Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-11-21
Robbery Supposed to Have Been
the Motive for the Deed--
Only II Small Sum
Secured.
WARRANTS SWORN OUT FOR THE
ARREST OF THE WHOLE FAMILY.
The Bullet Passes Through Collins Head,
From One Temple to the Other, Pro-
-ducing Instant Death-Murdered
Oh His 55th Birthday.

At about 2:30 O'Clock Sunday
morning E. A. Collins, a well-to-do
and prosperous farmer and stock
man, who lived one mile southeast
of Rush Hill, in this county, was
murdered IN his bed while asleep,
being shot through the head with a
No. 80 pistol ball. The weapon
from which the ball was fred is
supposed to have been taken from
the pocket Of one o! the murdered
mans sons who was sleeping in
the front room upstairs. The wife
of Collins was the first to alarm
the household. She says she
was sleeping by the side of her
husband, he being behind and she
on the front part of the bed, and
she was awakened by a loud noise
as though a door had been closed
witt, Il slam or a shot had been
fred. In a dazed condition she
was aroused from her slumber to
find that her husband was lying by
her side dead. On examination of
the body it was found that the
bullet entered the temple, near the
right ear, and came out on the
other side of the head. Collins
was lying on his back when the
shot was fired, and the person who
did the terrible deed must have
leaned over the sleeping form of
Mrs. Collins and placed the muzzle
ofthe pistol in close proximity to
Collins head, as his face and hair
were powder-burned. He died in
stantly and never knew what killed
him, as he was sleeping soundly
when the leaden missile struck
him. Collins was murdered on the
55th anniversary of his birth.
The murder was no doubt COM
mitted for the purpose of robbery,
as a watch and s43 were taken from
Collins clothes which were near
the head of the bed.
Reporters for the LEDGER went
to Rush Hill Sunday and found
the people in a high state OF excite
ment. Many different theories are
advanced, but the most plausible
one is, that robbery was the motive.
Many persons have various opin-
ions. Some think it was done to
obtain money while others have
decidedly an opposite opinion.
WHAT MRS. COLLINS SAYS.
Mrs. Collins says she was Sleep
ing on the front portion of the bed
with her husband in a Don down
stairs. A daughter was in the
next room to her, also down stairs,
and two sons, aged 16and 20 years,
were sleeping together upstairs. The
family all retired before 10 O'clock.
In the spare room, down stairs,
there was q lounge on which was a
pillow. In this room Mrs. Collins
says she saw a light about mid
night, when she happened
to awaken, but thinking il
might be one of the children she
dropped off to sleep again, and
about half-past 2 O'Clock she was a
second time awakened by a loud
noise resembling the slamming OF
a door or the report ola pistol shot
Just at this moment she thought
she heard footsteps as though
some one was running from the
house. Mrs. Collins then aroused
the household and, upon investiga
ton, she found her husband lying
on his back IN bed with Il CHASTITY
bullet hole clear through his head
from one temple to the other. The
house bore evidences of having
been ransacked and turned upside
down, as though some one hat
been searching for something, ant
it is thought the pistol was taker
from her sons clothes while tn
house was being searched. Mrs
| Collins testified before the Coro
ner's jury that "Mr. Collins wen
to Laddonia Wednesday and go
some money to pay some debts
He went to Rush Hill on Saturday
came home late and then went t
Mr.. Lees after supper. He return
ed from there about s O'Clock
NV son, Charlie, took the pisto
with him to Laddonia Saturday
We found two doors open after tn
murder. l did not see the flash O
the pistol. Our family relation
were pleasant. Don't know tina
he had an enemy. MIR. Collin
did not talk much about his bust
ness affairs. We had no one work
ing about the place except my son
in-law, Perry Kee. He and MI
Collins got along well together
Mr.. Kee left Saturday mornin
about 8 O'Clock for Laddonia
Don't think my husband move
after the shot was fred. | fir;
T found where he was shot after III
children came into the room. NJ
son Arthur took hold of the shou'
der of the body and moved it.
think the head vas turned a llttl
to one side.o Mrs. Collins ais
/ made a statement as to how niue
! money her husband had and whs
, denomination the bills were. Sh