The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-12
EATS LITTLE.
John Collins Appetite For Jail
Fare is Slim.
Only One Meal a Day That He
RelisheS.
THE ONE FROM HOME
Brought by His Sister Every
Evening.
Keeping an Eye on the Wit
neSSeS.
HE ONE FROM HOME

be glad if the time were already here
for the confinement is telling on his
rugged constitution. His breakfast was
sent up from restaurant as usual this
morning.
The breakfast consisted Of
Rare steak.
Fried brown potatoes.
Stewed apples
Dry buttered toast.
Strong coffee
The young prisoner drank the coffee,
ate a mouthful of steak and a piece of
toast about two inches square and sent
the rest back. At noon this experience
will be repeated. The restaurant man
says that John Collins has a very poor
appetite. But. it is in the evening that
the young man enjoys his meal Just
at dusk every evening a petite form
dressed in black comes down Van Buren,
street from the south carrying large
basket. The figure is dressed in deep
mourning and Jailer Lawson opens the
door as the young lady approaches. She
enters without a word and is shown
directly to the upper floor where John
Collins is confined.
This young lady is Miss Grace Collins,
sister of the young man. Her demeanOr
is gentle and lady like and she is al
ways welcomed at the Jail. The jailer
unlOcks the cell door and Miss Collins
enters the little room with barred win
dOws where her brother is confined. She
sits near him as he minces over the
delicacies she has brought chatting
meanwhile and John Collins enjoys the
visit. Not a day since his confinement
has Grace Collins missed visiting her
brother. Her devotion is of the kind
which indicates not the faintest fear of
his guilt no matter what the evidence
may be to the contrary.
Mrs. Collins, the step-mOther of the
young man, calls at the jail once or
twice a week but her visits are not as
frequent as they were at first. Her
actions indicate, however, that her faith
in her step-sOn's innocence has not
been shaken.
There are few other visitors at the
jail. Occasionally a friend who attended
school with the young man calls and is
admitted. There is a young lady VINO
calls at the jail regularly twice a week
but she is a friend of the family of long
standing. The jail authorities say that
only one young lady from Lawrence
has called to see John Collins since he
was placed in jail and that was not
Frances BabcOck-
Sheriff Cook has not changed his or
der concerning the admission of news
paper men. He says that Collins attor-
neyS have ordered no one to be adInlICeo
and that settles it with him. There are
few requests from newspaper men now
One thing that Judge HaZen consid-
cred before he went to California was
change of venue in the Collins case.
The attorneys called upon him to talk
over the matter Judge HaZen said at
terward that he would not grant a
change of venue unless a DeILeT snow
ing was made than when the attorneys
appeared before him. He says he thinks
that the young man can get falr trlal
in Shawnee county and a very eXpen-
sive trial will be avoided. The formaI
motion for a change of venue Will be
filed however in short time and II
will be formally passed upon at the
next term of court. 1t is possible that
the hearing of this motion may deter
the trial until the October term and
this would undoubtedly be satisfactory
to Collins attorneys for it Will give
more time for the witnesses to olsap-
Tohn Collins does not discuss his COM
inc trial with any one but his lawyers
Taller Lawson often cOnverses with MIN
but he makes no reference to the ter
rihIe ordeal before the prisoner and Col
Inns takes care not to mention IT,
Johnson Jordan has left Topeka. He
disappeared a, week ago and the detense
has hoped that he is gone Tor SoOu
Int H G. Stafford who will assist in the
prosecution, received a special delivery
letter from Jordan today he IS IN
Newton and he told Mr.. Sattord thaI ne
has no intention of leaving the state
He said that he did not know how long
he will remain in Newton but that ne
would keep the attorneys informed or
his WhereabOut ana De present Wien
the trial comes.
watched by the attorneys for the de-
Tense If he can be detected in some
crooked work before the trial of John
Collins it would materially weaken his
evidence.
less Harper who is also a prominent
witness is in Lawrence and keeps the
attorneys informed of his whereabouts.
The attorneys for the prosecution say
that there will be no trouble Whatever
about the evidence when the time
canes They saw that all the witnesses
will be here on time and ready to testi-
fly. ,,-.,,-.. -. -
| working in the interest of John Collins
has been limiting for some time that he
will have a surprise to spring before
long. Wilkerson has been doing some
hard work in the Collins case He re-
wait " Mr.. Wilkerson is a shrewd
criminal catcher and when he is work
| ing on a lead" it is always well TO
The attorneys for John Collins have
| talked about ''developments" but they
have not rnaterialized and it would not
| be surprising if the trial of John Collins
| will be commenced with little more eV-
| idence than was produced at the pre-
| liminary hearing