The age-herald., 1897-12-28
KILLED IN A PRISON CELL J. |. Howell Shot By an lrate
 Husband. HE INSULTED MRS. COLLINS Was Arrested on Her Complaint Collins Gained Admission to Prison and Shot
 Him Through the Heart.
Special to The Age-Herald.


 Bessemer, Dec. 27.-At o'clock this evening Tom Collins, of this city, shot and instantly killed J. l.. Howell of Browns, in the city prison while Howell was under arrest in cell D, placed there on a charge of disorderly conduct preferred by Mrs. Collins, wife of Tom Collins. About 6.15 this evening Mrs. Collins com plained to Officer Wilson that man was following her and her 15-year-old daughter, Nellie and pointing out Howell to the officer, who arrested him on the above charge.
 Twenty minutes after Tom Collins, in company with MT. Hugh Frazer, asked to see the prisoner, and arriving at the cell instantly drew his revolver, and, through the bars, shot Howell through the heart.
 Mrs. Collins was seen in a carriage at the city hall door and told The Age-Her- aid correspondent that the man had been following her and her daughter for some. time, that she appealed to Hugh Frazer for protection, and that when near the hall Howell grabbed her daughter and pull ed her cape from her shoulders. She then called the policeman.
 Officer Wilson was seen and said in sub- stance Shortly after o'clock Mrs. Col lns asked me to arrest a man who was following her and her daughter. l accom- panied them down Second avenue and she pointed Howell out to me, standing on the corner of Seventeenth street and Third avenue. I arrested him on a charge of dis orderly conduct and placed him in cell E in the city prison. He was not drinking when I arrested him. On coming from the jail I met Tom Collins going in that direc- tion I telephoned Jailer Albright and cautioned him not to let anyone see the prisoner. About five minutes later l heard that Collins had killed the man.
 Jailer z. T. Allbright's statement was as follows: "Collins and Fraser called at the office, and Collins asked to see Howell. When I asked what he wanted he said that probably he was an old friend and If so he wanted to stop this trouble. l told him that under no circumstances would l admit him to the prisoner unless he would promise to do no violence. He gave me his word of honor that he would not, and again said that the man might be an old friend of his. I accompanied him and MT. Fraser to Howells cell. Howell was stand ing close to the bars, and immediately, without any warning Collins drew pistol and fired. With the assistance of MT. Fra ser I took the pistol from him and placed him in a cell under arrest" MT. Fraser statement subtantiates that of Albright
 Deputy Sheriff Mattingly swore out warrant. charging murder against Collins. Later a warrant was served on Mir. Fraser by Deputy H. A. Mckinney for being an accessory The men were both ,lken to the county jail at Birmingham
 The victim is well known in Bessemer and seems to bear good reputation. J. w. Rorden of the leading merchants here' saws he has known him for ten years, ana that he was a gentleman above reproach.
 Howell was engaged as boss in the chert pits for c. D. Smith & Co.,, and for several wears has been supporting sister and wld- owed sister-in-law and little child. He Is about s5 years old. MT. Rorden has notified his relatives.
 Collins said that friends told him that man had been arrested for following his wife and daughter around the streets, and that he went to the city prison, gained admission and that he killed the man in the cell and was glad that he had killed him
 f,itv Phvsician Prince examined the mur- dered man, and says that he was shot through the heart
 Collins has lived in Bessemer about ten years coming here from Pennsylvania. He has a wife and five children two daugh- ters and three sons. He conducts a sa- loon in Second avenue, and son, John Collins, is proprietor of the Marble Front saloon.
 Collins has retained Attorney Carter to defend his case.
 The remains of Howell were shipped to Mobile for interment.