Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-01


rent showed you the gun and that you
took it away?" said Mr. Hayden, reading
from the evidence.
Il do not remember but there must be
some mistake: | never took the gun away
from from the house; l might have moved it
Did you lind any tracks around the
outside OF the windows?"
posite p.. II the unlocked Window"
Mr.. Donovan explained that the roof
over the Kitchen was so steep that he was
compelled to get down on his hands and
knees and slide along to see II anyone
had been on the roof.
ed after dinner. He was asked whom he
saw upon reaching the Collins home. He
What was his manner"
Calm"
Vas he crying?"
Did you see any evidence that he had
been?"
Mr.. Hayden-"We object. This is irrele-
want and incompetent
Judge Hazen.."objection sustained"
Mr.; JetmoreL"What did Collins want of
Said he wanted to take some kilograms
to the office"
Did he leave?"
Il do not know
where did YOU go?"
around back of the house"
Did you see John Collins again?"
NO
What did you do"
Donovan and Fieger helped me up on
the roof of the Kitchen ,
..,,;l5 "What y kind of roof is it?'
What did you get up for?''
Did you find any?"
Did Did you find some mud tthere?"
Yes; Yes; it was old dry mud ,.l u,rs,n.
house for tracks?"
Under ..TIs the dining room window"
Did you find any tracks,"
Mr.. Heartburg then described the build
ings at the rear of the Collins house.
Did you leave any mud on the roOf?"
"A small amount of dirt"
From your shoes?'
81 Did d.y9. you aa,. leave any other marks"
Did you look?"
Did John Collins go to the telegraph
office?"
Il don't know"
Did he drive away?''
Il don't know. Presume he did. The
buggy went away
Which way?"
..h,s u couldn't say positively,
Did you say at the preliminary that you
saw him driving away?'
Policeman George NJ. Fieger was called
told by the other officers.
J. C.. Pickens testified that he was walk
@ van Buen Gt Street OF when hs Sps he heara hdme
once: He went into 'p the en; hoass and sDt step
SO dark he did not see his face. He
STAYED only few moments. Neighbors
came in and he left for his work. He
denied upon cross-examination that he had
told Edward Lange the following Sunday
that he was not in the Collins house at
Ed Lange was called next. He was not
present, and then the state called for these
Reuben Knowles, DIR. Grubbs, DIR. Teft and
Sias Rain. None of them answered. but
the court said the trial must proceed and
witnesses If the counsel desired. County
Attorney Jetmore said he would use A. NJ.
,,, Baidwin u;; first; and that some OF the rest
mony was unimportant. He met R. II.
knowles in the yard at the Collins resi-
dence and asked him what was up, and
was told of the murder. a young man
came out of the front door and asked him
63 go to The police station tat and get
officers and hurried them up. He recog-
nized the young man who sent him as
John Henry Collins. Baldwin had pecu-
liar way Of answering questions. and the
spectators broke into laughter several
times. The court at last was compelled TO
give severe warning.
A
W. Knowles, for forty years resident of
Topeka. and q nsighbor of the Collins fam
lily for years; When ne was called that
morning he dressed as rapidly as possible
and went to the Collins home. When he
reached there the front door was open.
John was in the hall. He had his trousers
his face was flushed and indicated that he
had been crying. Mrs. Collins and Grace
had on their night dresses. They were in
the bedroom with Mr.. Collins. Witness said
tina. Collins was still alive. but was un-
conscious and was bleeding. Mrs. Collins
had her hands on his face, weeping. while
Grace was walking around and also crying.
Knowles saw the shotgun on the hall floor.
but did not touch it, and would not permit
anybody else to do so until the police
came.
He said that the position of the gun
INDICATED that the person who put 1t there
Masa as o he M wndows aa 5 onnS hd
ttose downstairs locked. There was one
open upstairs. leading TO the veranda. He
murder was committed. He examined the
some change-a in silver-in the pocket
He did not look into it. He was positive
that no robbery was committed The
screen door upstairs leading. to the bal
cony was closed. but unlocked. There We're
tracks on the roof of the Veranda
After he made the examination of the
stairs and saw John with some telegraph
paper in his hand. talking to Grace. Upon
cross-eXamination lie went over the
ground again very closely, but nothing
sensational was developed.
Joe johnson. an important witness~in the
Collins case. arrived in Topeka to-day. Joe
Johnson is the negro who could not be
found for long time after the murder ard
ii was hinted that the defense had him
singled out as the man upon whom the
crime was to be laid.
Johnson kept away from Topeka. He
was not here at the coroner's inquest nor
the preliminary The attorneys for the
state kept up a search and finally found
Johnson in Nebraska. He, agreed 10 come
to Topeka and testify at the trial.
rests in the fact that he is the man whom
Johnson Jordon claims present when
he had his first interview with John Col
Inns. Johnson will corroborate the testi-
mony Of Jordon so far the first meeting
is concerned but there his connection with
the case stops.