The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-10

LOUISVILLE Nv NEW YORK. NE
room opening on an alley was scratched,
as if someone had tried to get in there.
'"The Saturday before Mr.. Collins was
iti,led John and I went in a buggy to a
ball game in Lawrence. On the way out
he told me that a negro had come into
his fathers Office in Topeka when his faith
er was out and asked for his father.
This same Saturday noticed that his
diamond was gone. I asked him where it
was and he said that he must have left it
go to the laundry in some of his clothing
and he intended to inquire about it. He
told me his father gave him the diamond.
On the way out to the ball game we went
over a rough place and John reached into
a pocket next to me and took out re-
volyer. 1t frightened me and l asked him
to put 1t in another pocket where il would
not be so near me. When W. were driving
home he told me the pistol belonged to his
father, who gave it TO him 10 carry for his
own protection. John said his father
feared that the negroes who were shadow
ing him might get after his son. John
used to carry keys TO his fathers house
and office, but he told me his father had
asked him for them because he feared the
negroes might get them from John and use
them to get into the house at night
The Sunday noon before Mr.. Collins
was killed John telephoned me that he
had to go to Topeka. That evening he
came to see me and said he had been 10
Topeka because his father had sent for
him 10 talk about business. John said
r-aS
and feared he would die from heart dis
ease or be killed by the negroes, AMI he
wished John TO learn all ne could about
the business so he could take hold of II
after his father was gone. John seemed
very much worried that Sunday night and
he asked me TO go out and walk up and
down on the walk in frontwithhim and
we did so.
John told me that one reason ne felt
sorry for his father was because his
father never knew when the blow would
fall, and it was too bad for him to be
taken ia disadvantage. John said that
If his father could know when the negroes
would attack him he could stand up and
fight like a man, 1t would not be so bad
John talked every time he came 10 see
me about the negroes who were following
his father.
Monday morning at school John told
me he was going out OF ewn the next
morning. I did not see him Tuesday or
Wednesday, but Wednesday he called me
up from Kansas City over the telephone.
He talked with me and said he was in
Kansas City on business. That is the
first l knew he was there. He told me
he would be back TO Lawrence that night
That night about o'clock I received a
written message from John. Il was
brought by a little negro boy on horse
back and I had the boy wait until
wrote an answer 10 the note, which
gave to the boy. The note I received was
that John was going 70 Topeka the next
morning and he would see me before he
went"
At this point in Miss Babcock's testi-
mony the court took a recess f>r ten
minutes. Miss Babcock left the witness
chair and went ont. John Collins turned
TO where his stepmother and sister sat
and. with a CHASTITY smile on his face
that showed all his glistening white teeth.
he began to chat.
Up TO this point the testimony OF Miss
Babcock had corroborated mucn OF the
and Jordan When John was taking -
her about his father dying OF heart disease
he was trying 10 buy poison that would
be soluble in water. When ne tolj her OF
the negro following ms father he was
negotiating with Jordan, the negro. 10
have his father murdered.
Frances Babcock missed his diamond
pin at the very time the negro Harper
says John gave It to him. He was telling
her he was going 10 Topeka 50 often AZ
the request Of his father, when In fact.
as shown by the evidence 81 Mrs. COL
Inns. Grace and john at ne inquest and
preliminary, the elder Mr.. CoIling vas re-
proving John for coming 50 often 20 To-
peka and uegleCtinA as school studies /
The most important thing Is Jaat at no
time ws1en he was telling Miss BS5coch /
these stories abou. negroes dlf the elder
Mr. Collins ever mention L. - any ore. 4
or did Mrs. Collins or Grace know ehIas
q L. They have testified 10 this on tire
witness stand. and john testified ~ The /
inquest chat ne simply told these stories /
TO Miss Babcock for fun and ;hat there 2
was no truth in he stories
Miss Rabcock resumed her testimony. +
II met John thar Thursday morning on
University hill and ne said his father had 4
sen, FOR him 20 come 20 Topeka again. /
He said ne would gladly give himself I'D
in his fathers place II &c coaif. / asked I
aim If his father wished him 10 come 10 /
Topeka and STAY. He sa-d no. Ae was
only gong tsleve 20 stay a saorc -ime-
! asked Vin NAY H. NaS =: Kansas C.sy f.
the day before ana - said a- was yhsrs
- try ana dnj VINO made bomo .hat 4
had been found Oh q negro va0 N1s ~
rested IN Topeka
Tile DAY toa- AIS Bab,5ek SAYS J0hn +
Vas .a Kansas C..y w1s tlC same jsr
Harper, tce negro. Says - aas taeic.
John talked 10 me s-sac 5eai aoou.
the bomb 1ea- Der SAID was rea1d .is
fathers safe. asked aim Mas ais s.-he- /
VAS dauS IN 7rs,rc, 1insrlr Iarr -.ff |