Robinson, Thomas C. - Guilty of Murder 1903

ROBINSON, DREAS

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 11/12/2019 at 17:18:34

HOWARD COUNTY MURDERS.
Judge Hobson. Tries Two Cases in One Term—Both Found Guilty.
The unpleasant duty fell upon Judge Hobson to try two, a young man and an old woman, for the crime of murder. Both were found guilty.
The Kreuger case has been widely known. The husband of Sophia Kreuger, one night last spring, disappeared. Her story of his absence was disconnected and irrational. Search found the body in the Iowa river, weighed down, and every bit of evidence pointed to his wife’s gilt{sp}. On the trial everything needed was proved save a motive. Her own testimony in defense contradicted her differing stories. The jury speedily agreed upon her guilt, and fixed the penalty at imprisonment for life—not a long sentence since she has passed sixty. Since then she has in an incoherant manner contradicted her testimony and confessed her guilt.

The other case was that of Thomas C. Robinson, charged with murder of twin babes born to Hanna Dreas last spring, born out of wedlock, and he the acknowledged father. It was found they were poisoned by strychnine. After four hours’ deliberation the jury agreed to a verdict of guilty, mainly on Robinson’s testimony under cross examination. Imprisonment for life was fixed as his penalty.