Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-12-17
CAME To DEATH
BY FOUL MURDER
Evidence 10 Mysterious Audi
bon County Case Points
to AtrociouS Crime.
JURY FINDING IS WITHHELD
Coroner's Report Kept Secret Be-
cause Arrests Are Expected to Be
Made-Family Troubles Baye Been
Aired In Court.

Audubon. Dec. 12.-Every circum-
stance disclosed by the coroner's jury
which investigated the mysterious
death of 16-year-old Dick Robson,
whose body was found in a potato
patch near Extra last Tuesday, point
to murder.
The jury finished its labors yester.
day, but its report was withheld be-
cause 1t is said to contain findings
that will necessitate the Immediate ar
rest of persons living near Extra. Not
until they have been taken into Gus
tody will the verdict be given to the
public.
1t is known, however, that the Jury
was agreed in its opinion that the lad
came to his death by violent means
at the hands of other persons than
himself Who those persons are Is for
the present a mystery, but 1t may be
solved soon, and when il Is Audubon
county may have sensation of. SEN
sations.
That the Robson boy was murdered
was quite conclusively shown by the
evidence presented to the jury during
its investigations. The lad was found
with a leather strap tight about his
neck and his clothes were disarranged
and slightly torn In way to indicate
that he had had brief struggle with
some older and more powerful person.
The motive for the murder of this
mere boy, however, is wrapped in
mystery, and the coroner's jury did
not reach the bottom of 1t. He was
an In et1v M "a L.
killing was most atrocious.
The death of Dick Robson has
given new interest to the rather
strange and sudden death Of an older
brother early last spring. He died af-
ter a brief illness, although he had
been strong and well up to the very
moment of his illness, almost So
strong are the suspicious that there
was foul play in his case, also, that
the sheriff and coroner have under
consideration the ACCESSIBILITY of ex-
huming the body and making an ex-
animation of the stomach and other
organs for traces of poison.
The Robson family has had more
than its share of trouble In the past
two years. Soon after the death of
his wife, Joseph Robson, a wealthy
German farmer near Extra, married a
second wife, woman whose acquain.
lance he had made through a matri-
monial agency. The marriage proved
unhappy both for the husband and
his children. Mrs. Robson about a
year ago sued for divorce and $4,000
alimony. She was granted a separa-
ton and $4,000.
Soon after Robson was made defend
ant in second suit in which neigh
Dor, Jake Schwinn, asked for $4,000
damages for SANDER Schwinn alleged
that Robson had accused him of alien
ating Mrs. Robson's affections and
breaking UP his family. The jury gave
Schwinn $3.50 damages. but Robson
asked for a new trial and received it
and the case was set for hearing at
the present term of court. Now q
postponement will no doubt be had
because the Robson lad was an i'm
portant witness for his father as to
the alleged relations between his STEP
mother and Schwinn.
The community in the vicinity Of
the Robson home is much stirred up
over the discovery of the boys body
and the circumstances connected
with his death. 1t Is awaiting with
much eagerness the publication Of
the coroners jury report and the ac-
tion of the officers.