Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-08-10
GIVEN HIS LIBERTY
But Must Take the Poor
Debtors Oath.
HAD BEEN VERY RICH ONCE.
Paying For the Entertainment o.
Others Was Considered q Pestime.

Nxwror, Mass, Aug. Io.-In the police
court here writ Of habess corpus was
granted for tho release from the Charles
street Jail Of Edward L. Collins, and to al
low Collins 10 appear In court and be sd-
mitted to the privilege Of taking the poor
debtors cath.
In this application 10 tho story Of a
tquandered fortune such as Is seldom
heard. Collins father died several years
age, leaving property valued at about
$4,000, and four years ago his mother
also died, leaving all of the property TO
him Internationally, with the exception
Of $4,000 which is held In trust.
Shortly after the death of his mother,
the son began system Of living entirely
out Of keeping with that pursued by his
parents. Among his earlier acts was the
formation Of q land syndicate which
initiated q land boom In and about
waban. The family acres were divided
into house lots and were placed upon the
market. Collins set about the task Of
spending his fortune. Hotel bills, In which
items Of $1,000 appeared, were, 10 Is said, Of
a common occurrence at mountain and at
shore.
A Specimen Case.
A prominent display Of his lavish gen.
srosity was during the last encarnpment
of the Grand Army In Boston. Collins
engaged an entire noor Of well-known
hotel and held 'open house" at his per-
sonal expense to members and friends Of
Newton post, 90. Collins made each mem.
Der Of The post present of costly Grand
Army badge.
The bulk Of tho fortune which was left
him having been spent about q year ago,
ks made an attempt, which was finally
successful, to obtain free use Of the 10000
which was left In trust for him by his
mother. Boon after passing into control
of his fortune he evinced desire TO enter
municipal politics. He was elected 10 the
common council. He made an effort to be
elected president Of the council, but was
Defeated.
Collins appearance In the Newton court
attracted . large crowd. His case was con-
tinued until March q, 1895. under bonds of
1900 from Fred ID. Hyde Collins had
been living lately at Oxford, Mass.
Collins' father was IN economical man
Of great business capacity, and tho son in
heritcd the latter quality In 90 far a. oon-
ssrned his dealings In real estate. Herein
was
COiitns feCulIhrty.
10 10 related that he would engineer a real
estate deal with much care for the sake OF
clearing profit Of SIS or s20.
On the closing Of this transaction he ex-
hibised the other and the ruinous side Of
his character by inviting his opponents In
the "trade" TO an expensive banquet,
whore gallons Of the highest priced wines
Aoved like water. And he drank very
little himself. His most pleasurable pas
time was paying for what other people
consumed.
When Collins put up at hotel the value
Of ham sandwiches for him and his COM
panions rose to d apiece. He always car
rsed huge roll Of bills about with him,
which he spread around with the sangfroid
II biilposter with his wares. He had .
handsome stud at Waban with several
thousand dollars worth Of smart rigs, and
hs entertained like prince.
Ris companions, 1t must be admitted,
were not always Of the best, which fact
prSoiuded his enjoyment Of the highest
Hswton society, and which, on the other
hand
He DiA Not Care For.
He has been known, while travelling be-
tween Boston and New York, where he
worth Of current literature Of the news
agent, and then hand IL over b the Pull
man porter.
In these various ways, astounding
though 10 mny sesm, Collins FILTERED
away his fortune In less than four years.
He was, perhaps, tho best after dinner
speaker 10 bo found In Newton, and had
Dramatic talents Of high order. He was
for some time q member Of the Massachu-
setts and Hull Yacht clubs, also mem.
Der Of the Newton club, where he cut
costly dash at the time Of the Admiral
Yi,nhsrlv rooaDtion