The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-17
c. ID. Collins Lured to a Lonely Place,
Hammered Into InsensibiIity
and Robbed.
MARTIN ENSLEY ARRESTED
AND CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING
TO MURDER HIS FRIEND.
AssaiIant Well known Through
out the south.

ST. LOUIS, Mo- June &c. D. Collins,
a wealthy Tennesseean, was lured TO pos
sible death Tuesday night by a man he had
known since boyhood and with whom he
has been terms of intimate friendship
for six years. His assaant is Martin Ems
ley, of Memphis, whose father, Colonel
Enoch Ensley was one of the most prom
inent miners and planters of the South
Ensley induced his companion to visit Mera-
mec Highlands. summer resort, fifteen
miles from here. On the plea of illness he
led him to clump of bushes about seventy
five yards from the hotel There, stepping
behind his victim, he dealt him blow after
blow on the head with a hammer he had
purchased presumably for the purpose of
committing the murder When the pound
ing with the hammer had ceased he had re-
duced Collins to a state of insensibility.
STOPPING over the PROSTATE body Ensley
tore from a vest pocket roll of bills that
amounted to- Sc. 900. He darted up the hill
and passed the money to an accomplish
who is believed to have escaped on trolley
car. Then the would-be murderer ran
down a path leading to the Meramec river
Two men saw the terrible assault and the
robbery and witnessed the transfer of the
money and the escape of the principal and
his accomplice. Charles Feiler, baker en-
ployed at the inn, and a gardener. who had
been engaged about the grounds a fort
night were the witnesses They to the
inn and notified Night Watchman Busch
and told him the story. When Night
Waterman Busch reached the spot he found
Collins lying fiat on his face grooming but
unconscious. Blood was flowing from sew
eral wounds on the scalp and the left
was nearly torn away. He was removed to
Kirkwood where a physician dressed his
wounds
Ensley, after leaving his victim. had run
to the fence that skirts the Kirkwood track
and then he passed the money to his con-
federate. Ensley did not try TO board the
car. Instead, he ran along the fence and
Arriving there he followed the stream for
nearly mile until he reached shanty
occupied by a boatman, He pounded
vigorously on the door and when the old
man opened it he exclaimed:
I've been robbed and my friend has been
murdered. Help! Look, am covered with
blood"
ENSLEY ARRESTED.
The old man hastily dressed and, answer
ing the strangers appeal for assistance, he
accompanied him up the river and then up
the hill toward the inn. Ensley evidently
expected to find the body where he had
left it and evinced great surprise when he
saw people running around.
Here is the man you want to tell your
story to- the old boatman said, some
one came up. The man was Night Watch
man Busch To him Ensley repeated the
story he had told on the river bank.
Whats your name?" asked Busch. .
Martin Ensley," was the reply
you are the man l am looking for" said
Busch.
Il want you for murder" and he seized
Ensley protested his innocence. but was
taken into the inn and placed under guard
All this occurred about midnight.
At o'clock this morning two deputy
sheriffs from Clayton, the county seat. ar
rived at Meramec Highlands. They search
ed the ground for weapon and discovered
a new hammer covered with blood. On
Ensley was found $500, which at first was
supposed to be part of the stolen money
Kirkwood and it was broad daylight when
the prisoner was taken TO the room on the
third floor of the North Side Inn and
brought face to face with the wounded man.
who was tossing on the bed
rs this the man who struck you?" asked
Collins looked at him steadily. Yes.
said he. "Ensey how could you do it?"
The prisoner looked down, fnuttered some
thing about having been assaulted as well.
and was led away. He was then driven over
DR.. Pittman, who attended Mr.. Collins,
said his wounds, whichRre ten in number,
will not prove fatal unless blood poisoning
Martin Ensley was locked up in the coun-
ty jail at Clayton and soon after Prose
cutting Attorney F. A. Heidorn listened to
the prisoners story: The latter said: Il
came here two weeks ago from Memphis
and went to the Southern Hotel My bust
ness has been of late racing and betting
on races. l have lost and Won l have lost
s., 900 in two weeks but have made enough
more than that 10 have this money the
5000 in my possession. For the past two or
three days Mr.. Collins. a Mr.. Guthrie, of
Lexington KY, and have been together
a great deal. We have been at Forest Park
and Forest Park Highlands and during the
recent holidays have taken many street.
car rides Tuesday night Guthrie was not
with us, but Mr.. Collins proposed about S:lo
in the evening that we ride out to Mera-
nee Highlands. We rode out there. About
ii o'clock Collins said we ought to be going
in and / assented. We left the hotel and
began climbing the steps that lead up to
the electric car loop or paviilon.
THE ASSAULT.
when about half way up somebody
struck 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
a blow at me, but missed me. saw the man
who struck Collins had an implement in
his hand. which / afterwards found to be
hammer. The man had black mustache,
flannel shirt black trousers and a common
white hat with no band. After hitting Col
Inns twice the dropped the hammer
and clinched with Collins. I picked up the
hammer and began to lay about me to de-
fend Collins and myself 1t is possible in
the darkness and confusion may too have
struck Collins. / know | hit somebody a
hard lick. Then l felt a hand in my pocket
and / dropped the hammer to seize the
hand, but the hand got watch, a valu-
able gold one | bought in Memphis. Quick
as a flash / was struck In the face with
the watch and nearly knocked senseless. 1
was daze6 for a second or two and when
I / running md