The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1911-01-06
ALLEGED BANK wREckER FALLS
MISUNDERSTANDING
UNCERTAIN. &,
Is TAKEN TO BELL yUE.
Swallowed Hyoscin, Drug Supposedly
Employed BY Or. II. II.
crippen-case 10
Postponed.

elled at the battery of cameras trained
on him. Joseph G. Robin, indicted
Tanker, stepped from his sisters home
to face arraignment calm in the
knowledge that he had swallowed
hyoscin, subtle and deadly alkaloid
with which DR.. Hawley Crippen killed
his wife, Belle fillmore. Robin col.
lapsed before he could be taken into
court, with the exclamation, I'm q
1ead man! I've taken poison tablets"
The case was postponed in the
greatest excitement, a. stomach pump
was hurriedly brought into play and
the sick man was carried first to the
prison hospital, adjacent, and later to
Bellevue. where he lies in the prison
ward. No charge of attempted sui
eide is entered against him, and it is
thought he will recover although the
action Of hyoscin is slow, and much
will depend on his vitality.
The time at which Robin took the
drug is approximately fixed by the
testimony of DR.. Austin Flint, retain.
ed for Robin by William Travers Jer-
ONE, his counsel; DR.. Louise Robino-
vich, his sister and the two detectives
from the district attorneys Office who
rode with him from his sisters house
10 the criminal court building.
In System Nearly an Hour.
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 collapsed. The
two detectives were positive that
their prisoner swallowed nothing on
the way to court. DR.. Robinovich said
that her brother was in the habit Of
taking hyoscin in small doses to
counteract the effects of morphine,
which he uses to deaden the stabbing
pains by which gall stones make
themselves known. She kept the drug
in her house and she thought her
brother swallowed twelve tablets. At
Bellevue, the examining surgeons esti-
mated that Robin had taken about
one-tenth Of grain.
Robin seemed in good health and
the first sigr of illness was when
he staggered from his automobile to
the criminal contributing. In the
elevator he weakened so rapidly that
the detectives had to lift him to
couch. There he sank into uncon-
seriousness, and was not revived until
stomach pump had been worked
vigorously.
Hyoscin is described in text books
as an alkaloid of henbane, and in it's
action cerebral and spinal sedative.
Cases are recorded in which 10th of
grain applied to the membranes of
the eyes has produced severe general
toxic symptoms. In large quantities
1t is dangerous Oppressive of the
respiration.
On information that the prisoner
could not be arraigned, the case was
postponed until the receipt of further
advices as to Robins condition.
Sanity Question Open.
Robins action leaves the question
of his sanity still open. DR.. William
Mabon for the state and DR.. Austin
Flint for his counsel examined him
Thurday night and found him physi-
cally able to appear in court, but they
did not pass on his mental state.
Just how his act will bear on that de-
cision when 1t comes does not appear.
In the affidavit submitted by his sis
ter, when she applied for his commit
ment to an asylum, she swore that
he attempted suicide last Saturday.
and gave that as one of the evidences
of his alleged insanity.
There were no further developments
in connection with either the North.
ern Bank of New York or the Wash
ington Savings bank. both of which
are in the hands Of the state banking
department, but the state department
Of insurance, took over the affairs Of
the Title & Guarantee company Of
Rochester, N. Y, and large force Of
accountants is at work on the ledgers
Of the many interviewer companies
which Robin promoted. ,s.4s <.e4
DAILY MARKET REPORT.