Evening journal., 1892-03-15
THE YOKOHAMA TRAGEDY
Hetherington Held on a Charge
of Willful Murder.
ROBINSON FoReAvE HIS SLAYER
BEFORE He Died He Wrote 70 Admiral
Belknap Fully Pardoning the Amer
lean Lieutenant and Hoping That ite
Would he LenIentIy Dealt WIN.

Belknap Fully Pardoning the Amer
lean Lieutenant and Hoping That Ite
Would he Leniently Dealt with.
YOKOHAMA, March l5.-The inquest into
the circumstances attending the death Of
George Cover Robinson, Appointment broker
aud society man, shot by Lieutenant ]. II.
Hetherington, OF the United States steamer
Marion, on Feb. 10, was concluded with a
verdict charging Hetherington with willful
murder. He had accused Robinson OF alien
ating Mrs. Hetherington's affections from
him and meeting Robinson, who was driv-
ing with friend named NJ Pors, on the
afternoon Of Feb l3, Hetherington fred
three Shots one bullet passing close to Pors
The second bullet also went wide OF the
mark, but the third struck Robinson in the
side, shattering his hip, the ball travelling
forward and upward until il reached. the
stomach.
Robinson was carried into the United club
building where he fingered until II o'clock
Sunday night Feb A. when he died. Be
fore death he caused a letter TO be written
to United States Admiral Belknap, express
ing pardon for Hetherington's act and re-
questing that the utmost possible leniency
might be shown in dealing with the case
The Story of the Shooting.
Many prominent officials and residents OF
Yokohama were present at the inquest. DR..
Wheeler testified that he found the bullet
in Robinson's abdomen and that death was
caused by hemorrhage. DR.. Eldridge testi-
fed that Robinson told him in an indirect
way who fired the fatal shot, and added,
Doctor, If / get through this time alive,
he'll finish me next time
The doctor replied: "No. If you recover
he'll be out Of the way OF doing you any
mischief On Robinson asking what the
doctor meant, the latter stated that Heth-
erington would be arrested. Robinson re-
sponded: GOOD God that win never do; II
win ruin the poor fellow" After repeating
this, Robinson asked Dr. Eldridge 10 write
from dictation 10 Admiral Belknap. In the
letter Robinson used the phrase as nearly
as the witness could remember, TO the fol
lowing effect: III anything from me car
make the position OF Lieutenant Hethering
ton easier or better, shall be very glad
fully forgive him.n
Inspector Okada testified to taking Heth
eringtou into custody Kendo Makichi,
native employed by Dr. Eldridge, testiie,
that he was in charge of the latter's carriag
on the evening of Feb l3. He saw a ma
b in naval uniform walking to and fro on tn
J Bund way. The witness knew, from wha
; "Jinrikisha Man. told him, that the navi
r man was the husband of a woman living !
J the hotel near by. The man was walkin
there about ten minutes when a dog car
Z containing two foreigners passed The nav
e man rushed up and called 'Stopn and whe
the cart did not stop he caught hold Of IN
dashboard and fired revolver. There wei
three shots fired, the cart proceeding shoi
Z, distance. At the time when a third sh,
! was fired both foreigners jumped or fell OF
Of the vehicle.
Second Shot Wired.
/. NJ Pors testified that he was a Germa
. subject residing in Kobe, being a merchni
u there Robinson was one of his best friend
= On Saturday afternoon he went driyir
y with Robinson, having joined him at q
a English club after passing the Peninsula an
Oriental Office. The witness attention W
called TO a man, who stepped up 10 a si'
cart with a revolver IN his hand The ma
4. whom he subsequently ascertained W
- Lieutenant Hetherington, cried out, "Sto
~ you blackguardn
n Robinson made no reply, as Hetheringt
~ at the same time fred the first shot. Het
\ erington had his hand on the cart Wheth
"a Robinson intended it or not, the ca
stopped though not entirely. Il appear
to witness that Hetherington did not inte
to stop the cart before firing Pors furth
r testified that a second shot was fired VIII
"a he was rising from the seat TO jump OF
ad Robinson cried out, "Oh, my 6odp a
" bent over to the left side The witni
n jumped 10 the ground, saying, Cow
drive for your life; III stop him"
Witness struck the ground and receiy
some contusions. When he rose the c,
nj had proceeded some distance. He thrl
u I himself upon Hetherington and they bo
ne fell. The latter rose, Pors clinging TO hi
~ endeavoring 10 seize the revolver and /
~ ploring Hetherington 10 desist.
This continued for some seconds, Heth
ington expressing the intention TO contin
firing. Finally he dropped his arm, sayil
II. II have done itn Pors then ran after RI
he inson and two policemen took charge
lil- Hetherington. Robinson had told him u
IN afternoon that he was in trouble, but v
pledged not 10 divulge what he had hea
Guilty Of wnIful Murder.
Coroner Troup then reviewed the c
es- dence. He wished TO impress upon the il
Nuil IA AAAriANAAAH NNAAAAA wv AAeaA
lty miss from their minds all reports and rum
up which they might have heard. The j
returned the following verdict "We
from the evidence laid before US that Geo
Cover Robinson, broker, Of YokohaI
oS- died Feb. IA from a bullet wound inhic
l,i iSn by j. H. Hetherington, lieutenant Of
IN, United States navy, on Feb. IS, at III
No after p m, on the bund, Yokohama,
we find snd j. II. Hetherington guilty
willful murder"
tor Robinsons funeral took place on Feb
cd and was attended by a majority Of
,ad leading residents.
Lieutenant Remy was the first Of HI
erington's friends at his side and his y
arrived at the consulate shortly af
he'd Owing to the fact that Robinson had b
.yV involved in various other scandals it is {
Iars tended that the feeling was so str
against him that a number Of British
vessels in port refused to receive him
board. Despite the fact that he was a
Ma. and prosperous merchant, surrounded
ked friends, none Of the latter came forwar
swear complaint against his slayer
Threatened by Volcano.