Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-11-20
ROBINSON DENIES
ANY KNOWLEDGE OF
TYDINGS' MURDER
CONTINUED From Page One.)
Is Powerful Negro


Before a crowded courtroom, with
Judges Heuisler, Dawkins and Dobler
on the bench, Robinson, large. pow
erful type of negro, rather youthful in
appearance. entered a plea OF mot
guilty when arraigned
In his statement, States Attorney
Green said Tydings. on the afternoon
of Saturday. April %, left his work at
Feeders sand bank and on his way
home stopped at a store and pur-
chased food for his Sunday meals.
Among the articles carried in his bas-
ket were the pork chops.
Robinson. who had also worked at
the sand bank. according to Mr. Green,
knew that Tydings carried money, as
the men were always paid off on Sat
urday Mr. Green summarized his
case as follows:
The negro lived at Boone station
and on that afternoon went home early
and asked for something to eat His
wife informed him that there was
nothing in the house except some cold
fish that had been left from breakfast,
and this was placed before him. While
eating the fish Robinson swallowed
bone which lodged in his throat and
which his wife assisted him in remov
ing He then left the house.
Demanded Market Basket
Mr.. Green said the accused proceed
ed to the woods in the rear of Town
Neck Church, where he met Tydings.
who was taking a short cut off the
Annapolis Boulevard toward his home
The negro stopped him, according to
the States theory, and demanded the
contents OF his market basket. which
Tydings refused. and then, it is alleg-
ed, Robinson picked up the rock and
beat Tydings to death.
From the pockets of Tydings was
removed a purse containing $12, the
money being extracted and the purse
thrown aside. The chops were also
taken from the basket. and Robinson
is alleged to have returned home. His
wife cooked the chops and, with her
husband. ate them, after which Robin
son left for Baltimore and later moved
on to Lynchburg, Va, the State
charges, where he was arrested by
Headquarters Detectives JOS p h
Dougherty and John Mintiens, of Bal
timore
Mr. Green told the Court that Robin
son signed a full confession, which
would be introduced later in the pro-
ceedings.
Pounded Head Into Ground
The murder was one of the most
fiendish that has ever been committed
in the county, according to DR. j. S.
Billingslea, the first witness to testify.
He was one of the first to reach the
scene of the crime and told in detail
the condition of the body Tydings
was lying face down, he said, his head
occupying a hollow in the soft earth,
which had been made when the muir
derer pounded his skull into the
ground The earth around his hands
was dug up and scattered about, while
the fingers of one hand were bruised
and lacerated. as if they had been
struck by the stone while Tydings was
endeavoring to ward off the blows
One side of his head, the physician
said, had been badly pounded.
The wound was caused by a series
of hard blows" said the physician.
"Such condition could not have re-
suited from a single pillow. The man
died as a result of the destruction of
his brain. He was evidently beaten
with the rock until he ceased to move"
The piece of rock, somewhat wedge
shaped, about eight inches in length
and tapering at one end. was exhibit
ed On the heavy end were stains and
bits of hair, which the doctor identi-
fed. He said the stone was found be-
side the body.
Detectives Tell OF Confession
Detective Joseph Dougherty, the