The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-07-29
BUT HE su|c|DtO IN CELL
M0therD Declares That Prenatal
Influences Made Her Son
a Criminal.
WAS "UP AGAINST HARD GAME

who shot and killed Police Inspector
Thomas ]. Norton in cafe here a
month ago, ended his life early to-
day in his cell at Charles Street
Jail by cutting his throat and an ar
terry in his left wrist with a small
steel shank which he removed from
one of his shoes His trial for muir
der began Monday.
Robinson was game to the end.
He calmly lay back on his cot af-
ter cutting his throat and wrist and
bled to death without making an
cutlery He died within 40 minutes
after infiicting the wounds.
Robinson planned to kill himself
several days ago.
Where he got the strip of steel
was at first a mystery. But investi-
cation disclosed that he had sharp
ened tablespoon and used this to
cut the inner sole of his patent
leather shoes and extract the shank
from one of them, Then he sharp
ened the piece of steel for its use
against himself He had once been
a shoemaker and was familiar with
the construction of shoes.
Robinson's death came two hours
before he was to appear in Court for
the fifth day of his trial
Only last week Governor Hatfield,
of West Virginia, issued requisi-
ton upon the Massachusetts, author
tiles for him and confederate
named Joseph buddy for despoiline
Hamilton jeweler of $4,000
worth of diamonds last March,
Trapped in a Boston restaurant
by a squad of police, headed by In
spector Norton, he drew the revolver
that his nature taught him to carry
and actually loved and tried to fight
his way to freedom. The Inspector
was killed and Robinson, crippled
by three bullets, was captured
struggling like wounded wildcat
Known to the officers of the Law
as a dangerous wild man, careless
of his own life and reckless of the
lives of others. he was hunted as
men hunt big game, double armed
and with caution. Yet he was able
TO break through the circle of blaZ
ing pistols. squirting their lead al
him and almost got safely away. II
was but one of many experiences
where he gambled with death anC
always won.
up Against Hard Came"
Letters found in Bobinson's eff
fects, and dated July IS, indicate
that he contemplated suicide before
his trial had begun. In one note h'
said:
"To my dear mother and to my
wife, Dora Alice
''The loving sweetheart of my
boyhood days, the only woman !
have ever loved and who stuck Il
me through all the shame into
which plunged her, bid last
fond goodbye. and If there is Goo
Almighty and another world, | pra.
that | may meet you"
To Sheriff John Quinn, his keep
er, and to his counsel, John II. an'
Hugh C. Blanchard, ne wrote:
You're up against hard game
when you've got to die to beat it,
wouldn't wait to go to the chair fol
the satisfaction il would give GER
tain people. hate this on account
of the sheriff, who, through
strict. is a man. and my attorneys
Mr.. John II. Blanchard and Mr.
Hugh Blanchard, who have gone tc
an immense amount of trouble and
expense to prepare my defense"
His Mothers Secret.
The mother of Lawrence Robin
son was ready to bare her secret to
the world in an effort TO save heI
son from the gallows. She blamed
his criminal tendencies on prenatal
influences. because she had been
seduced.
In signed statement at hei
home in Washington, c. H., Ohio, a
few days ago, Mrs. Robinson said
Realizing that il may have the
effect of mitigating the rigor of the
law in its action against my boy, 1
am willing that it should be known
that he is subject to forces he. can
not control. Before he was born
harbored a hatred toward his faith
er that amounted to thoughts OF
murder. | showed this by getting a
pistol, keeping IL loaded, and having
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