The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-30
IT WAS PREMEOITATEO
Investigation Into the Death of
Mrs. j. T. Collins.
NO REASON IS ASSIGNED
She Was q Sufferer From Disease. and
It Is Thought That Her Mind
Must Have Been Deranged.
The Coroner's Inquest.

The official investigation of Justice
Laurandeau. the acting coroner into
the suicide of Mrs. John j. Collins. who
home at AIS East Granite street. de-
veloped nothing except that the suicide
was premeditsted. and the jury which
passed upon the case so found without
assigning any reason. The only motive
brought out in the testimony was add
anced by the husband, who said his
wife was a sufferer from disease and he
thought her mind must nave been tenn
porarily ~deranged. but it was evident
the woman had premeditated self-mur-
der from the fact. which IA clearly es-
tablished. that she compounded a dose
OF two poisons calculated to produce
certain death. This was about the only
fact the inquest developed. 1t was
at first stated she had taken carbolic
acid. but the testimony of DIR. Cowper-
thwaite, who attended the unfortunate
woman was to the effect hat she had
mixed the acid with bromides. making
a most deadly compound. The inquest
was held at Sherman's undertaking
rooms at s O'Clock.
DIR. Joseph ]. Cowperthwaite testi-
fled that when he reached the side OF
the deceased she was very far gone
and shortly afterward commenced sinx-
ing more rapidly. The witness was
shown w bottles. one containing car
bofic acid and the other bromides. Both
were poisons. Witness was told by the
husband OF deceased hat he had seen
his wife pour both into a glass. Wit
ness stated the effect of taking the
two poisons would be to paralyze the
respiratory centers. There was no
doubt about the cause Of death.
DIR. T. +. Molleur vas called. but
stated he had not attended the deceas-
ed, n was excused.
John Joseph Collins. husband OF the
deceased, generally known as John ".
Collins. was next called. He said his
wife told hin In the morning not to re-
turn to dinner unless he wanted to, as
she would be very busy moving. AT
night witness went home and thinking
his wife la worked too hard during
the day to make the bed. went to bed
without waiting for IL to be made. Az
ter a time, his wife came and told him
to get up. SO she could make the bed.
He feigned sleep. as he did not wish
to bother her. She took her clothes and
went into another room and in a few
minutes he heard her call to him to
come out. He paid no attention and
pretty soon she aid:
Come out here, IL you want to see
me alive"
Witness then got IN and started. As
he reached the door he saw through the
glass his wife pouring the contents OF
the two bottles into a glass. Witness
tried to go in, but the door was locked.
He broke the glass and tried TO unlock
the door. and as he did so. she grabbed
for the key. but he got in and then
asked what was the matter. Before she
could reply she Dropped. Witness said
his wife had internal troubles and fire.
quently had spells Of beng delirious.
He said this must W. been the cause
of her taking the poison. as they had
no trouble n there was no other &C.
casion. Witness said his wife had
threatened previously to take her life.
when suffering from her trouble.
Richard Mackay was present when
Mrs. Collins died. About . o'clock he
was told h a taken poison. He
went to the house with other neighbors
and saw Mrs. Collins lying unconscious.
She never rallied. Witness knew Moth
ing further about the ase. The Jury
returned a verdict. finding the deceased
came to her death from the effects Of a
dose OF poison taken with suicidal in
tent.