San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-18
in the Most
Remarkable
of the Hundreds
of Executions
He Conducted

the floor at your former home in Saratoga Road
came the answer in grave official tones
Robertson seemed inclined to argue the point.
Said he al don't know whether they mine or not.
as have not seen Them
Then where are your children? ?" asked the de-
tectve question that elected foolish lie from the
arrested man.
81 abandoned them" he said ~ left them in the
street Howerton Workhouse some time ago."
This explanation was easily proved false Grad
uay a complete web of evidence was woven around
the crippled father accused of the heartless murder
of his three children. His wife and the couple who
had occupied the upper fiat at Saratoga Road at the
same time as the Robertsons lived there, told stories
that linked Fred Robertson Enthusiastically to the
crime.
Mrs. Robertson was only twenty-five years old,
and her ordeal heartrending one. At one
stroke she had been robbed of her three babies for
none of them much more than that. They were
Nelly and Frederick (twins), aged two years and
three months, while Beatrice still two months
short of her first birthday.
The police began rapidly to piece together the
bits of evidence which connected Robertson with the
shocking crime. The bodies of the three children
had been found wrapped in torn piece of blanket
and on searching the house the remainder of this
in the trial at the famous Old Bailey when these two
pieces of blanket were matched together before the
eyes of the jury.
The wretched father insisted that the children
had died of spinal meningitis, and that he had buried
the bodies to save the trouble and expense of fu-
neral. The jury brushed aside this preposterous
claim and promptly brought in verdict of guilty.
In due time received my orders to report at Penon-
Vile Prison to carry out the laws command in regard
to Robertson.
| looked with some curiosity this wretched
man who could murder three dear little mites of chill
dren and brick Them up in the cellar wall. AS
peeked at him through the spy-hole in the cell door
he looked ANYTHING but brute. He had mass of
dark curly hair, through which he had a nervous
trick of frequently passing his fingers-but who can
wonder that would be nervous with such
crime on his conscience, and knowing that IN few
moments he was to face his God
AS l entered Robertsons cell to pinion him he
seemed quite ready for the end, but still he made no
confession. Presently the short procession moved
off to the scafold. Robertson, as have said, was
one-legged man, and because of his wooden leg he
was called Peggy" AS the procession moved ST.
ently along the tap, tap, tap of the wooden leg on
the prison floor sounded above all other noises.
think his wooden leg the most conspicuous
item in the proceedings. There was no reason why
it should have demanded sympathy from us, but
there it Somehow the "tap-tapping" of his
artificial limb the pavement seemed to register
protest against the hanging of cripple.
Then one would remember that this same cripple
had committed most inhuman crime, and at once
one lost the feeling of pity for him. All of us in
hearts echoed the chapains prayer that the Eternal
Judge might find mercy for this man who had vio-
lated all canons of fatherhood; but earth there
could be nothing for him but the just punishment Of
the gallows.
He quietly took up his position at the spot on the
trap-doors that indicated to him, and | completed
the final adjustment of the moose round his neck,
Up to that moment he had made attempt to speak,
and knew now that he had no intention of making
that confession which the public had hoped for.
moment later | had drawn the lever and
Peggy Robertson shot down to instant death.
whatever may have been the actual truth of the
way in which he killed his children, the secret died
with him.