The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-10
JOHN COLLINS LISTENS
While the Girl He Loves Gives
banning Testimony.
STORIES HE TOLD HER
DiScredited by Testimony of
His Own Family.

now in progress in district court in Topeka
las centered in the testimony to be siVer
ov Miss Frances Babcock, the young lady
with whom young Collins was desperately
in love. The story of Thursdays trial pro-
ceedings chiefly taken up with the hear
ing Of Miss Babcocks testimony is as fol-
lows:
The following letter. written by John
Henry Collins to Miss Frances Babcock
an hour or two after his father was muir
dered was given in evidence by Miss Bah
cock and read 70 the jury by the prosecu-
ton:
NV Dear Little Girl received your
letter this afternoon. Leonard came up
and will stay with me. Grace and mamma
are almost Frustrated, as well as myseit
but as long as we do not sit still and think
Of the awfulness OF the affair We can keep
up. send extracts from extra editions OF
the Journal and Capital. which will tell
you moro than I can. As yet l am Sc
daZed and stunned that l cannot bear 10
think Of our bereavement. The police seem
es yet to have no definite clue. There are
.umors of a man hsvin5 been seen shortly
after the murder hurrying away from the
ne.ghborhood, but then there are lots OF
rumors Il was a Providential accident
that L happened TO be at home. Had 1
fond the doctor in lime l would have
come back to Lawrence on the afternoon
Union Pacific train. The last thing my
father said to me was for me not TO -o
back until this afternoon, even # missed
school. I think the funeral will be on
Monday. Tho knights Templar will guard
The body throughout Sunday. when it will
be seen by friends.
The man who did the deed did another
thing equally as dastardly. He arranged
everything so as to throw suspicion on the
only other man in the house-myself. Even
81 nothing serious comes OF it, there will
be a suspicion in the minds OF some oeo-
pc and it vii ALWAYS be a blight on my
reputation in their minds.
I'VE can hardly realize that we have lost
a kind and noble father, who was the CEN
ter of our home life. I think as we realize
this more and more the sense of desola-
ton will be something awful 1 think our
keenest sorrow IS yet to come.
Remember what told you and be care
ful until can see you. DO not LEI anv-
one catch you o ffyour guard, and believe
20 one unless I tell you in person. God
bless you, my dear girl and keep you until
J can see you again. I hope your little
home may never be visited by such an aw-
full affair. Goodbye. JOHN"
The remarkable things about this letter
are that in it John speaks of suspicion
against himself at a time when no one
else on earth suspected him and his eau
ton TO Miss abcock to tell nothing about
conversations he had held with her about
negroes shadowing his father. One of the
strong points against John IS the anxiety
he showed to keep Miss Babcock from tell
ing these stories about the negroes. With
IN an hour after his father was murdered
he telegraphed her:
Tell nothing"
An hour or two later he wrote her the
letter given above. and in the afternoon
wrote her another letter.
Miss Babcock was on the witness stand
nearly all the morning. There was a stir
OF excitement among the people in the
court room when she came in. She was
dressed in a walking gown of very T-ht
gray, trimmed in brown fur and brown
braid. Her hata was light brown felt
walking hat of color and trimmed to
match the gown. She wore chocolate col
ored gloves. There was tinge of red in
each cheek.
Miss Babcock was asked: do you know
john Henry ColIins?"
Yes, sir
When did you first meet him."
In October. 1897; he called at our home
In return TO an invitation TO a party
Was that your coning-out party?"
Yes, sir"
After that did he cal loften?"
Yes. sir"
Miss Babcock was answering in low
moncsyllables. with her face turned partly
TO the jury and her eyes looking at her
gloved hands lying in her lap. She had not
yet looked at John Collins. John was lean
ing back in his chair. hi left arm stretched
out on the table beside him, his arm hang
ing down over the edge o fthe table. his
right hand in his trousers pocket wearing
his gold-bowed spectacles as usual. but his
Always pale face paler than usual. and as
white as marble. His thick, heavy lips
were pinched together tightly and almost
bloodless. But he was not nervous lie
simply looked and looked at the face of
Miss Bsbcoek on the witness stand He
never once took his eyes from her face.
1t was the first time John had seen her
since before his father was killed.
Miss Babcock, were YOU going with 9th
Hr young men at the same time you were
keeping company with john"
YES sir
Were you engaged 20 marry John Col
Ens?"
No; 7 was net"
Miss BaAcock. for the first time since she
entered the court room. looked from the
corner OF her eyes AZ John. but quickly
locked away and downward again.
Were you ever engaged to John?"
mo. sir; I never was"
Did he give you a ringc"
No. sir-"
Did you give John your picture?"
NO sir
Did you know he had your picture in
his watch?''
Yes: but I did not know where he
got il"
Mss Babcock said that in January or
February last John came to her home on
tandem bicycle. tie said then that his
father had heart disease and he feared
that he might have t. too. She told him
lie should not ride oicvc.- Il he had hear,
disease.
Mss Babcock told this story in answer
20 questions: During several weeks be-
fore Mr. Collins was killed John talked a
great deal shout his father beng followed
ana sA%'o~ed ana IN grea, danger from
negroes Three weeks before he 5eat, az
rs father John and had CONVERSATION
a. The university before The o'clock
classes. lie sad Is ---.-r - - -.