The record-union., 1894-05-09
THE LATROBE MURDER.
Strong Suspicion Rests Upon Two
kanakas.
Evidence Taken at the Coroner's In
quest, and What Was
Developed.

death of Mrs. Ellen Robinson was COM
pleted Monday night and resulted in a
verdict that she came to violent death
at the hands of some parties unknown,
but that suspicion pointed to two Kama
kas, known as Napoleon and Ell Roy,
who are now under arrest, charged with
the murder.
Mrs. Robinson was q widow, about 63
years of age. She lived upon 200 acres of
land, which she owned, short distance
this side of Latrobe. She was brutally
murdered some time Sunday night, and
her body found lying in her door-yard
on Monday morning.
In conducting the examination at the
Coroner sinvestigation on Monday. Prem
tice Carpenter, District Attorney of Eel
Dorado County, took particular pains to
ascertain if she had ever had any trouble
with her neighbors or any one else The
evidence showed that she was highly re-
spected and well thought of by every
body in the neighbOrhOOd, without eX-
ception. 1t was evident then that the
motive for the murder could not be re-
venge.
The body of the victim was found about
three OF four feet from the porch, in an
inclosed lot int front OF her house. The
clothes she had on were evidently such
as she wore at night. They were thrown
up in such way as to expose the lower
part of the body to the waist.
There was one severe cut in the back
of the head, which may have been caused
by falling on the edge of the porch. She
had received a crushing blow over the
left temple, and the. lower jaw was
broken about halfway between the ear
and chin. Every rib in the body was
broken except the first one on each side.
The face and breast bore marks evidently
made with the heel of heavy boot or
shoe. The skin was Knocked off the
backs of the hands, and one of them was
crushed in, showing that she had made
desperate resistance.
Inside the house all was confusion,
especially in the front or spare bedroom,
where everything had been turned upside
down. A trunk in this room had been
opened and the contents thrown into
heap on the~fioor. Two ends of burned
matches were found in this room, indi-
eating that the murder was committed
after dark.
From the evidence it appears that the
crime was committed some time between
s and IL o'clock, probably about half
past s, on Sunday night. A man named
Barrett, who attended to Mrs. Robinson's
business, left there about s o'clock in the
evening. When he left, according to her
habit, she locked the door behind him.
| She also locked in the house female dog
which she owned. Mr.. McCarty, who
| lives near by, had occasion to get up
about ii o'clock at night and heard this
dog, with Others near his house, show
| ing that it was then outside of the house
and out of the inclosure.
A half breed Indian who lives about
| 400 yards north of Mrs. Robinson's house
was out on his porch about half-past s
O'Clock and heard a woman scream, but
as the dogs were barking in the neigh
borhood he could not tell whence the
| sounds came.
| A man named West, engaged at the
railroad station, was the first one to go
up toward Mrs. Robinson's house in the
! morning. He found an empty British
/ bulldog five-shooter, old and rusty, lying
| just outside the gate and looking over the
fence saw the body.
| Mr.. Barrett testified that during his
conversation with Mrs. Robinson, just
before he left her Sunday evening, she
told him that during the forenoon tall
man came there and bought chick Ell.
| She said she did not like the looks of the
man, and that he went away in the direc-
/ ton of the camp where the two kanakas
worked. One Of the Kanakas, Napoleon,
| is very tall man.
L.
man standing at Mrs. Robinson's gate
that morning, saw her approach and talk
with him, and then go to the chick en-
| house, and afterwards heard a chicken
squeal.
When Sheriff Hilbert and District At
torney Carpenter arrived at Latrobe Mon
| day on the train from Placerville, they
found the two Kanakas had bought
| tickets for Sacramento. and were about TO
board the train. Being informed that the
men were suspected the Sheriff placed
them under arrest.
Being questioned separately, both de-
MED any knowledge of any chicken or
that they had been at Mrs. Robinson's.
A visit was made to their camp, and the
fresh feathers and entrails OF u chicken
were found.
The shorter of the two Kanakas, who
calls himself lei Roy, left the depot on
Sunday night about $50, in an intoxicated
condition, going in the direction of Mrs.
Robinson's s house. 1t is believed ne COM
mitted the murder.
The pistol which was found outside the
gate may prove TO be the connecting link
in the chain of evidence necessary to con-
| vict the accused men. The half breed
Indian above referred to says that man
who had been at work with the Kanakas
at their wood-chopping camp complained
to him that while there some one stole a
pistol from him. He thinks the man
went to Colusa. The officers will make
every fort TO find this man and ascer-
tain if the pistol found is the one he lost.
| If so, it will be strong piece of evidence
| against the accused.