The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-10-14
WOULD NOT
FACE DIVORCE
KOKOMO MAN KILLS WIFE
ON WEDDING ANNI-
VERSARY.
Recalls Deed of Father in Trag-
edy Enacted Thirty-four
Years Ago.

NOkOlllO, Ill.,, OCl. T. L-Gdil IL
lo that he was to be sued for d..
torce, William Pobison shot and
killed his wife, Jennie Robson,
in the Thalman & Levi depart
ment store today, the twenty
first anniversary of their Ne iding.
The Robinsons met in the store
late this afternoon.
Is it true you intend to bring
suit for divorce?' Robson de-
manded of his wife. You have
heard the truth and | mean it,
she replied.
Without another word Robson
drew a revolver and in the pres
ence of a score of customers and
clerks fired twice at his wife's
breast. AS the woman fell he fir
ed twice again. the bullets mar
rowly missing several spectators.
As Mrs. Robson crumpled un-
conscious to the aisle floor, her
sister. Miss Pearl Bowman, who
was shopping with her, tainted.
Con fusion resulted and Mrs. Rob-
iSon died before she could be
moved from the building.
Walks Deliberately Away.
After the shooting. Robson
walked deliberately into the
street. He was observed by ]. T.
Malosh to place the smoking
weapon n his hip pocket. Malosh
notified the constable who took
Robson into custody The pris-
oner appeared dazed. Those
Rowmans have drivenane crazy"
he said. referring TO his wife's
relatives. Il guess | am crazy"
He nearly collapsed before he
was placed in a cell.
| Robson is 46 years old and his
wife was 81. They had one child,
Hilma, t years old, who, since
the home was broken up on
May Is, this year has been kept
| by the mother. The child was at
a relatives home at the fine OF
| the shooting and every fort was
made to keep her ignorant of the
tragedy. But she kept repeating
over and over again. Where is
mamma? Is mamma dead?' that
at last she was told. Then she
learned her papa was in Jail and,
young as she is, not comprehend
ing it all, she is i'll from weeping.
| The Robisons had had much
domestic trouble. In a rambling
confession to officers at the Jail
Robson said he had followed his
wife and her sister from the Sipe
| Theater, where they had attend
ed a matinee and that they had
unified" him. He declared he
had purchased the revolver, not
to STAY his wife, but to protect
| himself from her relatives.
| Wife Had Been Ill.
Mrs. Robson had returned from
Indianapolis a short time ago
where she had been under med
ical treatment after undergoing
an operation.
i Because of marked coincid
ence of the crime committed by
Robson and one credited to hi:
father, it is believed the prisone
will plead insanity. David Robi
son. the father, resident of Plev
ma, in 1875, is alleged to hav,
killed two of his children attemp
ted the life of his wife and sho
at the son, William Robson, VIII.
today killed his own wife.
The younger Robson carries il
his right cheek the bullet fired b,
his father, and is alive becaus,
he crawled to safety on his hand
and knees as the father hurled ;
stick of stove wood after him
! finding that he had not made Ger
tain of the boys death. His tw,
, daughters throats the elder Rob
ison slashed. Both girls died
Robson the father planned hi
escape by laying down fence
across fields approaching the city
After committing the crime h
rode furiously to Kokomo, board
ed freight and falling between
the cars near Jackson station, wa
killed.