The San Francisco call., 1909-04-30
SUICIDE IS
|. RESULT OF
STRAND|NG
Captain j. F. Robinson Dies by
Own Hand on Wreck OF
Liner Indiana
Fear of Censure for Mishap Is
Thought to Have Caused
Mind to Give Way
Believed Company Treated him
Unfairly for Telling Truth
to Federal Official
Body of Well Known Mariner
Being Brought Home on
Steamer Peru


master OF the wrecked Pacific
Mail liner Indiana, committed
suicide last Monday on board the
stranded steamer News OF the
tragedy was received here yesterday
in wireless message from the United
States cruiser Maryland, which'is now
at Magdalena bay The message con
tanned no details as TO the manner OF
death, but conveyed the information
that the mariners body was being
brought home on the liner Peru,
which is due here on Monday
The Indiana. Captain Robinson in
command, went ashore few weeks
ago about 40 miles south Of SIagda-
lena bay. There were more than TWO
score passengers on board, Who were
brought to this port on the cruiser
California. The were unanimous and
outspoken ia taeir praise OF Captain
Robrnson's conduct in the hour of
stress Before separating they joined
in perition TO the Pacific Mail com
pany expressing their appreciation of
the effective manner in which the cap
tain had ministered 10 their comfort
and hazarding the opinion that the
disaster was not due TO any lack of
care on the captains part.
Remains With Wreck
Captain Robinson stayed with the
wreck and assisted in saving large
part of the cargo IN good condition.
The Melville Dollar, with the salvaged
freight. arrived here Monday and
brought word that Captain Robinson.
the other officers and the crew of the
Indiana would be home on the Peru.
Then came the belased wireless mes
sage telling OF Robinson's death
r P. schwerin is not in the city. but
a. j.. Frey. his assistant. said yester-
day that the company had practically
decided to exonerate the captain"
Robinson. however. had no reason to
expect this. as schwerin. except in a
few rare cases where influence was
brought to bear. has shown no mercy
10 the master whose ship has hit the
beach or touched rock. The fact that
the rock was not shown on the chart
has made little difference in tempering
the severity of Pacinc Mail discipline.
Captain Robinson had the less reason
to expect it from the fact that he be-
iieved himself to be in the bad books
Of his superiors because he told the
truth some years ago TO government
ofnciaI He was not dismissed from the
service. but. was given the most unde-
sirable commands and kept on the
Panama run
With Company Many Years
Captain Robinson was bern October
%. 1852. and entered the service of the
Pacific Mail company in 1892 as chief
oficer OF the liner San jose He served
as chief ofncer also Of the Peru and Rio
dc Janeiro. and had been master Of
the city of para. Barracouta. Aztec and
City of Pekins-
1t was while he was master of the
city OF Psking that he fell into the
bad graees Of r. r. schwerin. The
late Frank r. Sargent. then commits
sioner OF immigration. was passen-
ger on the Peking from Honolulu. Cap
tain Robinson, vino had been for
years on the run 10 the isthmus and
was an authority on the subject. told
the commissioner few inside facts
about the Pacific Mail Panama ships.
When Sargent arrived here ne laid his
information before Sehwerin. giving
Captain Robinson as his authority. and
demanded that numerous changes be
made. sargent's orders were complied
with. but Robinson was never forgiven.
He was slated. TO go east and bring
out and command one OF the new
liners for the China run
But you won't so now, Schwerin
is alleged to have told him.
AS a shipmaster Robinson was care
fA and capable. He took his medicine
without a murmur. He saw men
younger in the service and OF less ex-
perlence given the crack commands.
while the ugly dnckiing in the feet
was reserved for him. He gave no
excuse for his dismissal from the serv-
| ice but plugged along without hope