The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-17
STORY TOLD.
rContinued from First Page.1

Q.-Was the ground soft?
Ayes.
Odd you go into the barn?
A.-NO.
Odd you see anything else?
Ayes, I saw young man who SAID
he saw a young man walking out OF the
alley from the direction of the barn ana
turn west on Sixth street and north on
Harrison. I told him to come with me
and we saw the man going north on
Harrison street and we called him back.
The boy that was with me knew the
man and talked with him and said he
was all right. He said he lived near
there and was going north.
Odd you know either of these
boys?
A.-No.
Cross examination by Mr. GODDARD:
Odd you know this man you saw?
A.-No:
Q.-Had you ever seen him before?
A.-No, sir.
A w. Knowles was the next witness
called.
Q.-You were acquainted with Mr..
Collins?
Q.-HOw long have you known him?
A.-Since 1865 or 1866
Q.-Where do you live with reference
to Mr.. Collins residence?
Any house fronts on Sixth avenue
and his on Van Buren, street, with the
alley between them.
Q.-What was the first thing you
heard of this murder on May 10?
A.-The clock had just struck and a
few minutes later the door bell was
rung violently. My wife went to the
door and when she came back she said
Mr. Collins had been shot 1 got out at
once and went over
Odd you see any one on the way
over?
Q.-Was it light?
Ayes. The sun was coming up
and it was bright.
Q--How did you get into the house?
from 7 TnI1T
Collins just inside the door. 1 knew
where Mr.. Collins slept and do not re-
member that I said anything to him.
Q.-WaS he dressed?
Ayes, he had on coat and pants
anyway.
Q.-Where did you go?
Al went back through the hall and
into Mr.. Collins room.
Q-WhO was there?
AIR. Collins was lying on the bed,
Mrs. Collins was sitting on the bed
and Grace was walking around.
Q.-What did you do?
A.-There was nothing for me to do.
Mr.. Collins lay perfectly still and APP
peared to be breathing his last What
did was to look around. I went to the
windows and examined the locks and
looked at the door of the parlor 1 saw
the gun in the hall as L went in lying
on the floor Of the hall. l did not pick
it up. 1 asked Mrs. Collins where the
gun was kept. She said in the closet.
/ went in the closet and fished around
LOT aWn1le- L asked MIS- Collins When
they had come home She said about
10 and that she had gone into the
closet and turned on the light after she
came home and hung up her dress. I
got down on my hands and knees and
examined the place behind the dress.
The floor was covered and there was
no place where any one could have
stood for any length of time without
kicking the things out of the way.
Q-Was anything said about any one
being in the house?
A.-Dr. Tefft said that there had
been a burglar. [ noticed that nothing
was mOlested. The trousers of Mr.. Col
Inns were lying folded up on the chair
and all the bureau drawers We're closed.
/ examined the pockets. There was
some loose silver money in both pock-
cts amounting to about 81. There was
also a large pocketbOok in the hip
pocket and a small wallet.
Q.-What was said about a burg
larry?
Airs. Collins said that there had
been no burglary there. That was said
more than once, probably twice
Q.-You thought he had been shot by
q burglar?
A-When 1 went there I supposed
the house had been burglarized. That
Is why 1 made the examination. Mrs.
Collins told me that all the doors and
windows were locked except the bal
cony door up stairs, which was never
locked. In examining these windows I
did not find any unlocked on the in
side but when 1 went outside I found a
window up about six inches, but there
was a wire screen on the outside. a
stationery screen that had not been
cut When 1 went around to the din
ing room I found a window L could
push up
Odd you examine the ground in
front of the window for tracks?
Ayes, made a thorough examina-
ton.
Odd you find any tracks?
A.-No, sir
Q.-What else did you find?
Al found that no more windows
were open but up stairs balcony door
was open. 1t was ajar about six inch
es. There was a screen outside but it
was not hooked.
Odd you examine the balcony?
Ayes, 1 examined it carefully. I
found no marks of any kind on the
roof or balcony.
Q.-Who was with you when you
went through the house?
Al do not know that any one was
with me down stairs, but when L ex-
amined the balcony two policemen were
with me.
Q.-Was Mrs. Collins dressed?
A.-No, she was in her night clothes.
Q.-What was she doing?
A.-She was holding Mr.. Collins
hands and head.
Odd you notice that she had been
shot?
Al saw the blood running down
her neck and asked her if she was