Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-23
THE COLLINS CASE.
Preliminary Examination Of Young
Collins Begun at Topeka.
GREAT INTEREST IS MANIFESTED.
The Accused Murderer Maintains q
Cheerful Disposi.iOn The Curl
'oslIy ortho crowd Interests
ANA AInnsrs Him,

nmlnaly NEARING OF Vlle case VI pho
suale OF Kansas vs., Jonn llenry Col
Inns, The accused murderer OF his
father, was begun yesterday
" ,,tlhe hearing took place before jus
aice AleClintoek, In ,ne court OF up
peals room OF uhe county building
Such scenes were never Witnessed
nj hearing or trial IN Topeka.
phe doors 10 the gallery were
forced by the crowd twice, once IN
THE forenoon and once IN Ohe liVer-
moon, and nothing seemed able 70 re-
nlst the curiosity Of tbe people 10 see
the student OF the university, Inc
prospective Episcopal minister, Ohe
Soclety leader, the "loye-mad" wooer
OF an heiress, who Is accused OF MUIR
deriug his own father on the morning
OF May 10.
1t was the purpose OF the sher-
ar TO keep the gallery OF the court
room locked, fearing that 1t would
collapse under the crowd uhat sought
admission, but the Late corners forced
the early corners against the door UNI
eli n gave way, and women and men
rolled over each other, Through the
opening, screaming and struggling in
an irresistible flood of humanity.
Similar scenes prevailed down
stairs. 1t was announced that bhe
court would open ulI 0 O'Clock, Az y
O'Clock the hallway before its doors
were crowded, Nlne-tenths OF those
present were women
All kinds of women were there So
ciety was well represented, but There
was NO fayoritism manifested by the
court officers Everybody was COM
PEELED to stand and crush and wreslie
FOR admittance on the same footing
Only lawyers and reporters were al
lowed 10 ENTER the private entrance.
When the door wrS opened al y
O'clock It was like the opening OF The
9ate Of mill dam. Screams We're
heard as il women we're fnintng, No
body seemed ITO have any interest in
anybody else. The peope rushed in
tc crafty their curiosity MS rhey
would rush out Of the opera house AT
the cry of fire. Women lost their hats
I'm the scuifle to GET In FIRST, and IT
WIS the surprise Of everybody that
a great many were not injured
The Young man VINO was the eNclt-
ing influence THAT caused the tremen-
dous avalanche Of curiosity seekers
sat and looked at hhe excited and
dangerous rush Through his nose
glasses with great interest. lie was
as cool anh calm as q statue, with the
exception That he Gound great pleas
ure in the sight and laughed heartily.
His humor was not forced, or else he
has theatrical tnlent amounting to
genius. he looked at the mad scram-
BILE as he would look at lhe tangle
and tumble Of a foot ban game
His demeunor makes the case Of the
murder of his father more mysteri-
Gus than ever, lie is eiDher innocent
or else the crown prince criminal OF
this generation,
lie not only acted like he is inno-
cent, but he locked that way. There
is not single Indication of vicious
ness in his face. On Nhe contrary, he
looks ms IL he had "A splendid nature
and a harmless. generous disposition.
III would be hard to find higher
type of n gpnteel dashing, bright
natured, good looking, clever, even
tempered young man; If he is inno-
cent he Is no less remarkable, Some
body said to-day that he INDUCED in
too much levity, considering the occa-
sion. He was not entirely innocent
OF that charge, and yet there was
nothing repulsive in the levIty he
manifested, nothing that would pre-
judice person against him.
The fact is that John. Collins did
more by his conduct to-day to inn
press people with his innocence than
hrs lawyers Will be able to do during
the entire trial, and they are able
men who will ably defend him.
He listened to every word OF the
Testimony, not keenly nor with too
much indifference. lie listened to it
as II he was not directly Interested
In THE result, He showed no malice
when the testimony was against him
nor no JOY when men testified in his
favor.
Once he had occasion to pass the
gun that was the instrument of his
fathers death. He had to rub up
against It, but he simply looked alt It
as familiar thing and showed no
emotion whatever. He could have
avoided looking at 1t but he didn't.
When Miss Babcocks name was
mentioned he took his specta Giles from
his nose, took out his pocl<et-knife
and used its blade to fasten little
screw in the nose bridge OF the
glasses He may have had a wonder
full food Of thoughts and memories
of his sweetheart in his mind at that
time, but he did not betray them.
Every now and then he would take
up mass of typewriter testimony
taken at the coroners inquest and
follow 1t with the testimony of the
witness, but he made no suggestions
10 his lawyers.
When his sister and stepmother
came into court they took seats near
him. He leaned over the arm of his
sisters chair and held a Mther pleas
ant conversation with her. Neither
the sister nor the stepmother re-
S,ua I'm Ad 1nnty in tho count rnonn Uhav