Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-30
II COLLINS on THE STAND AT
TOPEKA YESTERDAY.
FIRST AND ONLY WITNESS
SAYS SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHO
KILLED HER HUSBAND.
Declares That She Would Tell IL She
kncw-CourtrOOm Packed With
auditors. Many of Them So
cicty BcIIes-Plan of
Defense.

I TOPEKA. Nov. ~2s.-CSpecial) DO you
know who killed your husband?'
Il do not"
IF YOU did would you tell?"
81 most certainly would"
IF IL We're John. would you say so?"
II would. most certainly"
These questions and answers were the
climax of the cross-examination of Mrs.
j. 5. Collins on The witness stand this
afternoon IN the case of her step-son. who
IS on trial for murder. She indicated ny
her every action and word that she believ-
ed John Henry Collins innocent of the crime
of Staying his father.
Mrs. Collins was the first and only wit
ness examined today. Although, under the
strict construction of the law, she could
not be forced TO testify against her son.
Yet when the state decided to use her as a
witness she offered no objection and went
upon the stand and told all she knew about
the case. She did not become confused dur
ing the tedious examination. cross-exami-
nation and redirect examination. She was
under fire for three-fourths of Il day.
The court room WAS damned with specta-
tors to-day At least two score of the So
ciety bellies of the town were there. They
were not a bit particular as 10 the sur
!oundings. IL was not an thing
10 see a society girl sitting between a thug
from Smoky Row and a woman Of Ques-
tionable character from Easy street. Every
thing seems 10 go in this trial.
Having secured a jury before adjourn
ment last night the first thing in order this
morning was for the state to give the jury
an idea as 10 what II would show by the
evidence; The statement of the case was
delivered by County Attorney Jetmore. He
said:
In this case I want to present the evil
dence as the witnesses themselves know
II: 4 GO not desire to go outside of the lines
OF legitimate prosecution" He then pro-
Tor which JOHN Collins is being tried. How
on the morning Of May IL. J. S. Collins was
the rooms; the loss and later recovery of
J; $. Collins pistols: the finding Of the
shotgun in the hall. and al! the incidents
Jetmore laid, particular stress upon the
fact that while Mr.. Collins was dying,
Mrs. Collins insisted that the author of the
crime was not a burglar. This suggestion
had been made by pr; II X; left. but
county attorney also dwelt at length upon
the fact that an examination of the Col
Inns house. within d few moments after
tered or left the house. The county attor-
ney then went on to show that the theory
Of suicide was untenable: He also argued
ism of the late improved hammerless gun
owned by Collins and with which he was
killed. could rot manage il. and he, there
fore, concluded that the defendant alone
knows of the crime and IS responsible for
,ns Mr. 81 Je Inn ro,, eSplai med i IN detail the
flcted end by assuming various positions
showed the impossibility of suicide. He also
tied in court.
The county attorney then stated that
John Collins. while keeping company with
Miss Frances Babcock at Lawrence. be-
came involved in debt. and owed livery,
candy, flower and other bills. which he
must pay or lose his position in society.
ssIIa srlrrsf haUa r1nnAy cold Mr. T1.n1r
and he proceeded 10 make plans to get
it," He then recited how Collins sought
how Smothers found Jess Han per, who tel
egraphed Johnson Jordon IN Topeka, the
latter being recommended to Collins as a
man competent to do the work which Col
Inns wanted done. When Mr.. Jetmore re-
ferred TO the note signed Turner Hall"
Inns took his eyes off the county attorney
and gazed at the ceiling of the court
room until The reference to the note was
sition in watching Mr.. Je.more.
Mr.: Jetmore referred Particularly to John
Collins denials to the police and the news
about the finding of the last revolver after
the crime was committed, and then sug-
things all the time. He detailed every act
OF the young man, the pawning of his
watch and diamonds and revolver. prior to
the crime; his conduct in Topeka and at
Lawrence: how he went to Kansas City
and claimed his business was to see a
theatrical man TO get a job as advance
agent for 2 show. have been unable
said MIR. Jetmore. ito ascertain what the
young man really did I'm Kansas City. al
though am sure both sides have endeav-
ored TO do So"
In his statement OF the case. Mr.. Jet
more outlined the testimony which will be
given by Miss Babcock; how Collins told
her of danger which threatened his father
and his desire to be able to take his
fathers place and thereby shield him from
danger from glycerine bombs. anonymous
letters and probable attacks from enemies.
In cumming up. Mr.. Jstmore said: I've
viii show that Collins wrote the johnson
Jordan letter; that he printed his letters,
and that he instigsted the crime and then
committed il, and We will present such
evidence AS we think will leave no doubt
in your minds that John Collins killed his
father"
Tho witnesses were lined up in the CEN
ter of the courtroom and sworn. Those
present were: NJ. q. jenkins. Albert Heart
burg. Tim Donovan. E.: LanSe. Lizzie
Moore. Miss Shaw. II. X. Tefft, J. q. Pick
cns. George Fieger. c. Carter. Joe Smoth-
ors. Webster Wilder. Helen a. Collins. III.
NJ. Steele. Jesse Harper. johnson Jordan.
Porter Cook, ". j. Jameson. Dell Har.