Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-10-12
History's Observation-Disclosures 49,"

In the Potter's field just outside the
gloomy walls of the asylum for the
criminally insane at Mattewan, N. Y,
there is headpiece which bears the
number "S8"-and, back Of this SIM
pie inscription, is story Of identity
concealed in the face Of the laws
most determined efforts which makes
fiction appear pale and commonplace
by comparison.
All that is known Of the early his
tory of "Mrs. Henrietta Robinson" the
palpably assumed name Of the woman
whose body rests beneath the num-
bered headstone at Mattewan, is that
she was Of either English or Canadian
origin and that she came to Troy, N.
T., in 1851, being always we'll sup
piled with funds from a source which
remained concealed even during the
rigid investigation which followed her
arrest on the charge OF murder.
Some months after "Mrs. Robinson"
settled in Troy strange and appar-
emily inexplicable tragedy occurred.
A merchant and a young woman who
was living with his family dropped
dead 8 lie table. A post-mortem ex
animation showed that they had been
poisoned and, despite the absence of
motive, Mrs. Robinson" who had been
present, was arrested, but refused to
say word even to her lawyer.
To add 10 the air of mystery which
surrounded the entire case, the defend
ant insisted upon appearing in court
shrouded in heavy black veil which
efIectually concealed her features.
All during the trial she sat, impassiye
and unmoved, apparently taking not
the slightest interest in the conduct of
the proceedings. When the state had
concluded its case, a comparatively
himsy structure of circumstantial evil
dence, the counsel for the defense
arose and, admitting that he had not
shred of direct evidence to offer,
introduced the plea Of insanity.
At the conclusion of the trial and
before delivering his charge to the
jury, the presiding Judge called at
tention to the fact that no one in the
court had seen the face of the defend
ant and requested "Mrs. Robinson" to
lift her veil
Slowly and with great dignity she
arose, but made no effort to comply
with the courts request.
81 am here" she stated, in a voice
which penetrated to every corner of
the crowded courtroom, "to undergo
most painful ordeal, not to be gazed
at"
The request was not repeated and,
after a deliberation of several hours.
the jury returned verdict of Guilty"
and the prisoner was sentenced to
death-a decree which was later COM
muted to life imprisonment by order
of the governor, though not before
Mrs. Robinson" had made one formal
statement in the shadow of the gal
lows:
when am dead" she declared
AL will die with me. have promised
to be silent, to die without betraying
anything"
The first IS years of her life SEN
tence were passed in Sing Sing peni-
tertiary. She was then moved to the
Auburn State Prison for the Insane.
where she remained for II years, and
finally to the Asylum of the Criminallv
Insane at Mattewan, where the woman
of mystery finally died on May 4, 1905
after 3 years in prison. During all
TINS time, however, she never wrote
letter nor spoke a word, save to her
lawyer who visited her at regular in
;crvals and who admitted that his
services had been paid for by Certain
influential personageS" whom he was
not at liberty to name.
All that was known of "Henrietta
Robinson" was that she played the
organ at Sing Sing with the touch of
master musician and that she died
as she had livcd-in silence. utter and
absolute, leaving as a heritage some
of the most puzzling questions in ths
history of criminal proceedings:
What was the woman's real name
ana where had she come from?
Had she poisoned the merchant and