The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-08-06
MURDER
INTENDED.
Plot TO ASSaSSinate the Rev.
Edward Everett Hale at
His Summer Home.
A Young Divinity Student
Proclaims Himself the
Second Messiah.
WILLIAM COLLIER OF MEMPHIS
Seeks to Redeem TIE World by Taking the Life
Of Celebrated Clergyman Captured While
Awaiting a. Opportunity to Kill.
WILLIAM COLLIER OF MEMPHIS

Narraganset Pier, X. J., Aug. o.-Whi-
nam Collier, the young Memphis divinity
student who planned to assassinate rev.
DR.. Edward Everett Hale. came to the
pier from Boston about 10 days ago anc
hired a room OF Mrs stephen Knowles.
He stayed in his room nearly all OF the
time and wrote necessarily.
He said he was engaged on most i'm
portant work and complained OF pain
In his head, and Said he would like to
get some light outdoor work TO do IN
connection with his writing. Seldom
could he be induced to come to his meals,
and when food was sent to his room he
often returned II untasted.
When Mrs. Knowles tried to expostu-
late with him, he said You do not
know whom you are talking to; am
the second Messiah, and have come to
redeem the world"
He frequently spoke Of DR.. Hale, and
said that the doctor was great man to
save souls and he would learn from him
to do the same.
No one knows where the crank has
been hidden for the last week. His
father from Memphis has been search
ing anxiously for him.
Collier was a protege of DR.. Hale's.
Overstudy turned his brain and caused
him to imagine himself to be q new
Messiah with deadly mission on earth.
Collier Ia now In Kingston jail. He
was supposed to have had something
to do with the bold burglary at Dun-
mere, the residence Of r.. G. Dun Of New
York
On Saturday afternoon Miss Hale saw
a suspicious looking man lurking about
the premises. This was at the doctors s
summer residence, near Matunuc Beach.
She notified the police as soon as she
could. Officer Northrup Of Wakefield
found the man Sunday evening hiding
| in a piece of woods near the town.
When he saw Northrup he at once took
fight. When overtaken he grappled with
| the officer, and desperate hand -to-hand
| conflict took place in the darkness of the
woods. Northrup received a bad scalp
| wound by a sharp rock, but finally sue
| ceeded in securing his prisoner. He was
| taken to Kingston, and will be lodged in
| the asylum until his family can arrange
| to take him South.
| Since his confinement he has talked
good deal, but 1t was not until Wednes.
day night that he would say anything
about himself and his mission to Ma
tunuc. He declares n9v that he came
here to kill DR.. Hale because 'he had
been teaching q false religion" He IL
an inposter. and I'm going to shed hi.
blood" said Collier repeatedly. "I'n
the second Messiah; I'm Christ who has
come into the world to shed the BLOOD
Of sinners, even as Jesus Christ sheG
his blood for u.s."
Collier says his father is a lawyer ir
Memphis, and that his family members
are all prominent people. At times h,
talks intelligently. and appears to b'
rational, but his periodical rawlings ar,
Of the widest nature.
It 10 thought that Collier would hav,
waylaid and slain DR.. Hale had the op
portunity occurred, and every one Of tn,
doctors old friends at Matunuc ar
thankful over his capture.
Intelligence received from the pris
oner's father at Memphis yesterday con
veyed the information that young Col
lier is crazy, and a request is made tina
he be confined In an asylum until som
arrangement can be made for his re
} moval to the South.