San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-06-19
STATE vs.. CITY.
HABEAS CORPUS OF THE PO-
HCEMEN.
The COurt-Rooom Crowded TO Hear
the First Evidence of This
Celebrated Case.

the First Evidence OF This
Celebrated Case.
The habeas corpus proceedings in
the eases of Officers Stevens and
Wilkins, charged with manslaughte
in killing young c. ". Collins on
Preside Square, Saturday night, was
tried this morning before Judge
Noonan, of the 37th district court.
The first part of the morning session
was occupied in the trial of Anthony
| Stevens, charged with horsetheft i'm
Atascosa county, which was disposed
Ofby giving the defendant five years
in the penltentiary.
At 10:45 the accused were brought
| into the court room and went into
consultation with their attorneys,
Messrs. w. w. Walling and NJ. G.
Anderson Both looked careworn
but were otherwise feeling well. All
the morning the room was being
| filled by spectators and as the hour
for the trial approached the great
room was filled and for the first time
this year the galleries were brought
into requisition. The accused are
prepared, as far as financial matters
are concerned to battle their cause to
the full extent. 1t is said that the
policemen Of the city have subscribed
the sum Of $500 for the defense, beside
which there is good financial
support behind the defendants
There is a considerable undercur-
rent of feeling in the popular mind
on the merits of the case. There are
some who side with the accused and
the greater part of the i'll feeling is
against the negro Stevens who bears
the blunt of the blame.
At ll:l5 the spectators were called
to order by the sonorous voice of
Deputy Druse and the Judge mounted
the bench. Application was made
for an extension of time by the de-
Tense, which was overruled by Judge
Noonan and the proceedings were
commenced. Mr.. Epson was added
to the counsel for the defense, and
| proceedings were opened with Ely
! Smith on the stand. The examina-
ton was opened by Mr.. Epson. The
witness testified that Collins and Dobb
came riding up the street and one of
them ran over his dog and he heard
Collins say "Who the HI does that
| dog belong to-" Smith replied that
it was his and Collins replied "You 90
to HI you and your dog both" and
after some further abuse rode of,
! Dobbs following. After they had got
some distance on the square he heard
one of them say: Now is the time
| time to fire" and he heard a shot that
was evidently fired at him. When
| he heard the shot he ran from the
place but after hearing another shot
he turned and ran in their direction.
He couldn't tell who did the shoot
ing. Mr.. Upson's examination was
short as he was rot cOnversant
with all the facts of the case
He was followed by District Attorney
Paschal, who began his examination
in desultory manner, leading up to
his actions during the night and
causing him TO describe the Incidents
of his meeting with Collins and
Dobbs with great minuteness
Mr.. Paschal was frequently satrir-
cal and provoked considerable laugh
ter among the spectators and under
his hand Smiths testimony was
very irrevalant, confused, and contro-
dictory, saying at one time that Col
Inns had pistol and at another that
he did not see one. He heard three
shots but knew not who fired them.
James Stevens, one of the
accused was then called. He
testified that Wilkins, Diaz and
himself were sitting at chile
stand when Collins evidently drunk
and followed by Dobbs were moving
from Iusleman's saloon toward where
they were sitting and they got up and
approached them, Officer Wilkins en-
deavoring to catch hold of the bride
of Collins horse, when he (Stevens)
followed out, Look out, Jim, the
gentleman has got gun, !" when Col
Inns fired a couple of shots, and turn
ed and ran, when the three officers
opened fire, Diaz firing in the air, him
self shooting with intentio of bring
ing down the horse, about four or five
shots in all being fired The party
then turned their attention to Dobbs,
who was arrested by Officer Wilkins,
and he mounted Dobbs' horse and
pursued Collins, who had fallen from
his horse near the hay scales, where
he found him dying. He made a
search of the ground for the
pistol, but was unsuccessful. He
did not search the body as
Officer Beck was in:charge of .the
body, and he remained until after the
inquest, when he was ordered to the
station. The facts were brought out
in great detail by Mr. Paschal, and
the examination lasted quite a while.
The father of Wilkins was intro
duced and questioned as the 10 the