The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-07-18
COLLINS STORY.
Murderer of Student Oil in
the Witness Chair at
Trenton Today.
BREAKS DOWN DURING THE RECITAL
Both Sides Rest Their Cases =
Defendant Had Been Struck
by Some One.
Special to the JERSEY Citu Ns,rs.

special to the Jersey City Nelrs.
| TRENTON, July 49, 1S95.-The State
rested yesterday afternoon in the trial
of the Negro, John Collins for the MUIR
der of Student Frederick P.Ohl of Prince
ton.
John L. Conard, as counsel for the de-
Tense. then made the opening for Collins.
He said that the defense would prove
that Collins's act in shooting Oil was
justfhable homicide: that the shooting
was in absolute self defense. He spoke
| for some time and when he finished he
was choked with emotion and the pris-
oner was weeping.
| Beverly Ash, a Princeton colored man,
was the first witness for the defense, and
| testified that he was slightly acquainted
with Collins. Witness had made bar
gain to buy Collinss pistol for 81 on Sat-
urday, the day of the shooting.
! Samuel Ward testified that Collins
tried to sell him the pistol but he could
set no time.
DR.. P. w. McGal1iard, of this city, tes-
| titled that he had examined Collins in
| the Jail on June IA. He had marks on
various parts of his body Some on the
right side of his face that looked like
little digs and some on the neck. There
were also marks on the left wrist and
| forearm and gaping wound on the back
of the hand.
DR.. e. L. Dickinson corroborated DR..
/ McGalliard, and said the cuts on the arm
might have been made by a nail or
finger nail.
| Frederick Kemp testified to taking the
| photographs of Collins's arms, which
| were used by the defense. They were
! taken on June 49,
| Charles E. Roberts. a stenographer,
who took notes at the Coroner's inquest,
was called to testify that the transcript
was a true copy.
COLLINS WEEPS IN COURT.
| John Collins, the defendant, testified
| that he was born at Jordantown, N. j.
He went from there to Kirllwocd, Del,
and returned to Jordantown; from there
| to Rancocas brickyard and worked
there I1Ve months. and from there he
went to the Trenton Driving Park. He
next went to Mr.. Bergen's, a Princeton
sewers, and from that job to Lynch's
stable He was twenty-tnree years of
age, and weighs 125 pounds. He drove
mack on July g. from the Princeton
depot to the ball grounds, and got paid
at five o'clock, and went up town to have
a little fun. He detailed his movements
UP to the time of meeting the students.
The students We're the first to speak, he
said. at the Witherspoon street meeting.
One OF them said:-'sW hats the matter
with you niggerS?''
The witness said something and one
of the students grabbed him. Witness
said to him:-"I haint done anything
and went across the street with Downs.
Here he called back:-.I can whip any
Sport Ihompso9 OF who asked d,gsa What IVA was
went into McClosKey's bar-roon and
had gd drn5 met cqng Pba d on aS sgSrt b Tnop fbe
| students were armed with pickets and
looking for them Downs said he hadn't
done anything-they needn't look for
~ AFRAID OF LYNcHING.
II said nothing: A fear game over
aaid sG; they Saa needn't look for him, s thought
| it must be me they were looking for,
and I stayed close to Downs, thinking he
@0udo on doWn as as far s as LYON LYONS ms store when s
the students came up and one of them
said:-'Crack. his skull and gther
We we got to Anderson's hallway, Downs
went in and one of the students busted
in between and got me. off TO one side;
said. Come on, Collins, and started up
the hallway ahead. got in as far as
] turned my head and saw two big men
with clubs raised up. | was an alone,
and was seized by the ear ana pullea
| backward. At the time I got hit on
the head with club. I then pulled my
pistol and fired. I took no. aim. (Here
the prisoner broke down and began to
| ory) I-had-no-intention to take
me- BOTH SIDES REST
| After a moment to recover himself,
the prisoner continued
held dneh on to ,Hnas me and I was struck with a
club and choked. I had my back to
them when vas wa seized g. +be sn95 esdanfs tnree
time5 Yoa White ad not say con Come h in sed here and
lrii I'd do YOU" got the pistol about a
week after went to, work for ME-
| Lynch. I tried to sell it number OF Of
times. I was taking it to Beverly Ash
'nsr Gsrrosss7,examined SEEK by Mr.: Stockton, Col
lins said:--'I never carried the pistol. l
h5ea the stable. ta eeep I don't On know whether I
| had it at the ball grounds that after
noon @ or mott He was asked if he, did
not draw, it on man =, there that that after ter
| objection was sustained
II was not discharged by Mr. Lynch; !;
quit. I, had drank about pint OF Of
! Downs that 1 would make him smell
| hell. 1 did not tell Thompson | would
fix anyone that Bothered me. Downs
dents standing outside. When got about
to the screen door I was pulled back
by the ear and hit with a paling; !
could not cali as one one I,a Of them ohad had me ne
| T was falling back The second and
third shot 1 fired when. down with a
| mans knee on my breast
| ton waiter. corroborated the story about
| Downs and Collins being warned by
| Thompson that the students, We're armed
| Both sides here rested and court was
| adjourned until this morning