The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-15
FIVE ARE DEAD.
Crazy Man Kills Four People
and Himself.
He Wounds Another Who Prob
ably viii Die.

sons are dead and two others prob
ably will die as result of wounds in
hicted by a man who is supposed to
have been crazed by liquor in this city
today. Those killed met almost in
stant death. The dead are:
WILLIAM STEWART
HARRY DODDRIDGE.
H. w. CHASE.
W. P. ROBINSON.
The wounded:
Mrs. Emma Stewart.
Mrs. W. H. Doddridge.
The series of tragedies were COM
mitted by W. P. Robinson, a house
cleaner, who is widely known in this
city.
About 8 o'clock this morning Rob-
inson left his rooms at the corner of
Fourth and IA streets, and going to
the apartments in the same building
occupied by Mrs Emma Stewart, the
landlady and her son William, raped
for admission. Mrs. Stewart upon
opening the door was shot through
the head by Robinson, who leveled a
3S-caliber Winchester. Robinson then
entered the dining room where young
Mr. Stewart, who had been seated at
brea kfasts was just rising from the
table Robinson attacked him imme-
diateIy plunging a long knife into his
body, close above the heart, the blade
sinking deep into the chest and again
into the abdomen. At the second stab
pouring from his body in a stream
Robinson then returned to his
rooms, reloaded his rifle. and leaving
his knife apparently slipped reVol-
yer into his pocket. Leaving his
rooms again. he descended to the first
floor, one portion of which is used as
carpenter shop by H W. Chase
Chase probably saw Robinson enter
but paid no attention to him, for
Robinson approached close to him ana
suddenly turned up his rifle ana hreo,
the bullet entering Chase's breast
close to the heart The third victim
apparently died Immediately
Seeks More Victims.
From the carpenter shop Robinson
proceeded on his bicycle down Fourth
street for several blocks, through the
business section of the town, with the
rife still in his hand. He went directly
to the house of w. H. Doddridge, inter
nal revenue collector, on the northeast
corner of Second and H streets. He lett
his wheel at the curb and ran up tne
steps to the front door carrying his rifle
in one hand and his revolver in the
other. In response to his ring, Harry
Doddridge. son of ". H. DOddridge, and
who is an engineer at the san Diego
brewery, opened the door Robinson I'M
mediateIy raised his revolver and at
the crash young Doddridge sank to the
floor with bullet just above the heart
Death followed before medical assistance
could be summoned. Mrs. Doddr1dge,
the Young mans mother, hearing the
shot and perhaps witnessing the tragedy
ran screaming from the house. Robin
son hearing the screams started through
the house after the woman AS she
was crossing the yard the. crazy man
caught sight of her and fired, the bullet
striking her in the back. She fell head
long upon her face in the yard w.
H. Doddridge who was in bed jumped
or fell out of the window, breaking the
bones of his right hand and probably
sustaining internal injuries
Robinson searched the house for more
people When he came to the room just
vacated by DOddridge he climbed upon
the bed and placing his revolver to his
temple fired a bullet which tore OH the
top of his head. There is no known
reason for thinking there had been Ill
feeling between Robinson and any or
his Victims. Mr.. Doddridge says he
never even saw or heard of Robinson
before.
Wounds Proved Fatal
Mrs. Emma Stewart. the first victim
of the drink crazed man, was taken at
once to a hospital where portions of the
bones splintered by the heavy bullet
were removed by the surgeons. The bail
had entered the right cheek, passing
through the base of the brain and en-
erging at the back of the head. The
woman did not regain consciousness
and died shortly after being taken 10
the hospital She was a widow aged
about As and was highly respected by
neighbors and acquaintance
w Stewart, whose death shortly
followed the shooting of his mother
was her only child. He was news
boy. The first stab he received missed
the heart; the second, in the abdomen
proving almost Immediately fatal.
H W. Chase, the carpenter, was
about 40 years old and so far as mas
been ascertained had no family
Harry Doddridge, the fourth person
attacked by Robinson, had an excel
lent reputation and was popular
young man of 81 years.
It is not thought he was even &C
quainted with the man who killed him
His mother Mrs. Doddridge, has been
removed to hospital The seriousness
of her wound is not yet ascertained- TIE
bullet entered the back at the base of
the spine and may have pen atrated the
sacraI cavity. She is forty years old
w. H. Doddridge. who was injured by
falling from the window during the
enactment of the tragedy in his home, is
in a serious condition and may not re-
cover. It is said that his back is broken.
Yesterday, for the first time in the
city's history, every saloon in San
Diego was closed under the new Sun
day ordinance. As a result many deni-
Johns and bottles were filled on Satur-
day and it IS believed that Robinson S
insane acts Were committed while in a
condition of rcnzy induced by large
consumption Of whisky yesterday and
last night
sHOCH AT sTAHL RICNIC.