The morning call., 1892-03-15
ROBINSON FORGAVE HIM.
A Deathbed Letter From Hether.
ingtOn's Victim.
Popular Sentiment Has Changed in Favor Of
the Injured Husband, Whose Acquittal
Is Generally Predicted.

hODlnSOu Tragedy was nTOupuL 10 The CITY
10y the passengers on the Oceanic yesterday.
When the steamer left Yokohama public
sentiment. at first condemnatory of the
lieutenant through sympathy with the man
he killed, had changed to a practical ap-
prevail Of the manner in which the naval
officer had avenged his outraged honor
The other American naval officers at
tached to the China station were. with two
exceptions, thoroughly in accord with Heth-
eriDgt0n's position from the first intimation
that he had been wronged by the English
broker. Many of the foreign residents and
tie majority of the English naval men have
taken the same position. and CAPTAIN Bart
lett. the second In command OF the British
station. personally expressed to Admiral
Belknap his sympathy with the American
lieutenant in his position.
Robinson, who was typical clubman,
was known TO have had great many affairs
during his residence at Yokohama, his pen
chant being exclusively for IN arTied women.
RoBINsoN's REPUTATION.
He is said to have destroyed the peace and
happiness of at least eight families and an
English naval officer, whose wife he had
betrayed. is credited with the remark upon
being informed of the shooting: THAT is
what should have done two years ago"
Robinson was a thorough man of the
world, and was as popular with single men
as with wives, but every married man Is
said to have regarded him with feeling of
partial fear and entire distrust The in
tensity OF this sentiment is illustrated by
the comment upon his fate made by an at
tache of the English Legation, whose wife
WAS singularly beautiful. Throwing his hat
in the air. he remarked, Good! Good
Now have no fears for my vile"
The report that Robinson, upon his DEATH
bed, stated that so far as he was concerned
Mrs. Hetherngton was innocent of any
wrong is generally c0ntradicted. About
eight hours before he died he said to DIR.
E!dridge, one of his medical attendants,
Doctor. if L get through this he'll finish me
next time"
mo; if you recover now he'll be out OF
the road and can do you no further mis-
chief, replied the physician.
what do you mean, d0ctor?" asked the
wGnDded man.
he Will be under arrest or out of the
country" replied the surgeon.
THAT WILL NEVER DO"
Good God, that will never do; 1t will
ruin the poor fellow" responded Robinson
After repeating this remark several times
Robinson dictated TO Dr. Eldridge letter
which he requested should be sent imme-
diately 10 Admiral BeIknap, who was in
command of the American naval squadron.
IL the letter he referred to the occurrence
which had brought him TO his then position,
but he neither denied nor affirmed the truth
of Hetherington's charges, but stated that
nc cOulu not uDueTSlalI Inc motive Oh the
lleutenants act OF yesterday afternoon"
The concluding sentence was: IF any
thing from me can make the position of
Lieutenant Hetherington easier | shall be
very glad | fully forgive him." Second
Lieutenant l.. l.. Reamey of the admiraPs
staff visited Hetherlngton about an hour
after the shooting. TIE latter was then
perfectly cool and gave no evidence Of eX-
element. He stated that he did not regret
his course In the matter, and that his action
was de iberate
Reau ey advised him to make no state
ment TO any one but his lawyer and sug-
gested the name of a competent American
attorney named TisOn, who has resided at
Toxic for some years Tison has been re-
tanned FOR the defense and is confident that
his client will be acquitted when his case
comes up for trial this week before Consul
General IillOts0n.
Every one is chary about expressing an
opinion as to the extent of Mrs. Hstherng-
tons guilt.
THOSE WHO KNEW.
An American naval officer Significantly
stated yesterday that he believed only three
people living knew the Iuth-Mrs. Hether-
ington, her husband and his attorney, ana
that he should suspend judgment upon her
until tie evidence as to her cuIpabiiity was
adduCed at the inquest
The story was current however that on
the fatal Saturday afternoon Mrs. Hether-
ingtOn had made a confession TO her hus-
band of her guilty love for Robinson, and
that il was this revelation which made him
decide 30 kill his Wife's lover. He had pre-
viously believed that her relations with the
Engl ishman had not exceeded the bounds of
a not uncommon society filtration, and be-
lieying in his wife's honor he was satisfied
when Robinson left Yokohama The dis
coyery OF tile latters letters to Mrs Heth-
erington during his absence and his subse-
quent return, coupled with the warnings
and advice OF some of his brother officers,
AROUSED the lieutenant's worst suspicious,
and upon closely questioning his wife she
told him the miserable story OF her infat-
uatioD.
Mrs Hetherington also had a private in
terview with her husband after the shoot
lug.
MRS. HETHEEINGTON's CONDUCT.
After Robinson'S death she was kept in
her room by the American ladies' of her ac-
quaintance, who endeavored to prevent her
from outraging decency by appearing in
public. Mrs. Belknap, Mrs. Reamey aud
Others visited her at the hotel, and be-
friended her in her unfortunate position,
giving Der, III the meantime, the benefit of
every doubt With singular moral blunt
ness, she does not seem to appreciate her
position, nor To understand the popular con-
demDatlon Of her siIare in the affair which
has eliminated in her supposed lovers
death, and in her husbands Imprisonment
upon charge of murder.
A statement had obtained some currency
IN Yokohama before the Oceanic departed
that while on his deathbed Robinson had
made VIII. bequeathing the major portion
| OF his estate to Mrs. Hetherington. The
rumor could not be authenticated, and
those best Informed regarding the affair
| gave IL scant cTedeuee.
At the inquest, when a verdict of willful
murder was returned, the defense offered no
evidence, and the principal witness for the
| prosecution was NJ. Pors. Robinson's COM
panion in the trap when he was shot. P0rs
| narrated the circumstances of the shooting
| substantially as published, except that be-
| fore firing Hetherington called to Robinson.
stop, you blackguard!"
NEVER SAW HIM BEFORE.
NJ. Pors testified that he had never seen
| Hetherington before he fired the fatal shots,
| but that he inferred he was the same man
OF whom Robinson had been speaking to
| him that afternoon, stating that be pitied
MN. u pom cross-eXaminati0B. the wit
ness refused to narrate Robinson's CONVEX
sation regarding Hetherington, stating that
he had given bis word of honor to Robinson
| not to repeat his confidence.
This evidence was quoted by the lieu
| tenants friends as tending to justify the
| shooting, and as indicating that Robinson
| had told POrs OF his intimacy with Mrs.
| HetherlBgton, which would account for his
| expression OF pity for her husband.
The proseeutionis being conducted by the
| Engllsh crown attorney 1t is narrated as
4 VI tbC lScflHR IfBdIul0E fkOD1n-
sons conduct that none of the Englishman's
| friends would swear to a complaint against
| the man who slew him.
The American Consul General will I'M
panel a jury of four American citizens al
HetheIington's trial, and if the latter is con-
victed the case will probably be appealed TO
the United States Supreme Court. 1t is
| said That Mrs. Hetherlngton will return to
her homo in Wilmington, Del, upon TIL
| conclusion OF her husbands trial
WILLS BILL OF PARTICULARS.