7:30
every evening. She knew the deceased
for the past eight weeks, and never saw
anything wrong with her.
Deputy CorOners Spring and Towers
testified to their having made an exam
ination of the remains.
ROBINSON'S MOTIVE.
The motive for the crime can be at
tributed in measure to RObinsOn'S
jealousy, but not wholly, for his neglect
of his wife is hardly consistent with
real regard for her. Those who know
him say he is possessed of bad temper,
and when in liquor, which was often
the case, was very ugly. He married
her at Harrington about two years ago,
vorce from George Chamberlin, with
whom she had lived for seven years and
had had two children. Chamberlin was
much her senior, and they did not live
happily. She formed an attachment for
young man with whom she
went to Kansas City. Chamberlin
obtained divorce and the custody of
the children, and it was during this
time that she made Robinson's ac-
quaintance. He never provided for her,
but instead lived upon her relatives.
Last summer, when her mother lived at
Litchfield, he left in June to go West to
sell farm machinery. In July Mrs.
Robinson came to Minneapolis to
turned up in the fall, but left shortly to
90 into the woods as lumberman. In
the spring he returned to the city, and
has been here since. Mrs. Robinson
had, in the meantime, worked in various
places, at restaurant Oh Fourth
avenue south, near Washington avenue;
at the Chicago bakery, 253 First avenue
south, and finally at the fruit store of
w. II. Kendall, 800 Washington avenue
south. In April she was seri-
ously sick and went to- her
mothers home at Howard Lake. She
only returned Saturday night, and as
she had not entirely recovered was only
working few hours day. Tuesday
night Robinson called to see her
about z O'Clock and they talked
dali, who heard part of the conversation.
said they talked together pleasantly,
He asked her to go with him to the
Peoples theater, but she said she could
not get away from the store. 1t appears
that he waited and watched for her, and
when she met Weiss he followed them
around to Third street, where the
tragedy occurred. Her acquaintance
with Weiss is said to be only casual,
formed when they worked together at
Cooper'S Carriage works. They could
hardly have been intimate, as
he had never been seen with
her before. and there was nothing
to arouse Robinson's jealousy in their
being together, so it is likely that his
deed was actuated by sheer devilish-
ness as much as by any other motive.
He had not been drinking apparently
when he called at the store. but might
have done so later. AS far as
Mrs. Robinson'S character is concerned
Mr.. Kendall, her employer, says she
always conducted herself as a respect
able woman should. Others assert
that she has been known to be in the
society of men when she worked on
Fourth avenue south. Be thata as it NAV,
it is hardly likely that Robinson should
expect anything else, since he had prac-
tlcally deserted her.
NICK WEISS CHANCES
of recovery are somewhat uncertain.
The danger is from Inflammation.
principally, and it may take several
days to determine whether he will live
Wells think he may possibly live. No
attempt has been made to probe the
wound in his head for the bullet since
Tuesday night. He was somewhat te-
verish and deliriOus last night, bat at
times was rational. He has not talked
much about the shooting since Tuesday
night, only remarking yesterday: Its
hard l should suffer this for nothing.''
There are slight indications of paralysis
and he has some difficulty in moving his
limbs"
RoBINsoN's CONDITION
is more unfavorable to recovery, it is
believed. His danger is also from in
| fiammation, and the crisis has not been
reached. His entire right side is para
| lyZed. He was reported by the city
hospital authorities last night as rest