Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-06-25
ASSAULTED A THURMAN
WEALTHY TENNESSEE THURMAN
LURED TO PROBABLE DEATH.
The Victim Led to a Clump of Bush
es and His Head Pounded With
Hammer.

st. Louis Mo-, June 17.-C. d. Col |
Inns, wealthy Tennesseean, was lured
to his probable death Tuesday night by
a man whom he had known since boy
hood. His assailant is Martin Ensley
of Memphis, whose father, Colonel Ems
ley, was one of the most prominent
owners and planters of the south. Ems
ley induced Collins to visit Merrlmac
Highlands, a summer resort 10 miles
from here. On a plea OF illness he
went to clump of bushes rs yards.
from the hotel There, stepping be-
hind his victim, he dealt blow after
blow on his head with hammer which
he had purchased presumably for the
purpose of committing murder. When
the pounding had reduced Collins TO a
state of insensibility, Ensley stopped
over the PROSTATE body and took from
his vest pocket a roll of bills amounting
| to $4,000. He darted up the hill ana
passed the money to an accomplce.
Then the would-be murdered ran down
the path leading to the Merrimac river.
| Two men saw the terrible assault and
/ robbery and witnessed the transfer or
| the money and the escape of the prin-
cipal and accomplish. Charles Fe1ter,
baker employed at the inn, ana a
gardener who had been engaged about
| the grounds were the witnesses. Col
Inns was removed to Kirkwood and pu.
under the care of physicians. Ensley
ran down the river nearly mile until
he reached a shanty occupied by a
boatman. He pounded vigorously upon
the door, and when the old man opened
it he exclaimed:
''Tve been robbed and my friend
murdered. Help! Look! 1 am covered
with blood"
The old man accompanied him UT
the river to the inn. Ensley evidently
expected to find the body where he hao
left it, and evinced great surprise whef
he saw people running around.
Here is the man you want to tel
your story to-" the old boatman sait
as some one came up. The arrival was
Night Waterman Busch. To him Ems
ley repeated the story he had told OF
the river bank.
whats your name?" asked Busch
Martin Ensley," was the reply.
"You are the man 1 am looking for,
said Busch. 81 want you for murder,
and he seized the prisoner. Ensle,
!, protested his innocence, but was takel
, into the inn and placed under guard.
All this occurred about midnight. A
IL o'clock this morning two deput
) sheriffs from Clayton county arrive
t at Merrimac Heights and they searche
S the grounds for the weapons and dis
covered a new hammer covered wit
p blood. At daybreak Ensley was drive
to Kirkwood inn and brought face
face with the wounded man.
us this the man who struck you?
.. asked the deputy. Collins looked
him steadily.
!. YES" said he. "Ensley, how coul
f you do it?" he added.
t The prisoner looked down and mu
tered something about having been al
= saulted. He was then driven to Cla!
l. ton. Collins, the wounded man, has
stable here at the fair grounds, but
l. runs horses under an assumed name.
,. This spring Collins decided to try h
A. luck on the track. and sold his hotel ;
/: Nashville for $4,000 and started for S
i Louis with about $4,000, accompanit
L by Ensley, the arrangements being thi
Ensley should figure in all busine
Is transactions, as Collins did not wal
A. his name to appear.