Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-11-23
Charles City, Iowa, Nov. %, 1865.
State Of Iowa VI. A. L. Collins.

UnarleS Ulty, Iowa, Nov 90, looo'
State Of Iowa W. A. L. Collins.
The trial Of A. L. Collins, at Waiver
ly, during the past week, for robbing
the safe Of the Floyd County Treasur-
er, has attracted much of the attention
of our citizens. At the time of the
robbery Mr.. Collins was clerk in the
Treasurer's Office and had the key to
the safe. Circumstances seemed to
cast suspicion upon Mr.. Collins, and
this suspicion grew SO strong that it
at length became the duty of the
Grand Jury of Floyd county to inquire
into the matter, and after taking a
considerable amount of testimony, they
found bill of indictment against him.
Judge Fairfield had appointed spe-
cial term of the District Court of Bre-
mer county to be held at Waverly on
the 18th November, and Judge Collins
asked to be tried at that term and be-
fore an unbiased jury, which request
was granted. As before published,
the attorneys for the prosecution were
Mr.. Burke of Waverly, Mr.. Noble OF
McGregor, and Mr.. Patterson Of
Charles City. The counsel for the de-
PENDANT were Messrs. Barker and
O'Neil of Dubuque, and Mr.. Pratt of
Charles City.
The trial commenced on Tuesday of
last week and was concluded on the
Monday evening following lasting
seven days. Some eighteen witness
es on the part of the State were ex.
amined, and about dozen for the
defence. The testimony, as written
out by the reporter for the Court, COW
cred about one hundred pages of cap
paper. The witnesses on both sides
were excluded from the court room,
and called in one at time for exami-
nation. This occupied four days, and
on Saturday morning District Attor-
ney Burke began his plea, on the part
of the State, consuming the entire day.
On Monday, arguments for the defence
were made by Messrs. Barker and
O'Neil, who occupied the forenoon and
afternoon respectively, leaving the
evening for Mr.. Noble to make the
closing argument on the part of the
State. Mr.. Noble spoke for three
hours and made mastery plea. The
attention of the jury was closely fixed
upon him throughout. The court room
was densely filed. and the audience
were so still that the fall of a pir
could have been heard.
After brief charge by the Judge,
the case was given to the jury at elev.
en- o'clock Monday night. They re-
NAMED out all night, and on Tuesday
morning came in with verdict Of
guilty" 1t is understood that upon
the first ballot by the jury they stood
nine for conviction and three for &C
quittal. The three jurors believed the
defendant guilty, but desired little
more positive testimony. They final
Iy acquiesced in the verdict of "guil
ty." The defendants counsel have
filed bill of exceptions, but it is not
supposed that it would avail any
thing. The Court sentenced Mr. Col
Inns to the pcnitentiary for five years.
Mr. Collins was an early settler in
Floyd county, and has been largely
identified with her public affairs. h
has held the Office of County Judge
and is at the present time Chairman
of the Board of Supervisors. He hal
wife and five small children. Every
body is grieved that his amiablc wifi
and innocent children should be made
wretched by the commission of so fla
grant a crime. The mills of the
gods may grind slowly, but they are
sure" A good name is better than
riches.