FROZEN TO DEATH - William Robinson 1860

ROBINSON, COX, CAFFALL

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 4/24/2016 at 10:07:32

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Dubuque Herald – Jan. 3, 1860; Page 3
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FROZEN TO DEATH. – We are sorry to be obliged to lay before our readers the sad intelligence of the death by freezing of citizen of Dubuque, on Friday night last, near Colesburg.

From what we have been able to gather, Wm. Robinson, on the evening mentioned, was coming toward Dubuque, having been out on a collecting tour. About 9 o’clock on the evening in question, Mr. Robinson approached a farm house near where he was frozen, and enquired the road. After getting the required information, he passed on, but in some way mistook the road, and instead of following the highway, he turned off into a wood-road, which he followed apparently for some distance before he discovered his error. He turned about, retraced his steps, and when within a hundred yards of the farm house, he fell. How long he remained is unknown, as these circumstances are inferred with marks in the snow.

It would appear that he fell once, struggled awhile in the snow, got up, went a little further and again fell, this time to rise no more. He was found next day in this spot.

Mr. Robinson was aged some 35 years, and was born in London. His father was a sea captain in the East India trade. He was a graduate at Cambridge, acted for some time as amanuensis to Bishop of -.

He had been in this city some five years, a portion of which was spent as clerk in the employ of Cox & Caffall. He was a man of fine education and latterly of correct habits. His mother is still living in England.