Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-06-29

vey's restaurant, and then he asked
me to send Jess to him. i told him
could If he was at Harvey's restau-
rant. He said he would wait at Tur-
ner hall for him, and / then went to
the restaurant, but Jess was not
there. | waited until 9 o'clock and
then went TO Turner hall, where John
was waiting. l told him Jess was not
there, and he said he wondered
where he was. i told him 1 did not
know, and he walked back toward
Harvey's with me. i went to Har-
vey's, but he was not there, and /
went back and told John. Then he
inquired where Jess Harper lived,
and | told him. Then he gave me five
or six cigars. He stated that he did
not know Harper, and asked me to
tell him that when he arrived at Tur-
ner hall he should make some sign.
He told me to tell him to whistle.
When l went to Turner hall 1 whis-
tied, and John came to me. John
had on soft hat turned down in
front. He asked me whether j had
seen Harper, and / told him that /
hadn't. / then told him where TO find
Harper, and that he could see him at
home in the morning, as the boys
stayed in bed late. I told him that
probably he could not see them in
the morning. as he would have to go
to school. and he said. Damn srhool!'
1 got letter either that eveiNIg or
two or three evenings thereafter,
which said: 10: Keep mum if any
thing comes up. Will make it worth
your while 1t was signed Turner
Hail."
In identifying the letter he said:
This is the one. but when ! saw 1t
last, yesterday, it had no ink on it."
He referred to the Identification
mark put On the letter, with ink,
Webster Wilder, son OF d. w. Wild
er, ex-superintendent of insurance
for Kansas, was the next witness
who testified He was q classmate
and roommate of John Collins in the
state university. About two weeks
before the murder of j. s. Collins
he said that he and John Collins and
Cecil Haggert got a bottle of wine
and had little time" in their room.
That John had a revolver, and that
they fired three shots out of the win
dow. He said that John had told him
about a negro holding his father up
one night about two weeks before
that, and that the father pulled his
gun, made the negro lay down his
club. marched him to the electric
light at the point of the weapon and
then told him to skip. He positively
denied that John had told him that
the negro was the husband of the
Collins family washwoman.
wante dto prove tshrlu hrlu dhdllnn
John was in the wine deal, but
when 1t came 10 paying the bill he ex-
cused himself, saying that he had no
change then. The state evidently
wanted TO prove that the gun John
had, belonged to his father and that
it was one Of the guns missing from
the family residence the morning OF
the murder. The state also wanted
to prove that the story of his faith
er's hold-up was n part Of John Col
Inns general scheme to throw the re-
sponsibility of the contemplated mur,
der of his father on some negro. Mr.
Wilder said that he was treasurer oi
the college society TO which John be-
longed and that he was always
prompt in the payment of his dues.
John Collins is held for trial, The
most sensational evidence was given
Thursday, contained in the following
letter produced In court by johnson
Jordan, a negro tough, and said to
have been written to him by John
Collins:
Il ask that you make me an ex-
PLANTATION at once, either by letter,
telegram or by seeing me In person as
to why you did not keep your promise
to me about last night. 1t has placed
me in an exceedingly dangerous pos
itioD, as l had planned all my affairs
on the supposition that you would
keep your promise at any risk. Write
me at once fully as to what is the
matter and as to whether / may ex-
pect that you will attend to things
for me tonight. If you have been
pinched, use every means to get out
so that you I..ay be at my service to-
night. Use special delivery stamp
when you write me 80 that may re.
ceive the letter at once. I was very
much disappointed not to hear of any
thing last night, Tell me at once
what is the matter.
81 shall expect that you attend to
things 20 night, rain or shine, with,
out fail, as this will be the last pos
sible chance. After / have trusted
you as l have you should not fail me
in an emergency like this. Be very
careful not to get pinched, as either
failure or delay would be disastrous
to both you and me now. Tell me
whether you went to Kansas City,
and if so, why things did not come
off and let me know whether / may
expect some thing tonight withou
fail. / will try you this once NOR,
tonight, and l will trust you il
spite of your failure and delay, bu
shall lose all confidence in you !
you fail me tonight. You can upol
some good excuse, get my address
here from the young lady in th
Office, when tie proprietor is not in
Or you can send your letter here T.
the man with whom we met befo,
and tell him not to wait to meet m
on the street, but to bring it to m
n