The age-herald., 1898-01-07
THOMAS COLLINS
 WAS COMMITTED Frazer Bound Over and His Bond FiX6d at FiV0 Thousand Dollars. LASTED INTO THE NIGHT The Trial Characterised bp Some Ex-
 citing Scenes. HABEAS CORPUS PROCEEDINGS Next Resort of the Counsel for the Defense Suit for Sl0, GOO Damages Against City of
 Bessemer Brought by Sisters
 of Murdered Man.
HABEAs CORPUS PROCEEDINGS

Thomas Collins, committed to jail with out bail. and Hugh Frazer bound over un- der bond of s5,C0O is the result of the ex- citing preliminary murder trial at Besse- mer, which has so intently held public at tention for week.
 The argument consumed the entire day, and at 5:3O o'clock Attorney B. M. Allen concluded, and as the accused man gazed intently into his face, Justice Tlllman cleared his throat and spoke as follows; According to the evidence in this case and as I understand the law, will have to re- fuse bail to this defendant and commit him to jail"
 Collins eyes fell to the floor, and shud- der seemed to convulse his massive frame
 It was 10:40 last night when Justice Till i man rendered his opinion as follows in the Frazer case:
 "As the evidence shows in this case believe the defendant is guilty, and l will bind him over to await the action of the grand jury at bond of $5,OOO
 In speaking of the matter after court ad- journed, Frazer said he felt worse; he did not feel relieved.
 ..I should have been turned loose," said he.
 It is said to be the intention of the de- fense to sue out writ for habeas corpus proceedings in the case of both men. This will be a final effort to get bond for Col lins and have Frazer released without re- striction. Frazer can easily make the bond, in the event that the habeas corpus pro- ceedings are not successful.
 The trial yesterday lasted all day and until Il o'clock in the night. The Birming- ham delegation caught the 12:15 dummy on the return trip. All were gathered in knot waiting for the train.
 When it came up, Collins lead the way, saying: Come on, boys, we are going home now.''
 An argument as to whether the case of Hugh Frazer charged with being an ac- cessory ensued, and it was decided to ad- journ until o'clock, when the evidence in this case would begin.
 When the Trial Began.
 Solicitor Ferguson opened the argument for the prosecution when court convened at 10 o'clock. He spoke about one hour and ten minutes. He made a powerful ar gument, taking up the flaws in the tesi- mOny OI lne QeIeISe dIQ CLdTdCleTlZeu luc deed of Collins as brutal in the extreme, and without a parallel in the criminal annals of Alabama.
 He was followed by Attorney Trotter (defense), who made an emotional appeal. At times he shed tears, and his speech was an hour and twenty-five minutes in length.
 Attorney Lowe (defense), was the next speaker. He congratulated the court on the trial being near the end. He disputed the contention of the solicitor that the present case was remarkable for its bru- tality. The solicitor said it stood without parallel There were parallels, he said, more brutal murders Men were lynched for as- saulting women. He had always been op- posed to mob law, but he was glad to see a man who had the courage to avenge a wrong without calling on the mob. .
 Men took prisoners from the jails, hung them and were still living without ever be- ing molested. If "o1d man" Collins had waited until this thing became noised abroad and then have joined the infuriated young men of the community in taking the prisoner from the jail and hanging him, there would have been no such procedure. There would have been no danger of any one being hung.
 He referred to Attorney Allen and said that there was no law for an attorney ap- bearing in case unless employed by the plaintiff or the defendant, not even in civil cases. He still characterized Actor ney Allen as the counsel for the 'persecu- tion." He broadly asserted that an att tempt had been made by the persecution to appeal to public prejudice. He repeated an occurrence when he Qowe) had out lined the defense, when he said one of the attorneys on the other side. not the solici- tor had said in substance that he would prove that the young girl (Nellie Collins) was a depraved and debauched creature. He had not proven it. He. perhaps. got his information from the same sources from whom it was imparted to the poor dead man and caused him to dig his un- timely grave. MT. Lowe drew a distinc- tion between the solicitor, quasi-judicial officer, and the attorney who was employed