The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-20

-0SaAci "dS Pctulduls
Yes, SIR"
husband was a surgeon in TIT United
! States army and half brother of J. s.
| Collins, told about the gentle, kind and af-
fecaonate disposition Of John and mis-
affection for his father. She said he wor-
ried great dead about his fathers death.
The cross-examination of Mrs. Collins
was:
Did you notict any great trouble on
Johns mind that he was trying 10 conceal
from the public after his fatehr's death?''
No, SIR
''You say ne was a good young man and
kind and gentle in his disposition. Did
you know that he was gambling with
negro toughs and meeting negro toughs
in Smoky Row.
Il did not know It"
you do know it now. You heard John
| testify to 1t here?"
Eyes, sir"
Then your estimate Of his character
was absolutely wrong. was It not?"
las far as that was concerned, yes"
Then ne was not kind. gentle, and con-
siderate of the rights of others?"
Il think he was"
WAS he kind, gentle and considerate
OF the rights of Miss Babcock?"
81 think he was
Then you don't believe what he swore
to here yesterday, do your"
The judge ruled this question out.
Mrs. John Collins of Westmoreland. an
aunt of the man on trial, Miss Hattie
Hopkins, the sister of Mrs. Grant eMade.
Miss Martha Jane Gillespit of Auburn,
Kan, cousin of John, eacsn testified to the
kindness. gentleness and good character
Of John and his affection for mis- father.
Topeka, Dec. 17-There was romance and
mystery in the Collins family long before
the son, John Henry Collins, was suspect
ed of having murdered the father. Johns
father, James S. Collins. was a hostler
for Topeka Doctor and was working
for his board; johns mother. Miss simp-
son, was a waitress in a boarding house
when they met for the first time. Johns
father was then engaged to marry another
woman and johns mother was engaged to
marry another man, but three after the
first meeting the hostler and waitress
were married. They lived in the utmost
poverty, she sewing to help support the
family. Then John and his sister Grace
were born. Six years after the marriage
Mrs. Collins died, and there was so much
suspicion that she had committed suicide
that there was talk after the funeral of
having rhe body eXhumed for a post NOR
TEN examination. Five months after the |
death of his first wife Mr.. Collins married |
Mrs Meade, a widow with two children. |
She is the present Mrs. Collins.
James S. Collins was born in Water |
town, N. Y. His father moved to Potta- |
watomie county Kansas, when John was |
a boy. In 1871, James S. Collins, who |
was then 10 or 20 years OF age, came to |
Topeka and worked for DR.. Martin as |
hostler, doing chores for his board. His |
next j0D was blacking stoves in the Will
cox hardware store. This was in 1872. |
then he tried housepainting and later was
on the police force for few months. He
went to work next as a butcher for Will
liam Maxwell. He went to a little slaugh-
ter house still standing in the suberbs of
Topeka each afternoon at O'Clock and
butchered the sheep and hogs and beeves
for the next days sales. His next place
was with George B. Palmer, an under
taker. and he worked for him off and on
for six years.
In 1876 Collins was boarding at the old
Capital hotel, known now as the stor-
mont building. He was engaged to marry
a young women in Pottowatomie county,
but one day girl waitress came to work
at the boarding house and Collins fell
in love with her. This young woman was
from Vermont. Collins proposed marriage
to her the second day after ne met her.
-he next day they were married in the Of
flee of the hotel. People in Topeka who
knew Mrs. Collins we'll. say that her dis
position was sweet and amiable, but she
had much to worry her in the years of
her married life. They were very poor.
Mr.. Collins worked for Undertaken Palm
pr and his wages were small. Mrs. Collins
sewed in the family of Mr.. Palmer and
IN other families and helped her husband
save a little money.
In 1877 Deacon Swallow started In the
real estate business in Topeka and give
Collins an interest in IL. Collins was the
outside man. He is remembered as a
most energetic hustler. His part of the
business was TO take buyers around and
show their property. Mrs. Collins worked
night and day. She was an ambitious
made her morose and gloomy during the
asst year of her life. She died February
l, 1882 and the entry of her death in he |
books of Mr.. Palmer, the undertaken.
'how showed that she died of congestion
If the bowels. But there was much talk
# suicide.
A day or two after the funeral Mr. Col
ms with the two babies. John and Grace.
n his home. advertised Off a tousekeeper.
The advertisement was answered by AIrs.
Helen Meade. widow with two children
rom Vermont, who's visiting her sister.
,lrs. Morellouse, in Topeka. She was en-
aged as housekeeper. John Collins was
hen 3 years of age. Five months there
-fter Mr.. Collins and Mr.. Meade were
married. She was eleven years older than
e Mrs. Meade's daughter, Carrie. .
ears old, and her son, Grant, lived with
Ter. The relatives and friends OF Mrs.
Ieade did not approve Of her marriage {
o Collins and it was long time before
hey became reconcteSi to II.
Mrs Meade had $3.50 when she mar c
led Collins. and 1t was with this money s
1hich gave him his first good start. Dea-
on Swallow died and Collins succeeded q
D the business. The Kansas boom came E
long. Collins invested ssrewdly and be- a
anne moderately wealthy. He built a Big c
ouse. moved into IL and became proud s
his SUCCESS. ?
Ieade died Part Of the s.. 20 which Mrs. =
Ieade had when she married Collins o. 4
,nzed 20 Grant Meade by inheritance
rom his father. but Collins used . al &
/ his real estate business. Il is said ;hat G
rant Meade often asked tor the return \
this money. but Mr.. Collins put him O
II and never paid Il. Grant Meade be- G
anne a railroad brakeman. He IS a man
Z most estimabIe character