The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-16
About His Dealings With the
Smoky Row Negroes
HE SAYS HE FEARED
Exposure and Knew 1t Would
Be a Disgrace.
Led Into His Foolish Behavior
Because
He Was Hard Up and Needed
Money.

At 4 o'clock Thursday afternoon
County Attorney JetmOre commenced
the cross-examination of John Henry
Collins who had been on the witness
stand, all day, in his own behalf. The
story which young Collins told was re-
pIete with interest to the thrOng of
spectators in the court room.
The Collins family was as much sur
prised as were the attorneys for the
state when John Collins was called
to the stand by Mr.. Hayden. Mrs. Col
Inns, in fact none Of the family, knew
that John Collins was going on the
stand and the relatives and friends of
the family in the court room listened
with the closest attention to the narra-
tion OF the defendants story.
on the stand John Collins demonstra-
ted that he has wonderful self-cOntrOl.
When he told how he knelt by the bed
side of his dying father and had caress-
ed him, his voice trembled and tears
came into his eyes, but he did not
break down.
During the long tedious hours which
he spent on the stand John Collins went
through the details of his story with
out the slightest hesitancy. Then came
the cross examination by Mr.. JetmOre-
The county attorney was energetic in
his work and a rapid fire of questions
was kept up at the defendant. With
Inc SHINE calm QGIn6dnOI WnlCn ELdT-
acteriZed his manner on the direct eX-
animation, Collins WithstoOd the attack.
This morning the ss-eXaminatiOn
was resumed. John Collins was asked
if he had ever gone to Ober Bros store
in Lawrence and inquired If his dia-
mOnd stud had been found in his linen
sent there to be laundried. Evidence to
the contrary had been introduced, but
the defendant SWOre that he had mada
such inquiry in the store of man
whom he does not now remember.
The defendant was asked why he did
not call upon his father for money to
pay his debts. He replied: My pride
prevented me-"
Mr. Jetmore then asked why his
pride" had not prevented Collins from
seeking to borrow money from Mr..
Knowles and Mr.. Gage. The defendant
said he knew his father was in straiten-
ed circumstances and he did not desire
to further embarrass him.
John Collins testified today that he
had taken the shirt which he gave Jess
Harper to Harvey's restaurant.
Q.-Who did you give it to?
A man behind the counter.
Q.-What kind of a looking man was
he?
Al don't remember
Q.-Was he a tall man?
Al don't remember
Oven, what did he look like?
Al don't remember; they all look
alike to me.
All Objections OverruIed.
During the forenoon session the objec-
tiOus from the defense were numerous,
on the ground that the questions which
were being pressed by the county attor-
pey were not in line of proper crOSS-eX-
animation. The court failed to sustain
the objections. With reference to
repetition Of questions and answers in
the examination at the coroner's in
quest, the defense objected on the
ground that Collins answers at the
time of the inquest We're inadmissible
as evidence at this time because such
ef1fRunHnfG a c then M
voluntary, but the objections were not
sustained
The defendant in response to Mr.. Jet
mOre's questions admitted that he had
told numerous falsehoOds with refer
ence to the whereabouts of his watch
and diamond to Sheriff Cook and Dell
Harbaugh, the detective. I did that
with the hope OF shielding myself and
evading publicity in my dealings with
the negroes -
The defendant repeatedly admitted in
so many words that he had lied" but
always explained that he thought it
necessary in order to protect himself
from publicity.
Johnson Jordan made his statement
that Collins had asked him to kill his
father in Newton. Joe Smothers made
MS statement of the part he took in
arranging the deal in St Joe, while
Jess Harper in the Shawnee county jail
told of the part he had played 1t is
argued by the prosecution that there
was no opportunity for collusiOn among
these men, and the state relies largely
upon the evidence which these three
negroes have furnished, for a cOnvic-
ton.
The story of the negroes is corrobor-
ated by John Collins in every detail ex-
cept that Collins claims the negotiations
were for the purpose of procuring the
services of the negroes in gambling
deals The negroes swear that Collins
wanted to, and did, hire Johnson Jor-
dan to kill J. S. Collins. It is three
against one. This condition encourages
the state, and the attorneys for the
prosecution, previously confident of sue
cess, now claim that Collins admis-
sions of having lied so frequently will
destroy the effectiveness of his whole
story, with the jury.
Ihe defendant was today confused
with reference to some testimony at the
coroner's inquest and claimed to have
Forgotten what he said with reference
Mr. Jetmore asked Collins if he had
not sworn TO certain things as reported
IN the transcript Of the evidence of the
inquest, and reported at the same time
IN the newspapers. The witness said:
I have no confidence in the transcript
of the evidence
Q.-Wasn't the evidence reported in
the newspapers reliable?
A--Kess about as reliable as those
things usually are.
Within a. few moments the defendant
admitted that he had told many lies to
Miss Babcock. but couldn't remember