The Dawson journal., 1886-11-04

ASAD COC1T SCEN e.

years, with round bright face,
dark eyes, and dressed in neat
Knickerbocker suit walked erect
and rapidly towards the clerk in
the court of oyer and terminer
in Jersy City yesterday. He had
his hand on the Bible, and prom
ised to tell the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth.
A man forty years, plainly but
neatly attired, intently watched
the child. He had shuddered
when the name was called by Pros
ecutor Winfield. and neryously
squeezed his black felt hat as the
child was sworn. An expression
in which admiration and fear was
blended came over his face as his
eyes noted the bright, ready de-
meanor of the boy.
The spectators looked on the
scene with wrapt attention, for
they knew that The boy was to tell
how his mother was murdered,
and that the murderer, the man
was father.
ia aes Collins and his wife !e / a
cat and dog life for many years.
On May II last--a Sunday-thev
qnarrelled. The next morning the
wife was found in the bed dead,
her nursing baby at her side. For
ty wounds Were counted by Cour-
ty Phyician Converse on her body.
The occurrences of that Sunday
were known in part to- the two
boys; fully, only to the prisoner.
The prisoners counsel offered a
plea of manslaughter, which was
refused. A consultation and an
other long conference with Judge
Knapp and the prosecutor follow
ed. The counsel for the defense
evidently did not desire to assume
the risk of trial. They offered
to plead gully to murder
In the second degree. The
plea was reluctantly accepted
by the court, and the accuser
family but gladly whispered yes
when asked if he retracted his
plea of not guilty. Then Collins
gave testimony to determine if
there.were mitigating circumstan-
ees. Several witnesses had testi-
fled that both husband and wife
were quarreleome.
Patrick did not realize that he
was homeless and almost friend
less, bat frequently looked aifec-
tionGtely,,at his father, and once
smiled in return as a faint smile
0f4pride at the intelligence of his
boy stole for a moment on the face
Of thetfather. Patriot did nov see
the fatal assault. He left his
wretched home at 10 o'clock on
Sunday morning because his fa
ther and he feared trouble. He
remained away until 8o'clock that
night. Tears moistened his cheeks
and he sobbed as he described how
On his return he went to his NAM
mas bed. He thought she was
asleep. He was hungry, and shook
IT, {" o"n,1cn har &c hn asked for q
slice OF bread. He could not wake
her, and went into his fathers 5
room. His papa was awake and
told him mamma was dead" Tie
child again wept when he related
how, the night before, his mother
had tried to push his father down
stairs because he would not give
her his wages; but the tears were
chased away by smiles when he
enumerated the articles his father
brought that Saturday night for
him and his brother.
Martil, his brother, who is a
year younger, was also called
Like his'brother, Martin has ali
attractive face. He is Of a fair
complexion, and has blue eyes.
He showed not tue least nervous,
ness or fear. He seemed to adj
mire his father, and was disposed
to cast the blame on his dead
mother. In his testimony he told
how that Sunday morning his
mother fell, and in errage broke
the stove with the hammer. She
sent him a. er wI'skey
He broke down as he said Il don't
want to 60" In a moment he re-