West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-08-05
ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT MURDER
DOWN IN GRANT DISTRICT
NEAR BRANDONYILLE.
Sanford Collins Shoots His Wife and
Albert Raymann and PleeS
The Country.
A Reward of so offered For HIS
Capture. and Special Officers in
Hot Pursuit.
Special TO TIM AR0us.
Decial TO THE AROUs.
BRANDoNvILLE. w. VA, }
August 4, 1897. {

August 4, 1897
When clouds darken the heavens
and the thunder mutters and grum.
bles in the distance, we naturally
expect storm, and when the moral
firmament of locality is shaken
by the wicEedness of any of It's IN
habltants, the better element may
reasonably expect trouble Of some
kind to result.
For months, in fact ever since
his residence in the neigh borhood,
obscivant people have expected
Sanford Collins to do something
desperate. He was ''hale fellow
we'll met" with all the toughest Of
the rough In the whole country for
miles around, and his home was
frequently the rendezvous OF "A
coterie of the most desperate men
Of the neighborhood. However, he
did not confine himself entirely to
meu OF that type, but had warm
friends among better class who,
while they knew he was bad man,
could not help being interested in
MIN, because he had, when he
chose to use it, pleasing manner
and fund of business knowledge
surprising in one Of his character.
The Sabbath was day Of revelry
with him and his associates, and
during the week, when his neigh
bors were busy trying to earn a
living, he and his chosen comrades
spent the time riding and driving
about and loafing in the neighbor-
ing towns; and yet he was never
known to be without money, and
was frequently so, it is reported,
seen handling large rolls of bills.
When the news was circulated
last Saturday night that Collins
had a. tempted to murder his wife
and neighbor, shocking as it was.
no Que was mach surprised. From
what information can DO ascer-
tanned, it would seem that for some
time Ire has oeen accusing his wife
of receiving undue attention from
other men.
On Friday night he and his wife
went to the home of Albert Ray
mond, whose wife IS cousin to
Mrs. Collins, and stayed all night.
On Saturday Mr.. and Mrs. Collins
and Raymond came east as far as
Jones Miller's, from which place
Mrs. Collins walked home and Col.
lins and Raymond went to the
"still-hOuse" at Gibbons Glade, Pa.
They spent the greater part of the
day there, and while there Collins
told Raymond and others that be
INTENDED to kill his wife when he
got home and then leave the coun-
Try. lie had a good revolver in his
possession, but tried to buy Ray
mond's, and offered him twonty
dollars for il.
lie made the same threats at
Clifton Mills on his way home, but
no one paid any attention to it, as
he was drunk and they supposed
did not know what he was saying.
Raymond managed to steal his re.
volver away from him after they
left Clifton, and he did not miss it
until they we're near home. lie
swore he would 60 back and search
every inch Of the road but he would
find 10, and Raymond, thinking he
would get him home sooner, fool
lshIy returned 10. When they came
TO the cross roads at Jones Mlller's.
Raymond wanted to got out Of the
buggy and walk home, but Collins
swore he meant 20 Kill his wife
when he got home, and that Ray
mond had to 60 with him and sec
IT done. lie urged Raymond so
strongly that be went. When they
arrived they found that Mrs. COL
Inns and the children had ALREADY
eaten their supper TO called TO
bis wife aud said, "Alice, hurry and
get as some supper. want TO kill
you after we have something to
cab. She went up to him and
begged him 20 quiet down and not
talk that way. Finally Raymond
says, "If this is The way you arc
2oingt to carry on, I'm going homo"
Ito started and had reached the
gate, when Mrs. Collins begged him
90 stay and help defend her, or If
he could not do that, then to STAY
until be had killed her. lie went
back and tried to reason with Col.