The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-03

served, except the shock.
Q.-What length of time would per-
son live after receiving the shoulder
Object said Mr.. Hayden.
"Overruled," said the judge.
A.-PrObably fifteen minutes.
Q.-What effect, in the position the
wound was made, would it have on the
nerves?
A.-WouId effect the power of motion
or movement of the arm or body.
DR.. Westerfield then identified the bed
clothing and the articles of wearing ap-
parel worn by Mr.. and Mrs. Collins on
the night of the tragedy. The coroner
then told how experiments were made
to determine where a person might have
stood to fire the shots.
Odd you make any experiments
to determine if Mr.. Collins, lying as you
found him, could have inflicted the
wounds himself?
Ayes.
Q.-Who was present?
A.-Sheriff Cook, Mr.. Steele and Mr..
Leonard.
Q-What did you do?
A.-Tried to hold the gun up at
range necessary to make the wound in
the shoulder.
The witness took the gun and with the
breech above his head, the muZZle near
his shoulder, showed how the expert
ment was made. It showed that this
could not be done. The doctor testi-
fed that the gun was held in another
position, the suppOsitiOn being that the
This showed that the gun would have to
be elevated higher than the bed.
Q.-HOw high?
Alive feet.
Q.-Was it possible to place the gun
in a position where Mr.. Collins could
have inflicted the hip wound?
Objections from Mr.. Hayden were
sustained, but the witness answered
mo" during the conversation between
judge and lawyers. The witness then
described the experiments made to test
the Collins shotgun.
Odd you make any inquiries at
the house?
Ayes.
Q.-What?
A.-Asked John Collins if his father
had any enemies2
Q.-What did he say?
A.-That his father was sometimes ir-
ritable and may have made enemies.
Q.-What else did you ask?
Aft there was anything missing.
Q.-Whom did you ask?
AIRS. Collins.
Q.-What did she say?
Did you ask John about the re-
volvers?
A-NO
Q.-Did you ask Mrs Collins?
Ayes.
O.-Was John present?
Al think so, a part of the time.
Odd you talk to John about the re-
| volvers, the next morning?
Al heard John talking to Clay Lyon
| about the reVolvers.
| Q.-What was said?
| A.-Mr. Lyon asked John if the revol-
vers had been found and John said no.
Q.-Who is Clay Lyon?
Ale was at that time a Journal
| reporter.
Odd you have any conversation
with John about his fathers death?
! A.-Only once.
Q.-What was John doing when you
| arrived at the Collins house Friday
| morning?
Ale was moving about the house.
| Q.-What was he doing?
| A.-Went with a reporter to show him
| the window which was unfastened up
| stairs.
Q.-while you were there did you see
| John crying?
At this point Mr.. Jetmore asked the
| witness to recite what John Collins had
| said with reference to his statement to
| Mr.. Lyon, at the inquest. To this the
| defense objected and Mr.. Hayden said:
"At that time a warrant had been is
/ sued for John Collins arrest and he had
/ been apprised Of the fact. Any state
! ment, we claim, which he might make
1 at that time, would be incompetent
objection overruled,'' said Judge Ha-
zen.
7 desire to present, if your honor
| please, upon this subject, authorities,
| several of them squarely in point on
| this ISSUE" said Mr.. Hayden.
'WeH.'' said the judge, Il will with
| of authorities"
On the cross examination the coroner
| admitted to Mr.. GODDARD that his knowl-
| edge of the treatment of gun shot
wounds had been secured more from
reading than by practice.
The cross-examinatiOn developed
| nothing new and the coroner was ex-
cused at sos p. m. and court adjourned
| until $50 Saturday morning.
Jesse Elliott Testifies.
Jesse Elliott was first examined this