The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-08-10
Murder and Attempted
Suicide.

awakened from its usual peacefulness on
Sunday morning by the report that a
cruel murder had been committed and
that the murderer was dying from self-iu-
hicted wounds. The first part of the
rumor was too true The town is not a
large one and it took but short time for
nearly all of the inhabitants to assemble
at a two-storied house in which the double
crime was committed.
In this house lived James Robinson,
his wife. and five children, ranging in age
from Is months to nine years. Another
James Robinson also lived there. He is a
nephew of the murderer and was the last
person to whom his uncle spoke.
Shortly after midnight on Saturday,
young Robinson, who had been down to
Florence, reached home by the ''owE
line. He went to the house and knocked
at the door. The summons was answered
by the uncle, who after finding who was
demanding admission, went down and let
the young man in. They went up stairs
together. The nephew says his uncle did
not show any unusual demeanor, beyond
seeming to be in deep study. AS they
reached the young mans room, the uncle
said ~ our Aunt Anna is very sick, but
she does not need any attention"
About five o'clock the nephew was
awakened by little Robert, one of the chill
dren, who said his papa had cut his throat,
An alarm was at once given and the town
was aroused. The deed was committed
in the front room in the second story of
the house. In the room were two beds,
one of which was occupied by Mr.. and
Mrs. Robinson, the baby and little girl
five years old, To reach his wife the
murderer was compelled to lean over the
two children. 1t is supposed that be
made the fatal cut about midnight, as the
body was entirely cold when found. Her
throat was cut from ear to ear with
razor.
Towards morning the little girl awoke
and saw a horrible sight, Near her was
her mother covered with blood which had
flowed over the little baby, thickly mat
ting his hair. The girl was naturally
and called her brother who
opened his eyes just in time to see his
father cut cash in his own throat.
When Robinson was found he was w.
ing on the floor face downward. The
razor with which he took his wife's life
and attempted to destroy his own, was
still in his hand. Physicians were sum-
moned, and seeing that the woman was
past relief, gave their attention to the
man, sewing several stitches in his throat.
He was unable, of course, to say a word.
He was sent to hospital in Trenton.
Robinson and his wife were married at
Burlington, May "a, 1886, by Rev. Z. G.
Hancock. A marriage certificate in
of the coroner shows this, and
sets at rest all rumors to the contrary.
That the poor woman was faithful to her
unworthy husband is beyond doubt, vet
1t is said he was jealous of her and killed
her in tit of anger from that cause.
Over year ago he attempted to kill his
wife. Then he armed himself with a
stalk knife. Mrs Robinson picked up
pillow and protected herself, receiving
the desperate slashes on this shield For
this offence the man was not arrested |
but was adjudged insane and was sent to
the asylum at Trenton. During the time
that he was incarcerated, his relatives
kept continually urging the wife to Sc
cure his release. Finally on the day be-
fore last Easter Sunday she signed an
agreement to let him out, and at the same |
time she attached her name to her own
death warrant.
The murdered woman was SO years of
age. She was the daughter of Edward |
McClosky, of Bordentown, to whose home
her body was removed. Nothing but |
words of praise are to be heard for her
from all who knew her. During her hus-
bands absence the woman worked hard
10 keep herself and children. Not once |
did she murmur aud how she was living
was discovered by neighbor who accl-
dentally stepped in and saw the meagre
breakfast that was spread for the family. |
The church members interested them
selves and the woman and her children |
were made more comfortable.
On the other hand nobody had a good |
word for the husband. One man SAID: ~
have known Jim Robinson all his life: | |
rocked him in his cradle IN that house |
mot square from the murder) and he |
has always been worthless. There was
never anything vicious in his manner, (
but he was lazy and trifing.
After his release from the asylum Rob- |
lnson was given work on the farm of ex-
Senator Carter. He did his chores we'll. |
and did not show any signs of insanity.
In fact nobody has noticed anything 10 |
bis demeanor during the past five months
that was at all di fferent from his actions
IN former years. He has always done a !
great deal of talking about his wife run |
ming with other men, but his remarks on |
this subject have been laughed at by the |
neighbors, who declare that there were no |
for such talk and they fully be- |
ieve that be has been contemplating this
Iced for some time and did the talking in |
order to show motive for the act.
That he acted deliberately and knew
what he was about is given color by the |
act that Robinson within short time re-
moved all the locks on the doors, substi-
,uting locks that could be worked only |
no Incl 10 (lr.f Al a
room where the murder took place. in ad-
iition to such lock there was a hook.
The front door could not be unfastened |
rom the outside, the constable in charge
being compelled to crawl through the cell
ar window.
The house in which Robinson lived is
touble one. The family on the west side |
lid not hear any noise during the night
About daylight they heard something like |
l body falling and suppose that was when
Robinson cut his own throat as the alarm
Nas given soon after. This family speak
n the highest terms of Mrs Robinson,
They tell of the time that her husband as
saulted her with the stalk knife. After
escaping from Robinson the woman
slipped behind door and owing to the |
darkness her husband was unable to find
1er. His nephew lived with him then
and Robinson ordered him to make a
ght but the boy would not do it. Mrs.
Robinson had aroused the neighbors and
ner husband ran up stairs and yelled MUIR
Ter out of the window.
Constable Hill says he has been called
more than once to compel Robinson to
stop beating his wife and is generally
that she has suffered more in this
manner than is publicly known.
The feeling against Robinson was In
,ense on Sunday, and it would have taken
but a few words to secure his death by
ynching, even with his life at the low
abb it then was. The regret is that he
lid not kill himself before he murdered
his wife.
Robinson was removed to a Trenton
hospital, where he is under guard 1t |
was at first thought that his recovery was
impossible, but the latest reports are that |
le will be sufficiently recovered to re- |
move within two weeks Coroner Fisher
Investigated the affair and empaneled a
ury. The inquest was held last evening,
md the jury rendered verdict that Mrs. |
RObinson's death was caused by wounds |
inflicted by her husband
A Serious Accident.
~ m