The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-20
Assemblies to Hear the Collins
Preliminary.
Defense Announces 1t Will Not
Waive Hearing.
WITNESSES ARE SWORN
The First Witness Called is
PatrOlman Jenkins.
Testimony of the Witnesses as
Given.


The preliminary hearing of John H.
Collins who is charged with the murder
of his father, ]. s. Collins, was COM
merced this morning at o'clock in
the north court room at the court
house which is used by the court of ap-
pealS.
The hearing today opens the legal
battle over one of the most brutal muir
ders in criminal annals. At o'clock
on the morning of May Is, j. ). Collins,
one of Topeka's most prominent cltl-
zens, was murdered in bed at his home
at SIS Van Buren street.
The murderer used Mr.. Collins shot
gun which was kept in a closet off from
the sleeping room. The first charge
was fired into his right side, striking
the hip bone and the second struck him
in the shoulder as he arose in bed to
face the murderer
After the second shot was fired Mrs
Collins sprang out of bed and tried to
turn on the light but could not. Mr..
Collins called for the camphOr and said
he had been shot in the back Mrs;
Collins got the camphOr as requested
but when she went to her husband S
side she saw the blood gushing from a
wound in the shoulder and she ran out
into the hall. There she found the gun
where the murderer had dropped it.
She called the two children, John and
Grace, and both came down stairs and
went for help.
bedside Mr.. Collins was unconscious
and he died ten minutes later without
uttering another word.
All the down stairs doors were found
locked on the inside. There was one
window unfastened down stairs and
one up stairs. The balcony door on the
second floor was also open. No traces
were found of any one having LETT the
house and no one was seen IN the
vicinity of the house.
BY $50 o'clock this morning people
thronged the first and second story cor
ridors of the county court house to be
present at the preliminary hearing OF
John Collins for the murder of his faith
er May 13. A large crowd of people
gathered on the south porch, while 9TH
ers stood on the walk leading to the
building. There were more women than
men in the crowd. Vari-colored hats
and ribbons were mixed in the assemb-
1age, presenting a dazzling sight. Peo-
pie jostled here and there. Some were
intent on waiting for the arrival of the
officer with John Collins, others crowd
ed toward the north stairway to the
second floor to get a seat.
In the upper hallway the crowd was
dense Sheriff Cook and his deputies
struggled to keep back those who in
sisted on getting in. Newspaper men
and witnesses were admitted at the
west door of the appellate court room
The crowd was not given admission
until 9:05 o'clock. The large double
doors were swung open and a mighty
rush followed. officers fought the anx-
ious crowd back to prevent undue
crowding. Those who stood outside
waiting to get glimpse of John II. Col
Inns, were rewarded for the waiting; at
promptly 9 o'clock Contable Jo-
siah Ross walked with the prisoner
from the county Jail, accompanied by
Grant Meade.
John Collins was attired in a neat
sack suit of dark cloth, black tie and
plain, white shirt. He wore his rim
less nose glasses, sat quietly by the
defense table, and occasionally look
ed about and nodded pleasantly to ac-
quaintances. He was apparently at
ease.
At $50 o'clock Mrs. J. s. Collins,
Miss Grace Collins and Lawyer Chas.
Hayden, Of Holton, entered the court
room. Mrs. Collins and her daughter
were attired in black, the latter wear
ing black veil.
Mrs Collins face wore an expression
of nervous fear and sorrow Miss Col
Inns was quiet and was the object of
sympathy from everyone in the court
room.
Around the same table at which At
torneys GODDARD and Hayden and the
Collins family sat, also sat w l. Jam
ison, the counsel for johnson Jordan
and Samuel Bishop, of Lawrence, coun-
sci for Jesse Harper.
County Attorney Jetmore and Conn
sci H 9. Stafford sat in front of the
witness stand surrounded by a mass of
documents.
At 9:45 o'clock Justice w. s. McClin-
tock raped for order and addressed
Attorney Hayden:
Does the defense wish to waive hear
ing or stand trial?''
Attorney Hayden replied: eve do
not wish to waive. We will go into the
hearing
A short pause was made and the wit
nesses for the state were called and
sworn Attorney Hayden asked that
the witnesses be required to retire to an
adjoining room.
The crowd outside the court room
completely filled the corridor and both
STAIRS The court room contained fully
800 people Outside were at least 500
people. The size of the crowd Increased
rapidly. The first witness called was
Patrolman Nj. G. Jenkins at 9:55 a. m
II was Patrolman Jenkins who was
Fnrst called to the Collins residences
County Attorney Jetmore-Where did
You find the gun?
Jenkins-It was lying in the hallway
by the stairs.
Odd you see John Collins?
A.-Yes, he let me in. / picked I'm
the gun and asked him if it was his