Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-11
LACKS SELF
RELIANCE AND
EASILY LED
ROBE MAY HAVE BEEN VICTIM
OF STRONGER MIND
QUESTIONS SHOW PROBABLE
LINE OF DEFENSE
Number of Witnesses Examined IN
Trial of Young Prisoner Said
to Be AecOmpIice of
Meskll

Rolla Robe is unstable. lacks determina-
tion and self-reliance and is easily leu
by a stronger mind
Listening closely to the cross-eNafnlIa-
+ion OF the prosecutions witnesses yester-
dav nv Attorneys f. ]. Spring ana arthur
T. veitch. the conclusion must be reached
that II is the purpose of Robes counsei
"a endeavor to prove the above to De
cot and that Robe was led into crime by
fhe dominant will and the influence OF
sunerior physical strength OF Danlel f.
Meskil ,,,,-
Rolla Robe does not look like mur-
derer, He does not even bear reset'-
blance to what is generally pictured IN
ona,s mind as the features of thiet; ana
as he sits in the crowded court rooIn'
holding his child on his knee and exchans-
ing loving glances with the nttie WIZ
and mother, who sits near by, II Is marc
for an observer to connect this almost
frail young man with the hlsnes' oiiiNo
a man can be guilty or - .
That Robe realizes fully his position Is
evident Not word of the testimony 10
unheard by him and not movement u
those about him is unnoted. Al every
mention of the killing of Patrick II;
Lyons and the robbery whlch occuIt iSI eu
lust prior to the shooting on November
40 Robe slances about uneasily, ana the
exnression on his thin face is not thaI OF
guilt but of apprehension.
Mrs. Robe Close Observer
Mrs. Robe follows the proceedings with
almost as much intentness as SHOWN py
her husband, and at each mention OF the
crime of which he is charged with having
been an accomplice the little woman 3
glance seeks the face of the prisoner Win
sympathy and support
When Judge B. N. Smiths department.
Of the superior court opened yesterday
onH the broad space
at the north side of the chamber which
has been cleared by the court olncers
the last two days was again crowded
Less restriction was shown and the gain
ering was allowed to remain throughout
the session. A large number OF the spec
tators was made up OF women Wnose
s,lances as they looked at the prisoner
his wife and baby were filled with sym
pathetic interest.
Robe's mother it was said yesterday, is
still lying almost at the point OF deatn
at her home on Catalina island, ana IL
was also stated his grandfather, A.
Grubb has been seriously i'll as result
of the troubles of his grandson
The first witness yesterday was Miss
Elsie NJ Miller an employe of a dye
works Miss Miller said she was near
tbe place where the killing of Lyons took
place on the night of the shooting ana
that the man wearing the mask, who has
since been luentlIeu do hS9hn' AiN W
shot.
.sThe man without a mask" said the
witness. was near the officer when the
shooting took place. l could not tell VINO
he was. but he was taller and slenderer
than the man wearing the mask. They
ran up Central avenue and then east or
Fourteenth street.
Shows Position of Men
Miss Miller pointed out on a diagram
she relative positions of the men in the
group where the killing took place.
Il saw man crossing the street" said
the witness. ''ano heard the man with the
mask say Come on or I will kill you.'
This she remembers distinctly.
DR.. George w. Campbell of 119 South
Royle avenue told of an autopsy and eX-
animation of Lyons body at Pierce Bros.
undertaking establishment the day fol-
lowing the shooting. He said the face
was studded with powder grains and one
eve had been destroyed. Over the right
eye was a bullet wound and the skull
had been fractured in all directions.
Death, he said, had been caused by
gunshot wound.
Elmer Minerd, a groceryman at 1875
Newton street. who searched Lyons
clothing at the command of Meskil. testi-
fed in regard to the circumstances sur
rounding the shooting.
The first thing he noticed, he said was
some confusion near the Grosser winery,
and then he heard shouts and some one
commanding;
Hold up your hands; keep them up
there d---n you, or I'll kill you"
After his failure to find the officers re-
volver Minerd saiC. the masked man
stepped backward. and as he did so
Lyons turned quickly and was shot.
You saw a young man running across
the street?' was asked by District At
torney Fredericks.
YES" said the witness. Il recognize
him as the defendant here
Minerd said when Robe was about fif-