The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-31
Indicted Banker Robin
Swallows Dose of
Hyoscin.
BELIEVED HE
WILL RECOVER
Exclaining, "I'm Dead Man;
I've Taken Poison Tablets"
He Collapses as He Enters
Criminal Courts Building,
Where He Was to Have
Been Arraigned.

New York, December 3O.-With head
erect, shoulders squared, and eyes
Icyeicd Mt the bnttcry of camerns
trained on him, Joseph G.. Robin, the
Indicted banker, stepped from his sis
tcr's home this morning to face ar-
rnignment, calm In the knowledge that
he Ind swallowed n dose of hyoscin,
tho subtle md dcndly alkaIoId with
which DIR. Crippen killed his wife,
Belle ElmOrc. He collapsed before he
could be taken into the court, with tho
cxcInmHtiOn; T'm dend man; Two
taken poison tablets
The case was postponed in the great
est excitement. a stomach pump was
hurriedly brought into play, and the
sick man was carried first to tho
prison hospital adjacent and later to
Bellevue. where lie lies tonight in the
prison ward. No charge of attempted
suicide is entered against him, and 1t
is thought he will recover, although
the action of hyoscin is slow. and much
will depend on his vitality.
His Act Unseen.
The time at which Robin took the
drug is fixed approximately by the
testimony of DR.. Austin Flint, counsel
for Robin; DIR. Louise Rohinovitc1. his
sister. and the two detectives from the
district attorneys Office who rode with
hi mfrom his sisters house to the
Criminal Courts building. DR.. Flint told
the court that. as nearly as he could
judge from the symptoms, the poison
had been in Robins system about
three-quarters of an hour, when he coll
lapsed. The two detectives We're posi-
tive that Robin swallowed nothing on
the way to court.
Rnbfnnyitcb aafd that her brother
was in the habit of taking hyoscin in
small doses to counteract the effects of
morphine. which he used 70 deaden the
stabbirs pains by whichs gall stones
make themselves known Size kept the
drug in her house andsshe thought her
brother swallowed twelve tablets. AT
Bellevue tonight the examining sur
geons estimated that Robin had taken
about one-tMith of a grain.
Robin seemed in good health this
morning. better than at any time since
his troubles came upon him. The t1rst
sign of illness was when he staggered
on stepping from his automobile to the
criminal courts buildings. In the ele-
vator he weakened so rapidly that the
detectives had to lift him to couch.
There he sank into unconsciousness
and was not revived until the stomach
pump had been worked vigorously. It's
prompt use undoubtedly saved his hfe.
Outside. the corridors of the criminal
courts building fairly hummed with ex-
citement, but in the Court of General
Sessions itself, Judge Grain was trans
acting business as usual when W. f.
Jerome stepped rapidly down the aisle.
Court is Informed.
"Your Honor" he began hurriedly,
"1 am here in the Robin case. 1t ap-
has taken a
drug. He cannot be stimulated. An
ambulance has been summoned and
surgeons are now pumping on his
stomach The circumstances are un-
avoidable.
DR.. Austin Flint, retained by Jerome.
was called The assistant district at
torney asked what Robin had said
"He said" answered DR.. Flint. I'm
a dead man; I've taken poison tablets.
| I found his face flushed. the pupils of
his eyes dilated, his pulse 100 ana
feeble He told'me that he had swat
lowed the poison three-quarters of an
hour previously"
On information that the prisoner
could not possibly be arraigned, the
case was postponed until the receipt of
| further adyices as to his condition.
Robins frustrated attempt to-day
lleayes the question of his sanity still
open.
There were no further developments
| to-day in connection with either the
Northern Bank of New York. or the
Washington Savings Bank, both OF
which are in the hands of the State
Banking Department, but the State De-
/ partment of Insurance took over the
i affairs of the Title and Guarantee Com
| many, of Rochester, N. Y. and large
| force of accountants is at work on the
ledsers of the many interviewer COM
panies which Robin promoted.