Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-26
HE PENNED HIS RUIN.
The Sensational Downfall of a Brock
ton Stock Broker Who
FORGED NOTES FOB THOUSANDS.
Confessing to His Partners That BE Was
q Scoundrel BE
BECOMES A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.i
BRocKToN, MASS. October 25.-Charles
W. Robinson, clerk OF the local Municipal
Court and owner and manager of stock
exchange, is a forger, and his gains will
probably reach 500, 900. The last seen Of
him was on Friday afternoon. That he is
forger is a confession from his own lips
made in the presence Of lawyer and his
partners.
There was q tremendous sensation when
the fact became known in the business por-
tion OF the city and there is much uneasiness
as to the result of his criminal operations
upon certain business houses. His acts will
result in the ruin of more than one man,
and others will be heavy losers.
Robinson opened stock exchange IN the
Home Bank building in November, 1884,
and managed the same Tor Seymour, Baker
& Co., New York brokers, until the latter
ceased to exist two years ago. From that
time up to last January he has run the ex-
change on his responsibility and appeared
to be making success Of the venture.
DUPED BY ROBINSON.
Last January he took in as special part
ner Sewall P. Howard, u retired business
man of considerable wealth. It is needless
to say that he is heavy loser BY Robin
sons forgeries. On the 1st OF September
he took in another special partner, Emer-
son Goldthwaite, retired pharmacist, who
is also a very wealthy man. The
firm continued to exist until the
present week. Then it was yio-
lently dissolved by the startling
exposure of Robinson's reckless conduct.
Mr.. Goldthwaite was not very anxious to 90
into the partnership, but alter urgent APP
peals consented. Robinson showed him
books which apparently proved that he was
doing a business of about $50, 900 year and
Mr.. Goldthwaite. thinking the investment
a paying one, put in S., 900. His losses will
be more than twice that amount. .--.--e
The extent of Robinson's operations be-
came known last Wednesday, when one OF
his partners produced a pile OF notes with
forged names. and handed them to him one
by one, asking in each case: ....-
"Did you sign that?"
coRNERED THE FoRGER.
Robinson turned pale and gssped for
breath. Then alter long hesitation he con-
fessed that all were forgeries When asked
to explain himself he looked terribly de-
pressed and nervous. ---. --
This is worse than ten funerals, was his
first remark, and his partners looked as
though they agreed with him. One of them
took him to task for his crime, and the
forger replied: ~.
81 am very sorry, but 1 could not help
it."
Robinson was confronted with the proof
of his rascality, and then he broke down
and sobbed. -' -...
81 am one of the blackest rascals you ever
saw-ten thousand times blacker than you
know"
He promised to disclose everything, and
said his brother-in-law, Kelly, Boston
commission merchant, would help him out.
Last Saturday Robinson went to Boston and
closed the firms account with John Stetson,
paying S. 900 and taking up So, 900 note
which. it is presumed, was forged. He had
$13, 900 Of the firms money in his possession,
but what he did with the remaining s., 900 is
not yet known.
| HUNTING FOR EVIDENCE.
The partners have been hunting to-day
| for more facts relative to the missing mans
| forgeries and they have found enough to
convince them that the amount will exceed
500, 900.
1t is believed that some of the banks in
this city have cashed some of the forged
paper and until an examination of the books
has been made there will be no means Of
ascertaining the full amount. The books
which Robinson kept are Chinese puzzle,
the accounts being kept by means Of char
acters which are known only to himself.