INTRODUCTION 9 



title to another tract of land bought at a tax sale on 

 November 8, 1830. x The Indiana Republican on June 20 

 and July 4 printed communications from Robinson con- 

 cerning the murder of one John Comer of Rock Creek 

 Township. To his second communication Robinson ap- 

 pended the moral, "It seems to be the general opinion 

 that whiskey, that curse of this land, was the primary 

 cause of this black deed." 



As late as September 30, Robinson was listed as post- 

 master of his town, 2 but by November he had left Jen- 

 nings County to take up his abode in Madison. Here, as 

 indicated by an advertisement in the Indiana Republican 

 of November 21, he conducted an auction house, receiv- 

 ing and selling goods on consignment. 3 His stock, as 

 shown by numerous newspaper notices in the course of 

 the next year, included furniture, clothing, musical in- 

 struments, dry goods, and stationery. He also acted as 

 agent for the sale of urban and rural property, cattle, 

 and various frontier appurtenances. On occasion he sold 

 books and served as representative for a periodical and 

 circulating library. Evidently the Madison Auction 

 Rooms were not always favored with cash or reliable 

 customers, for on December 19, 1833, Robinson threat- 

 ened in the Republican and Banner to publish a black 

 list of "bidders, not buyers," particularly those who had 

 taken goods away and had not paid for them. 



Owing to Robinson's ill health, the auction rooms were 

 closed in the early part of January, 1834, but later in 

 the month he again advertised sales, offering a wide 

 range of opportunity to prospective buyers. Perhaps 

 the most intriguing of these advertisements was one for 

 "a large Invoice of splendid Jewelry, belonging to a 

 widow lady about leaving the U. States, which must be 



1 Record Book C, 42-43, Recorder's Office, Jennings County. 



1 Register of All Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, 

 in the Service of the United States, on the thirtieth of September, 

 1833 . . . (Philadelphia, 1834). His compensation for the year 

 amounted to $4.74. 



* Post, 48 ff. 



