The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-13
OUTLINE Of DEFENSE
Nhat John Collins Counsel
Expect to Prove.
THREE ADMISSIONS MADE
What the Negroes Had to Do
With the Case.
THREE ADMISSIONS MADE

Henry Collins for the murder of his father
ended its direct testimony Friday after
noon. The defense has made its state
ment 70 the jury Of what it expects TO
prove. The hearing OF testimony for the
defense will last several days. 1t will be
followed by evidence in rebuttal on the
part of the state. Then will come the clos
ing arguments 10 the jury.
The prosecution has been surprised by
/ three statements made by the defense
I One was that the defense would admit
/ that John gave the negroes the S75 and
his gold watch and chain; the second
was that the defense would admit that
/ the very negro to whom John gave the
money and watch is the one they sus-
i pect OF numbering his father; the third
was that the defense admist that John
was so heavily in debt that he was IN
/ great distress about il and that he
knew his father would not help him out.
The defense said nothing about suicide,
( having abandoned that theory. if they
/ ever had it.
Mr.. GODDARD. in outlining the case for the
! defense, said the evidence for the state
had been wholly circumstantial and the
evidence for the edfense would be wholly
/ c.rcumstantiaL
We expect TO show that Joseph Smoth-
| ers, the witness used here by the state,
| is wholly unworthy OF belief. We will
/ show that in his evidence here he has
| contradicted his evidence at the pTelim-
! mary. We will show that he has told
that he was TO get money for testlfying
| in this case. that he said he knew who
killed Mr.. Collins and that there were
only five men who did know that. and that
perjured testimony was 10 be used in this
case.
We will show you that Cornelius Car
/ ter the negro who swore here that he
was at work for the city and saw Jess
Harper and John Collins talking together
in the park is utterly unworthy of be-
lief, and told an absolute falsehoOd on the
stand. We will show that he was not
working in the park that day.
We will show that Ed Miller. the negro
who says John tried TO buy poison from
him. IS false. 4 man. Carpenter by
name. was in that drug store all the
time John was there and he will relate
all that passed.
I'VE will show that Johnson Jordan,
the negro. is absolutely unworthy of be-
lief. We will show that since the muir
der he has attempted to blackmail Mrs.
Collins. We will show that he has told
that he obtained the $40 from John Col
Inns 10 gamble with and that John gave
him his watch for the same purpose. Jor-
dan has stated on at least two occa-
sions that he kiledw Mr.. Collins be-
cause Of an old grudge.
I'VE believe that Miss Bagcock was
mistaken in some of her statements. We
do not allege that she swore falsely, but
her mind has unconsciously been infiu-
enced by outside parties.
LAS to Harbaugh, the detective, we viii
show that he is utterly unworthy OF be-
lief. One falsehood in particular Of his
We will disprove. That is that he saw
John Collins write with his left hand.
The prosecution expected to argue from
that that John was left-handed and that
a left-handed man dropped the gun in the
hall But we will show that John never
writes with his left hand. He is right
handed, he is not left-handed.
I'VE will show that J. S. Collins was a
man of prominence here in business, In
social and in fraternal society circles. He
was a man Of nervous temperament i'm
petuOus and impulsive. When he took 4
dislike 10 a person he spoke his mind
freely and vigorously. This brought him
enemies. 1t was not infre1uent for Mr..
Collins TO order people out Of his office.
He had dealings with many tough char
acters renting them houses. This brought
him quarrels with the very worst element
in society. The manner Of Mr.. Collins
while he was leader OF so many parades
was offensive 20 many. His manner OF or
dering the by-standers back made him
enemies
Mr. Collins had been in fair finan-
cial condition he had been worth a great
deal Of property but IN the later years
of his life ne met with reyerses. He
was in straitened circumstances when ne
-
as his outgo for quite awhile before his
death. But he had deals on hand that he
expected 10 net him large sums
Mr. Collins was a peculiar man in some
respects. Some pages OF his life We VIII
not he able TO unfold 20 you. He lived
in constant fear OF being murdered. He
vas never on the street without a loaded
cane in his hand. He insisted on having
the doors OF his home firmly locked every
n ght He always locked tight the doors
OF his own bedroom and always slept
with two rsvolvers beneath his pillows
and a loaded shotgun near by. He had
been held I'D once. He was followed by
A man on Sixth street and the man was
lodging behind trees. Mr.. Collins drew a
revolver a. that time, forced the negro
under an electric light and found ne had
a large knife. MI Collins was in fear Of
negroes. and expressed this fear 70 Jo1n
and 20 people outside Of the family. We
Will put those people on the stand 70 eel
what Mr.. Collins thought about these
things. On the street al n ght he would
noc walk near dark alley and always
walked on the outer edge OF the walk or
in the middle OF the street
We viii show that Joan Collins was
born and raised in Topeka. was brough,
Up in a most excellent family and IN .
most excellent way His standing among
MS friends and scqusintsnces 49, always
been the highest and best and he has
gone with such people a. you and ]
would wish our 5oy 20 90 With He never
tiers. His conduct was free from criticism [
When ne went 20 Lawrence his standing
there was equally good.
a young man who could murder rs
father must be selfish IN al absolute de- /
gree. But Ne sSaI show b the 5ss.
people IN this city that he was always
open-hearted and generous. he mus = |
a cruel monster wig would XII us 0Ua
tsther ye- We viii shoT max Joln al I
ways Ras a kint-hearted an sf-c:loils.s /
son. When be was years Old. as nota- 4
~ died and subsequently rs fat1er mar
ried a WIDOW who had Two chi-Iren- NJ 1
Collins had two children too Tbs fam 4
tly grew Up together IN the frlsndii@st pos f
stbIe relations 20 each otasr. There WIS 4
never any trouble o. fricti9n II ths; fan
ilv John w2s raised under the kint
gentle. uotheriy care OF his rtepal0th@- 4
ard be grew up 20 love aer- We Elll
show thar he relations ct az ne men &
5e-s OF this family Were Tsry close and 4
q HectIonste Particularly Ezs this true 4
% rhe relations between Joan and nis /.
father. TIE fz-ze- was always Interested 4
n The boys sports and co-zgszZ-ers and - I
the boy grew 20 thes1 ties between hiz i