Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-06

large portion of this audience each day Is
MADE up of children said he. This is
no place for them. Persons will not be
admitted with children after this. and
children unaccompanied will be dealt with
severely il they are caught in the court
Ioom."
The principal witness on the stand to-
day was Jesse Harper. the Lawrence ne
gro whom John is alleged to have dealt
with extensively prior to the murder of
]. 8. Collins. While John never told Harper
that he wanted his father killed, he asked
Harper to find him strong man who
would do a dirty job Harper says John
spoke TO him about doing it, but that he
was not able to stay in Topeka ION ac-
count OF the police Fostering him. and
that he recommended Johnson Jordon.
Harper told in great detail to-day how he
worked John and got his diamond and
s15 in cash. His testimony did not differ
materially from that given at the prelim-
mary trial.
Tomorrow afternoon the state expects to
reach johnson Jordon. His testimony
will be the most sensational OF the state S
eide. although Miss Frances Babcock will
draw the largest crowd.
The first witness tomorrow will be Miss
Moore and other Lawrence people, who
will be called to corroborate the evidence
given by Harper to-day concerning the
frequent visits of John Collins to the Har-
per home.
Young Collins took a deeper interest in
the evidence of Harper than that of any
witness put on the stand so far during
the trial. However. he did not make any
suggestions to his lawyer who did the
cross-questioning. He thus acted as
though the Harper evidence was cooked
up" and he knew nothing whatever OF
the incidents related by the witness.
On cross-examination Harpers memory
failed him. and it was with great effort that
Attorney Charles Hayden got anything out
OF him. Harper. however, said that John
never told him what the dirty job he
wanted done was, and that he never men,
Toned the name of his father. J. S. Col
p Inns, in connection with the deal.
g: G. Gage. Topeka capitalist. was the
frst witness called this morning. He is
an old friend of the Collins family. He
said that last February, John Collins came
70 his nome one evening and asked him
square up some debts at Lawrence and
that he would pay back the money as
soon as school was out and he could earn
II. He told John he would loan him the
money, but that he would have to talk il
over with his father first. John left the
house. The next morning the witness got
letter from John. He was not allowed to
tell what IL contained. From other sources
IL is learned that the letter requested Mr.
Collins. A week later John met the wit
ness and pressed him for the loan claim
Ing his father was hard up, but the wit
ness declined to make the loan because
John objected TO conference with his
father.
Ed Miller. a porter in n Lawrence drug
store, gave some sensational evidence about
John Collins trying TO buy some poison
from him shortly before the murder He
had charge OF the serving of refreshments
at the Beta house in 80. He had known
Collins for a year prior to the murder and
saw him at the home of Jesse Harper OF
the morning of May ). On the morning q
1Al m lfT.-
store where the witness worked and asked
him II he had received a note the night
before. Witness said he had; that Roy
Harper brought It II him and that il WAS
not signed. The state then attempted tC
have the contents divulged. but The de.
fense objeced and it was passed. Later
the note was put in evidence. IT read
Friend Ed:-AIeet me at 40 sharp to.
morrow morning at the store. Matter OF
Collins was at the store the next morn
ing at the appointed time
What did he WANT" was asked.
lie said he wanted some poison that
would dissolve in water"
''Whct did You say
Il told him would give him the poison
but he would have 10 sign up for it, II,
then said that that WAS just what h,
didn't want TO do. TO sign for it. He sait
he thought l knew him well enough tc
give II 10 him without signing for it
When Miller first mentioned the fact o
John Collins asking for poison. Attorne,
Hayden objected. on the ground that j
and that any reference to poison I'm con
nection with the case was irrelevant
Judge Hazen overruled the objection
What did he say?"
He asked If he couldn't get 1t withou
signing it, and ] told him mo-
Did he say anything else before h
'.iie said. We'll. then, you can't get 1, TO
me-
Them"
Il said. No. ! don't thing 1 can. John
unless you sign for it. "
He said: IF you can, there's fifty in !
Fifty dollars
What did you say?"
81 told him l couldn't get him the poiso
unless he would sign for it Then he said
You keep mum, and I'll make It right wit
you"
but he did not contradict himself at all.
The afternoon session opened with Jess
Harper one OF the star witnesses for tn
state on the stand. He was kept on tn
stand all the afternoon. His evidence wa
the most damaging Of any given Yet in Nh
case. lie started out by telling that Joh
Collins came to his home in Lawrenc
April &c. He described the meeting, whic
was the night following Collins Interview
with Joe Smothers.
What did he say?'
~ want you To go to Topeka and do
Job OF dirty work l told him wouldn't s
because there was a charge against me f.
fighting. He saw ] wouldn't go and / tol
him would get him a man; strong, abl'
bodied man."
who WIS it?"
johnson Jordon'
What did he do?'
Gave me - cents 10 telegraph to Johr
Eon Jardon- 4 stayed around homo an