New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-01
Plans to Cast Blame for Bank
Theft on Another and Plead
with Court for
Liberty.
SURE OF WHITMAN'S AID
Hyde Hopes to Get Out Of
Tombs in Week Through Ger .
tificate of Reasonable Doubt
Tells Family Not to
Visit Him in Prison.

the Hyde trial--Charles II. Hyde. the
convicted City Chamberlain. and Jo-
seph 6. Robin, the convicted banker.
But Robin has been there twenty three
months and occupies an ordinary cell.
while Hyde, who entered in the We.
hours yesterday morning, is quartered
( in what used to be the private quar-
| ters Of the warden. the little frame
! building in the prison courtyard made
/ famous by the occupancy OF William J.
/ Cummins, whose relations with Hyde
led 10 the latter's downfall.
! Hyde expects 10 leave the Tombs in
about week on a certificate of rea-
sonable DOUBT. He sent word TO the
members Of his family, in Roslyn. Long
| Island. that none of them was to visit
him in the City Prison; that within
week he would be home with them N
Roslyn. Robin, confident of being freeI
soon, is already planning TO rebuild his
wrecked fortune
! Though Hyde's conviction was in
sense a personal triumph for the for
mer head Of the Northern Bank. Robin
did not express yesterday any sense II
elation. This question was put to him
in the corridor of the Tombs:
| What do you think Of the verdict?"
| I'm sorry for HYDE he replied
gravely.
But don't you regard it in the light
OF a personal yindication?"
Not exactly. | was particularly in
terested, though. in the attitude 4
/ Judge and jury toward alienists," and
he smiled with evident relish.
Wouldn't Have Convicted Hyde.
But. honestly, il was big surprise
To me- he went on. Looking at my
self as the public knows me, don't
think if ! had been on. that Jury I
would have voted for conviction. What
convicted Hyde was not my testimony.
but the defence he put in.
Robin said he had received no assur-
ances or promises whatever of elem
ency or reward for his appearance as "A
witness for the state, and he insisted
further that he didn't want any. WhaS
he wants is chance 10 go TO trial On
the charge Of grand larceny to which
he pleaded guilty before Justice Sea-
bury in the early spring of 1911.
He said on the stand in the Hyde
trial, and he repeated Yesterday. that
he had written 10 Justice Seabury al
ready three times begging him TO throw
the plea Of guilty out; that he had dis
covered new testimony which would
exonerate him and that he wished a
chance TO present it to a jury. As We.
he has heard no word from the judge,
who was excused from testifying on
this point in the Hyde case because Of
the delicacy of his official relation TO
the subject.
On Monday Robin plans to write
again to Justice Seabury. Appealing
to the conscience Of the court" he calls
It, When Justice Seabury indicates a
Willingness TO hear argument on the
case District Attorney Whitman will
say to him that Robins services TO tho
state, he thinks, should be taken into
consideration by the court in disposing
OF the plea or sentencing the defendant.
Hopes to Shift Blame.
Within three weeks Robin expects to
go before the grand jury with evidence,
documentary and oral; with checks.
telephone records ard other material
exhibits which he thinks will persuade
that body to return against a man now
under indictment for a misdemeanor.
! following the collapse of the Northern
/ Bank, an indictment for felony. 1t is
this man who Robin expects will re-
! grand larceny to which he pleaded
! guilty, involving the theft OF S27, 900
from the Washington Savings Bank.
1t is no secret that the District Attor-
neys office thinks he has a strong case
against his former colleague.
why. If am guilty of that crime
ought to be punished for con-
temptlbIe blackguard," exclaimed the
man who has pleaded guilty to. the
charge. when I pleaded guilty ! did
so merely to take refuge. I said, in
| effect, to the court I put myself en-
tirely in your hands. For heavens
! sake, protect me-.
You must remember that at that
time | faced a choice between twenty.
five years in Sing Sing and life In Mat
| teawan. | was sick, penniless and
friendless. | didn't know even the de-
tails of the crime | was charged with.
But | had TO do something. And now
| have had time to look into the whole
thing. find out just what 1t is | am
supnosed TO have done and discover the
man who did 1t. And before l ger
through he will be in the Tombs under
an indictment for grand larceny" :.
In reverting to the subject of alien
lists Robin said he wished to say 4
word or two about Drs. Austin Flint
and Carlos F. Macdonald. Against the
other men he made no complaint, he
said hut Flint and Macdonald had
held the relation to him which exists
between patient and private physician.
William Travers Jerome had employed