The sun., 1918-09-13
DOUGLAS ROBINSON,
REALTY MAN, DEAD
Br0ther-in-law Of Col. ROose-
Welt Succumbs After Few
Hours Illness.
FOREMOST IN HIS LINE
Managed Vast Estates and
Handled Biggest Deals in
Recent History.

AhsTEhDAM, ~. l., sept lE.-bouBids
Robinson. brother-in-iaw OF Col The
odore Roosevelt and president OF the
Douglas Robinson. Charles s. Brown
Company of New York. died in a hos
pital here at 1910 o'clock this after
noon following an illness lasting but a
few hours
Mr.. Robinson. who had left Albany
early last night to go to the old fam
lily home in Warren. Herkimer county.
became III on the train. his affection
taking the form Of severe pains In the
back and stomach 4 physician aboard
the train examined Mr.. Robinson and
advised him to 90 to a hospital i'm
mediately, whereupon the sufferer left
the train when 1t stopped here and was
taken TO the local institution where he
died.
1t was not thought late last night tina
Mr.. Robinsons condition was serious.
but ne steadily grew weaker. He had
stopped off at Albany yesterday on his
way TO Warren and had spent several
hours at the State capital.
Foremost Realty Man OF Country.
Douglas Robinson. whose wife was
Miss Corinne Roosevelt sister OF ex-
President Roosevelt-was ranked by
many real estate men as the foremost
realty broker in the country. As pres
ident and director Of the Douglas
Robinson. Charles 8. Brown Company
OF IL Wall street he was head Of the
affairs Of the largest real estate brok-
erage firm in the United States, a realty
concern so highly thought Of that 1t
wa3 easily ranked as the highest au-
tho-ifv land
lions to be found in the country.
Realty experts who spoke in sad
dened tones yesterday OF Mr.. Robinson
and his remarkable business career
said that 1t had come to be an accepted
practice In the local realty world. almost
business necessity. to have Mr.. Rob
insons firm appraise real property
before any considerable amount OF
money could be borrowed on the realty
holdings. As the frm grew TO its
present impressive proportions AR. Rob
inson was credited with having amassed
a large fortune in consequence.
Announcement was officially made
only yesterday that the vice president
Of the company William II. Wheelock.
had Just been appointed directing head
OF the United States Government Real
Estate Department. the bureau which
will buy. lease. condemn and COM
mandeer all real estate for the Govern
ment hereafter.
Despite Mr. wheelock's new duties
and the large number of employees of
the Arm now in Government service Mr..
Robinson and his associates. too old to
don uniforms, not only had continue
steadily to expand their big business
but also had voluntarily taken upon
their shoulders form of drudgery
,rfn
Not only would Mr. Robinson and
the older men OF his firm buckle down
to do the work OF their younger en-
ploy ees at the front. 30 Mr.. Robinson
announced not long ago. but the firm
also would gladly take over the AFFAIRS
OF any or all OF the smaller real estate
concerns OF Manhattan. the heads Of
which might be absent at the front or
doing other Government work. Where
fore. UP TO the time OF MI Robinson =
sudden illness Wednesday night, he was
generously running the affairs OF sew
eral smaller firms which. owing to the
war duties of the owners Of these
smaller concerns. might have gone 10
ruin II 1t were not for Mr. Robinson e
generous act: and when the war Is
over Mr. Rcbinson's firm will. OF course,
turn over these agencies, together with
the profits. to the younger real estate
men now serving the Government.
Handled Pennsylvania Terminal.
Perhaps foremost among the count
less rea! estate transactions OF magni-
tude managed by Nj. Robinson was the
work he did. as head OF his firm. In as
sembl!ng and buying for the Pennsyl-
yania Railroad Company all the real
estate that entered into the upbuilding
OF the Pennsylvania vast new terminal
In the Seventh avenue and Thirty
fourth street region. Also he executed
like commission for the Hudson and
Manhattan Railroad Company when the
McAdoo tunnels were brought 10 the
Hudson Terminal.
I'm TO the time that the late John
Jacob Astor lost his life on the Titanic
Mr. Robinson was trustee OF thar par'
OF the vast Aston estate which Mr.. AS
tors father had left In trust to Vim
cent Astor's father. Mr.. Robinson also
managed the affairs OF the Kennedy
estate and other great properties valued
at many millions OF dollars,
Notwithstanding the volume OF the
realty business directed by Mr.. Robin
son, and the cares attending his numer-
Gus other affairs, he was blessed with
a disposition so genial and grin SO
happy that invariably ne was Known
among real estate men as Sunny Jim.
Large OF frame. with seemingly at least
decade or more OF active business
years ahead OF him, n lover OF the coun-
try and outdoor life. the casual observer
might think him anything but the tire
mendously energetic business man he
was.
1t was always to Mr.. Robinson that
the heads OF big steamship companies
hospitals and other large institutions In
Manhattan OF a public or private ntaure
turned for advice and personal assist.
ance when the matter OF realty entered
into their affairs.
The great sorrow OF his LIE came
TO him In February. 1909, when his
youngest son. Stewart Douglas Robin
son. was killed while Junior at Har'
ward. The youth. who was not yet 90
accidentally fell six stories from the
window OF room In Hamden Hall. one
Of the dorm,tory buildings at Harvard
and was found dead on the pavement a
few minutes later.
Mr.. Robinson was graduated from OK
ford in 1876. Besides being head o.
the firm OF the Douglas Robinson. Charlie.
s. Brown Company, he was president
and director OF the Douglas Land Com
pany, a director OF the Bankers Trus'
Company and of the Equitable Life As
xnranca Sociaty and n trustee of the