The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-18

Him-The Old Hermit Surprised
at Relatives Home in Greenfield.
Constable Robinson the Captor.
There WAS quite furry of excite
ment in the city last night when Con-
stable William Robinson, of Greenfield
township, drove to the city Jail with
Nathaniel cobb as his prisoner; the
aged hermit who murderously used Il
knife on Constable Edward Ncary and
two other persons, William Osborn and
Daniel Dempsey. on the night of May
l. last.
The old man, whose admitted wild
passion of anger came nea" tp causing
the death of the three men whom he
cut and ripped with his murderous
blade, has been a fugitive since the
night of the happening. In the in
tcrim he made his home among rela-
tives and succeeded in cludinG the Off
GERS of the law. The past two or ,hrc"
weeks his hauntS have been ccascl SSly
watched, for it was the purpose to
bring him to trial at the coming Sos
sion of criminal court, If the grand
jury now sitting indicted him, which is
looked for. Constable William Robin
son, Cohh's captur. has been hot on
the trail Of the aged assailant the past
week. Yesterday he took cobb by sur
prise, while at the home OF Ira Suy-
der in Greenfield township, and ar
rested him before he had cv"N the
merest chance to flee or make the re-
SlstanCc that was anticipated.
REVOLVER, KNIFE AND RAZOR.
'Nhe old man was prepared and well
fortified To- resist If he was So inclined.
and it is not unlikely that he would
have done so had he the opportunity,
lie had on his person when taken a
loaded revolver, knife and a razor.
BY this circumstance, he sustained the
reputation that h, hears of having an
inordnatc desire To have firearms
about him.
Cobb was about hitccn feet away
when Constable Robinson hailed him.
He realized that it would be use
less to attempt an escape or resist
ance, but in his confusion he started
of on a quick, active step. He was
stcrnly halted by the officer and then
meckly submitted to arrest. The con-
stable led cobb TO his carriage and
drove to the city, where he lodged
his prisoner in a cell in the city Jail.
PATHETIC FEATURES OF CASE.
At 10 O'Clock, couple of hours af
ter his arrival at the city Jail, Cobl
was taken before Alderman Jones an,
Arragned. The old man presented
ritiable appearance and even thos
who were loudest in their denunciatiol
of his wild act at the time of it
happening, We're forced to kind-hoart
ed sympathy for him i'm hls presen
Splight. lie is now past siXty-five years
His hair is whitened by these years
AZ least what little remains, for h
is almost bald, and this, coupled wit
his poor raiment his overalls the wors
for wear and age and his oVercoat il
tatters softened the heart of every on
who among the roomful at the hear
ing. He was deeply agtated am
trembling at the fear of punishment.
WHAT COBB SAID.
When the alderman asked him if h
plead guilty or not guilty, Cobb hesi
tated, and his small form trembled AN
his cane shook in his his hand as h
cleared his throat to make an answe
"Well," he faltered, Il guess
might be just as well to waive a
examination, It's for the court TO dc
eide, l suppose, whether I'm guilt.
! did the cutting, l know, but / didn
mean to kill no one, so / didn't. wa
in a terrible passion of anger, haN
a habit of gettin' that way, but didn
mean to murder no one" The alder
man entered the plea and committo
the old man, who won so much pit
from the spectators, to the county iai
Osborn and Dempsey We're present Z
the hearing. When Cobb met thel
he offered his band, first to Dempse
and then to Osborn, saying to the la
ter in his slow, mild voice, Hell
Os."
Constable Robinson, who effected II
capture, is what might be called n
hero OF the hour, because of his g,
plot. There was no prisoner who e
caped in this vicinity who was wan