The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-18
HIS FRIEND
is ACCUSED.
G. B. Collins, Of Nashville, Robbed
and Severely Wounded.
SAYS MARTIN ENsLEY DID TIA
BLOODY HAMMER FOUND AT
THE SCENE OF AssAULT-BoTH
MEN ARE PROMINENT, AND
ENsLEy's FATHER WAS A
WEALTHY soUTHERNER-HAD
BEEN FOLLOWING THE RACES.
BEEN + FOLLOWING THE RACES.

posed of n hotel which he had owned in
that city and had $4,000 of the proceeds
on his person, was found severely wound
ed late last night at Meramec Highlands,
fifteen miles from this city. A bloody
hammer was on the ground near by,
Mr.. Collins told the Waterman of a
hotel, near which he was found, that he
had been beaten over the head and rob-
bed of the So, 900 by Martin Ensley, whom
he had met in Nashville. Mr.. Ensley
was arrested while waiting for car. He
denied the robbery and said II third person
had held up both him and Mr. Collins.
Mr.. Ensley' vest was covered with blood,
the police say, and they found several
hundred dollars on his person. He was
taken before Mr.. Collins and an officer
asked:
SIS this the man who struck your
Mr.. Collins looked at the prisoner
steadily. eyes" said he. ,,"Ensley, how
could you do its"
The wounded man has N stable here at
the fair grounds, but he runs the horses
under an assumed name. He has always
had penchant for thoroughbreds, but
his parents, who are prominent in Nash
vile, objected to his owning .racehorses,
and so did his wife, who is from Cleve-
land, Ohio. This year Mr.. Collins de-
!.
was offered good price for hotel he
owned in Nashyille-.S25, 000-and closing
the bargain made arrangements for plac.
Ing stable at enc of the tracks
In order to be ut perfect liberty he sent
his wife to her relatives, in Cleveland,
and then unfolding his plans 10 Martin
Ensley, his boon companion, and asking
him TO accompany hifh, lie purchased
two horses which had run ut Memphis
and which he fancied and left with them
for st. Louis. Mr.. Ensley accompanied
him, Mr.. Collins had $4,000 at his
command and Mr.. Ensley had $1,000 or
so. The arrangement entered into Mt
Nashville was that Mr.. Ensley should
figure in all business transactions. us Mr..
Collins did not wish his name to appear
Mr.. Ensley was locked up in the county
Jail ut Clayton early this morning and
soon afterward Prosecuting Attorney +.
A. Heidorn, listened to the prisoners
story. The latter said
u came here two weeks ago from Mem
phis and went to the Southern Hotel. My
business has been Of late racing and bet
ting on races. ] have lost and won
have lost 50, 900 in two weeks, but have
made enough more than that to have the
$500 in my possession.
"For the last two or three days Mr.
Collins, IA Mr.. Guthrie, OF Lexington,
Ky, and have been together great
deal. We have been at Forest Park ami
Forest Park Highlands, and during the
recent holidays have taken many street car
rides.
Tuesday night Mr.. Guthrie was not
with us and Mr.. Collins proposed that we
out there and about II O'Clock MIR. Col.
Inns said we ought to be going in and 1
assented
we left the hotel and began climbing
the steps that lead up TO the electric car
loop or pavilion. When about half way
up somebody struck ssMr. Collins on the
right side of the head. I was ON his left
side and he fell against me. Then another
man came up and aimed blow at me,
but missed me. / saw that the man who
struck Mr.. Collins had an implement in
his hand which afterward found to be q
hammer
The man had IL black moustache, fam
mel shirt, black trousers and "a common
white felt hat, with no band After hit
ting Mr.. Collins twice he dropped the
hammer and clinched my friend. picked
up the hammer and began TO lay about
me to defend Mr.. Collins and myself. 1t
is possible that in the darkness and con-
4
know hit somebody hard lick.
''Then felt a hand in my pocket, and
dropped the hammer to seize the hand,
hut the hand had my watch, Il valuable
gold one that Thought ..in Memphis.
quick as flash was struck in the face
with the watch and nearly knocked sense
less was daZed for second or two, and
when recovered saw the men running
around the hotel. They quickly disap-
peared."
Martin Ensley's father was Col. Enoch
Ems ley, who was regarded until his
death. three or four years ago, as one of
the richest men in the South. Colonel
Ensley was leading spirit in the devel-
opment of the mineral resources of the
South. He was largely interested in the
Tennessee Coal and Iron Company, estab.
]ished works at Bessener, Ala, helped
to make Sheffield, Ala, n great mining
place. founded several towns, one of
which bears his name, owned several big
cotton plantations. and was an intimate
friend of Andrew Carnegie. He had two
children, Martin, who is almost SO years
old, and Lady, n year or two younger.
For the laatter he named the Lady
Ensley mine, one of the largest in Ala
hama.
The Colonel's son occupied n high posi-
tion in The social circles of Memphis,
Nashville, Birmingham and other South.
ern cities during his fathers life. He
was married to Miss Bettye Selden.
daughter of M. L. Selden, wealthy
Memphis resident.
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