The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-10-25
BANK PRESIDENT
FALLS ON LINKS
I'll. B. Robinson, President
Merchants Bank, Dies
at Country Club.
VICTIM OF APOPLEXY

The death of Mr.. Robinson has come
as a great shock to the entire city
/ and many men prominent in the BUSH
ness and official life of the city today
paid tributes to the memory of the
deceased banker. aH
| The shock which came from the an
jnouncement of the death of Mr.. Robin
son has fallen heavily on members~ Of
4 his immediate family and close per-
sonal friends. Mr.. Robinsin had not
been in robust health. For some weeks
he had suffered from heart attack,
but on Friday he appeared to be much
| improved lin health. He himself had
arranged for the golf game which was
ended with his tragic death. With the
members of the foursome playing with
him when the final summons came he
had lunched at the Elks' club and he
had appeared to be the life of
| the party.
Played Splendid Golf.
If there had been any premonition
of the end it had not been reflected
in the actions of Mr.. Robinson with
his friends on the links. He had play
sed splendid golf for the three holes
before the grim messenger stopped
| his stroke. He had laughed and chat
| ted with the members of his party
and had been seemingly in the best
| of spirits. The only suggestion that
| he was suffering was the statement
just before death came that he felt
" little dizzy" 1t is believed that Mr..
Robinson taxed the strength of his
heart when he walked up the hills
Heading to the third green.
Many messages of sympathy we're
received at the Robinson home today
from men all over the state who have
| been business associates and friends
of Mr.. Robinson in the banking
business.
Typical Kenoshan.
Mr.. Robinson had been a typical
Kenoshan. He was a son of the late
! Frederick Robinson, former mayor of
Kenosha, and one of the best known
of the pioneer business men of the
city. He was born in Kenosha on
January %, 1868. He attended the
schools of Kenosha and then entered
Racine college. He won honors both
as student and as an athlete. He
was member of the Racine college
/ baseball team which won the inter-
scholastic championship in 1885, de-
| feating Northwestern University in
the final game of the season in no
run, no hit game, the first game of
this kind to be reported in the his
tory of baseball in America. 1t was
on account of this early association
with baseball that Mr.. Robinson was
known as one of the most enthusiastic
baseball fans in Kenosha.
Worked at Old ScOttfOrd Plant.
When he left college, where as
feature he had been a fellow student
of c. B. Voorhis, who was with him on
the links when he died, Mr.. Robinson
went into the Offices of the old Scott
ford Manufacturing company in Ke-
nisha. He worked in these Offices for
year when he entered the First Ma
tional bank. 1t was in the bank that
! he got his training as a banker.
Later he went into the insurance bust
ness with Arthur Fl. French under the
/ firm name of French and Robinson,
and this business alliance was broken
when Mr.. Robinson retired to organize
the private bank known as the Mer-
chants and Savings bank. Under his
direction the bank grew from an in
stitution with deposits of few thous-
and dollars to one with resources OF
over two millions. For years the bank
was the private institution of mem
bers Of the Robinson family, but later
fit was incorporated as a state bank
and later still in Joined the federal
reserve system. Many Of the best
known leaders among Kenosha men
have since been connected with the
directorate of the bank.
Conservative but Helpful.
! "Mr. Robinson was splendid
banker" said member of the board
of directors of the bank this morn
! ing" He was always conservative, but
he was always helpful. As president
of the bank his assistance was sought
| in financing many of the business men
of Kenosha and he did much to point
the way for the right kind Of bust
ness. People who knew Mr.. Robinson
| in his private life and in his BUSINESS
relations, carried for him a regard
which was akin to love. He was loyal
| to his friends and associates in bust
ness and they feel keenly his sudden
taking off,"
In addition to the members Of his
immediate family, Mr.. Robinson is
survived by his two sisters, the Misses
Emma and Louise Robinson of Prairie
avenue and by one brother, Richard
r.. Robinson, who is now living in
| San Diego, Cal. On account Of the
fact that Richard Robinson is in fee
Bile health it is not expected that he
could make any effort to come to
the funeral.