Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-21
Conviction of the Robinsons at Buff
falo..
NEITHER OF them TO SUFFER DEATH
Intense Interest Manifested in the
Case.
THRONGING THE CITY HALL

| in the second degree, and his wife, Sadie,
| of manslaughter, for the killing of Mont
gomery Gibbs. The verdict of the jury was
rendered Immediately on the opening of
court today, the twelve men having been
| out since o'clock yesterday afternoon.
| Clarence was sentenced to life imprison-
ment and Sadie for twenty years.
| So intense was the interest in the out
come of the trial that the city hall COR
ridors were crowded long before the hour
| of opening of the court. Sheriff's deputies,
with slaves. struggled with the throng to
keep them from bursting in the court room
doors. 1t was with difficulty that pass
| age was cleared for the entrance of the
| handcuffed prisoners and the judge. When
/ the jury We're in their places the intense
| straining of attention to hear their verdict
| made the court room as silent as tomb.
| The jury were asked: Gentlemen, have
| you agreed upon verdict?"
The venerable foreman replied: 1--WE
| have"
| Flow do you find?"
| Clarence Robinson guilty of murder,
second degree: Sadie Robinson guilty of
| manslaughter."
Then the formality of polling the jury
was gone through with.
The Prisoners Surprised.
At the announcement of the verdict the
| RobnSons frightened up and their attorney
| beamed with delight. After the judge had
| recorded the sentence on his minute book
| he looked inquiringly toward the attorney
| for the defense and remarked significantly:
Mr.. Saperston, this is the last day of
| the court
The attorney took the hint. He asked
| for time to prepare motion for new
| trial.
The court-"We'll settle this case now"
Mr. Saperston-"But, your honor, this
| pared to present arguments for a new trial
until We have few days-probably
| week."
| The court Gnterrupting)-"You've had all
| the time necessary. The motion is denied
| The judge then directed the defendant,
| Clarence Robinson, to be sworn. The pris-
| oner stood up and answered the usual Ques-
| tions regarding his age occupation and
parentage, and when asked if he had any
reason to allege why sentence should not
| be passed upon him, said that he had.
| Standing erect, and looking remarkably
| self-possessed for man who had endured
| a ten-days' trial for his life. Clarence Rob-
| inson addressed the court thus:
Shows the Vcrdict's Absurdfty.
II deny that We We're there when this
| murder was committed, and that we at
| tempted to commit a felony. The verdict.
| it seems to me, is not in accordance with
| the evidence. And as far as the evidence
| provided by the prosecution, there is not
| cne thing showing that we were on the spot
| that night.
This verdict came upon me unexpected.
| I do noe think it just verdict. If they
| found me guilty the verdict should have
| been murder in the first degree Bat there
| was no evidence to prove that How could
they finl nle guilty of anything else? We
said, and We still say, we were at home
| that night. 1 Think he said, commenting
upor the case as he might if ne had been
| a mere spectator, that the most telling
evidence in the case was that concerning
| the cartridges and the letter written to the
| News by Mrs. Robinson. But l must say
| that other cartridges would show marks
| like those produced, and other revolvers
misht make such marks l don't know
why some other cartridges were not
brought in TO show that
Criminals Sentenced.
| Regarding his own confession, he said he
had been induced to make it through in
| sane Jealousy of his wife. He believed that
| his wife was also Influenced by Cusack in
| the way she testified.
"She always was weak minded, and If We
had chosen to put in a plea of insanity for
her it would have been easy enough to
prove"
The court told the prisoner that the jury
| had taken n merciful view of the case. He
| then pronounced sentence of life imprison-
| ment
! Next Sadie arose and faced the judge.
| Sne answered lne QueSuOnS curtly, ana
when asked what she had to say why sem
! tence should not be pronounced, replied
| Il say that most all those witnesses lied
| / know it,
Auburn. The prisoners were remanded to
| jail, court adjourned and the crowd slowly
| melted away.
| The Murder.
! The murder of Montgomery Gibbs. a
| Rnff 1aw hon
| was for several months a profound mys-
| terry, and had it not been for woman's
| spitefUl and impulsive remark the murderer
might never have been apprehended. Mr.
Gibbs was walking alone up residence
| street bordered with mansions brilliant
| with lights about 10 o'clock in the evening
! Suddenly three pistol shots rang out in
quick succession, and Gibbs was found
| dying from a bullet wound in the head,
| lying in the driveway leading to fashion
| able residence. He expired without utter
| ing n word. His assaiants had vanished
and left nothing as clew to their identity
The Only persons who claimed to have seen
his assailantS were two messenger boys,
who said they saw two men run away from
| the spot where the firing occurred, but
the police We're unable on experiment to
see the same distance under the same cir
| cumstances as the boys declared they did
SO their evidence was thought of little
worth.
| A reporter found what he thought were
| the footprints of woman near the spot
| No arrests were made until several
months later the Buffalo police received
word from the police of Cleveland that they
| had Clarence Robinson under arrest.
| His wife had betrayed him in an angry
conversation with one Of his relatives.
Assistant Superintendent Cusack of the
| Buffalo police went to Cleveland and
"pinched' Robinsons wife Sadie, who con-
| fessed that she killed Gibbs herself, but
| tn piv
/ Robinson learning that his wife was un-
der arrest made a clean breast of the mat
| ter telling how he and his wife had gone
out to r''hold up somebody that night,
Sadie being attired as man. Gibbs had
! resisted and in the tussle he had been shot
| The New Cruiser Olympia.
The new cruiser Olympia will be put in
| commission at San Francisco. on the 18th
I proximo, and Will be used by Admiral
| Beafdslee as the flagship of the Pacific sta
| ton. 1t is also expected that she will re-
i I;ev6f San Frar cisco from Guty at H.no-