THE ROBINSON DIARY

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 173, 15 April 1908, Page 7

THE ROBINSON DIARY

D9IN6S IN CHRISTCHDRCH. ' THE AUTHOR'S STRANGE VISITOR. / .WAS IT CALDWELL? A MUCH - STOLEN TREASURE. [DY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.! ' • Ghrlstchurch, April 14. The "Press" this morning publishes a long account of tho caroer in Christchurch and Now Brighton of Mrs. Robinson, who has'of late obtained'such notoriety in con- . ncction with the Druce caso. Until to-day, > only a few people have known that tho local investigations into tho case were carried' out under tho direction of Mr. A; F. Wright, solicitor; a momber/of the firm of Duncan, Cotterill, and' Stringer; of Christchurch, which was .originally; retained to make certain inquiries on behalf of the solicitors for Herbert Druco,. and ttftenvards to perfornt •" the s?me sorvice for' the Public Prosccutor. Much of tho story is a repetition of wellknown facts', but some of it is now. EARLY MORNING SEANCES. ;It seeniß .that, after.leaYing New Brighton,. Mrs; Robinson went to live in Sydenham. About November,. 1906, an old man, who ro- .' , ' coived correspondence, in ono instance at least,' 1 under tho name of Caldwell, boarded at this house. During tHis time tho lights . ' i in tho house were,,burning regularly until . ' ■ ■ about 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., and for a time the place was" under police surveillance, but nothing was discovered to .justify any action- • .- being taken. , • ' . ' -. ■ , After the man had been thoro some weeks •it"became known that Mrs. Robinson waa .going Homo ,in connection with tho Druco caso, and later events gave rise to the sus- : ' picion that the diary had been manufactured during'tho night and early morning vigila with tho mysterious boarder. / .Photographs of Caldwell, which appeared in Homo papers, woro shown to neighbours, some of i whom identified him .without hesitation as ■; the jboardor, . while though satisfied that tho rosomblanco was so closo as to be remarkable, were not absolutely certain. It may be stated, howover, that though Caldwell admitted - having boon in . Now Zealand, a careful examination of "st&amer.V .ahd- passenger 'lists .failed to givo . / any indication that ho came to Christchurch i. about this. time, i . v< i'':.- "i--/ I -;p ' ... " ,i DIARY DOMES ON THE SCENE. i 1 It may bOjConsidored romarkablo that, al«_; :though Mrs. Robinson was oonstantly talk-' irig, about her , long 'acquaintance • with i tho .• 1 Duke,' she nevor. onco'produced the diary, or*. hinteel that, she had it in her' possession:.- - . ; ; The alleged diary contained long extracts ■ .from tho works of fehakospearo and other poets, but, ; of oourse;; the. main eptries were, . designed to; show'that tho fifth Duke of Portland and Druco <)f the Baker Streot Bazaar-• • ./ | woro one; and the same person, and'also purporting to rekto tho steps taken by which . this dual personality was got rid'of.-.: .' The object was undoubtedly to afford corroboration of the highly; fantastio story told by Caldwell in regard !to "thot'bogus It has boon ascertained that Mrs.. Robinson. : ireceivcd £250 from England, i forwarded by parties concerned in-ithe Druce case.,- .. Sho ■ attijl 'Jyjr 'daughter Maud loft.,Lyttelton.' inithai.. •Rotomiihaija; arid it appears that at a later isiago soma mention was mado of tho diary having beon lost on that voyage. j.-On- arrival , at: Wellington, the parties shipped in tho Riinutaka, Mm. Robinson . passing as'f Miss Robinson," and Maud m talcing the name of "Maud O'Neill," and • filling the . position -of companion, to tho .older woman. Tfie skill with which they sus- 1 ' .tairied. their characters may bo gauged from tho fact that during tho long voyago Homo no . ono'ontcrtained .the slightest suspicion ' as to the relationship existing betweon the two. : ..W'" , v ... ; A CHRISTCHURCH CONSPIRACY. It was during this voyage that Mrs. Robin.. son- mado ono of'the primo mistakes which ultimately led to her undoing. Sho mado a : Complaint; to Captain Greenstreet' that hoi" : diary and some original letters: from' Charles' T;i•; Dickens had, been stolen. To lior dismay, perliaps, tho captain did not regard tho mat- .- -. ' ter as-a trivial one, aud the search for the J ■ .missing -documents created much more stir , ' \and' irit'efest/tban Mrs.'. Robinson had bargained for.\ ; Whatever her- feelings wero, - she took an opportunity to interview Captain - Greenstreet for tho purpose of informing him ; .that she had'recovered the missing property : in tho bottom of hor trunk, -. Not sufficiently deterred by this experience, > Mrs. Robinson " lost" tho diary a third ' time, and gave; a sensational story of an. ' alleged conspiracy, tho chief actors being an ox-Canterbury College student, another -' . Christohurcl; gentleman, and a detective, all acting undor the.-Viirktionof'the Duke of - Portland', to rob her of the proofs of hor as- - - sertions..Mrs.Robinson and hor daughter gave the Sootland Yard autho- 1 rities, and, ns a result, they were traced to " New Zealand, and various peoplo in Christchurch were interviewed. - . ' • ' ;i ..... . . '