Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-23

no struggle. He had no chance to offer
a fight for his life. He had been taken
by surprise and the strangers grip
clamped on his throat before he could
make an outcry.
Robee, whose real name was Kelly,
was a native of Mansfield, O., and was
! 80 years old. He had travelled extern
sively as the companion of wealthy old
man, an invalid who made tireless pill
grimages from country 10 country IN the
hope of finding one whose climate would
suit him. Robee often spoke of this
patron, and 1t became understood that
most of his art possessions and the cap
ital with which he afterward started and
prospered In business had been inherited
from this source. Following his jour
neyings he had discarded the name Of
Kelly and assumed that Of DeRobee. un
der which appellation he established a
fashionable ladies' dressmaking concern.
He eventually dropped the DE" and had
his name changed by court decree from
Kelly to Robee.
CARD PARTIES
AND DANCES.
At the time Of his murder he was
conducting very successfully at the Madi-
son avenue address, which was former
y the Weatherbee mansion, a boarding
IL
accommodation. service and meals were
Of the first class. There were twenty
dodgers, but scores Of persons living ia
the neighborhood lad arrangements for
taking their meals at the Robee house.
He frequently organized card parties aud
dances for his guests, and to these were
always invited freely young men In war
service on leave In the city. The night
he was killed, soldiers and seamen from
a debarkation hospital were being on
tertained In the house adjoining by a
Y NJ. g. 4. club OF women war workers.
Robee's body was found at o'clock
Feb, Is by George Mccain, one Of eleven
negro servants he employed. Mccain
went to his employers room on the first
floor. directly over the kitchen. II was
McCain's daily duty to awaken his en-
ployer and serve him. his breakfast In
bed. Mccain received no reply to his
knock on this morning, so pushed open
the door and entered the deliberately fur
nished den" and bedroom.
MAN STRANGLED
TO DEATH.
The bed was in order but the body
Of Robee on the door nearby was clad
only In pajamas There was a deep
cash on his forehead but an autopsy
showed that Individually be had been
strauEted. ne wound on the brow was
superficial and had probably been caused
by his head striking the footrail Of the
bed when he was borne 10 the floor iu
the grasp OF his assailant. The ueep.
purple marks on the flesh Of his throat
were, OF course, valneless as furnishing
finger print evidence. but they did stamp
the size of the murderer's hands as large
and very strong.
Over Robee's bed, on the wall and
within easy reach. were hanging a bolo
knife and n curious cato nine tails whose
leather cords and handle were highly
ornamented by inlaid Jet and mother of
pearl. But, unlike Philhower, he had no
opportunity to grasp either knife or
heavy handled whip In self protection
He had been attacked suddenly by the
stranger and choked Immediately into
.helplessness, for nothing in the room had
been disturbed He had been borne down
to death on the spot where he had been
seized.
Th police found several loaded pistols
in his room in easily accessible drawers