The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-17
CM4RTIN ENSLEY'S STORY.
He Insists That He is Innocent of the
A5tem ot on Collins Liza

St. Louis, June 17.-Information has
been flied with Justice Of the Peace
CfuesfelceT. charg ng Martin Ensiey
with saul ing Charles d. Collins with
intent t. x L and roDblng him of $4,000.
T. e document was sworn t. by +. A.
HGidhCru, St. LOUIS county attorney.
E1islay VII b. he'd at Clay ton until the
result OF Ire terrible blows received by
Caaries u. Ol1If... At AleI.3 MS l. ign
lands Tuesday night shall nave been
determined.
me accused mans friends have en-
ged an attorney TO defend MIN ana a
stvJle fsht VIII be made Tor his nber-
IT, Ch-rI@s =. Cou rs wds worse to-
day lie mad 4 nigh fever, his head
~ ill5C m STea IL and lie was very
restless Several more wounds have
teen round on his mead, mo king the to-
til number II. These weIe disclosed by
th= patents HAIR being cut. The ex-
tIvme heat ADDS to the Patients dis
comfort and complicates his case and
DIR. FittsnAan stiu fears blood poison
ing.
MRS. Collins who arrived from Cleve-
lana last night is now with her hUs-
band. TOday The patient reiterated his
o. MIN that Ensley delivered the blows
and said that The prisoner knew of his
having the So, 900 on lis person.
AlaTtIn Ensley after being locked up
in the county jail at Clayton told Pros
ecuting Attorney F. A. Heidhorn the
follow ng stOry. He sid: 7 came here
two Wee ks go from Memphis and went
to the Southern hotel. My business has
ces. have lost and won. I have lost
81 Geo in two weeks, but have made
enough mora than that to have this
money (t--e $1,000 in my possession.
F or the past two or three Gays, Mr..
Col rs. a Mr.. Guthrie of Lexington, Ky,
ard have been together a great deal.
We have been at Forest Park and For
est Park H ghlands, and during the re-
cent holidays have taken many street
car rides Tuesday night Guthrie was
not with US, but Mr.. Collins proposed
q he in +,
out to Meramec Highlands. We rode
out there.
About o'clock Collins said we ought
TO be going in. 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 Collins on the right side of the
head. l was on his left size and he
fell against me. Then another man
came up and aimed a blow at me, but
missed me. l saw the man who struck
Collins had an implement in his hand
which afterward found to be ham
mer.
The man had a black mustache,
flannel shirt black trousers and a COM
mon white felt hat, with no band. At
ter hitting Collins twice, the man drop
ped the hammer and clinched with Col
Inns. 7 picked up the hammer and be-
gan to lay about me to defend Collins
and myself. 1t is possible in the dark
ness and confusion, 1 may, too, have
struck Collins. 1 know 1 hit somebody
a hard lick. Then I felt a hand in my
pocket, and I dropped the hammer to
seize the hand, but the hand held my
watch, a valuable gold one that I
bought in Memphis. Quick as fash I
was struck in the face with the watch
and nearly knocked senseless. I was
dazed for a second or two and when
1 recovered I saw the men running
around the hotel and 1 took after them
I was met by a lot of hotel servants,
but I kept on after the two men, call
ing for help. They escaped among the
trees and shrubbery.
Il searched for some time, but could
find no trace, and then I began to real
ize the horror of the situation and I
made a search for the sheriff's officers.
I was so dazed and excited that I don't
recall where wandered for the next
half hour. I know I tore my trousers
getting through a barbed wire fence.
At last I found a house. I was told
how to find the hotel Waterman, Busch,
and I gave myself up to him.
EnsIey denied emphatically that he
knew anything about Collins finances
and insisted that it was Collins who
proposed the ride to the high lands.
Il could have no purpose in rObbing
him." said the prisoner.