The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-09
QJIE7ER.
Only 100 People Present at the
Collins Trial
When the District Court Open
ed This Morning.
CLIMAX WAS REACHED
In the Appearance of Miss Bah
cock Yesterday.
Defense Will Introduce Wit
nesses on Monday.
CLIMAX WAS REACHED

Interest in the Collins case, which has
been at a fever heat for a week, seems
to have sIackened after the appearance
of Miss Frances Babcock, the star fea-
ture of the trial Curiosity to see this
young woman turned the usually order
ly crowd at the court room into surg
ing mob This morning, there were no
more than 100 people present when court
convened.
The direct examination of Sheriff
Porter S. Cook was resumed by Mr..
Stafford.
The state hopes to complete its evil
dence by tomorrow noon. Then viii
follow the statement of the case by Mr..
GODDARD for the defense, to the jury The
defense will introduce no evidence until
next week. Judge Hazen said that he
would not require any evidence from the
defense until Monday, and instructed
the attorneys to govern themselves ac-
cOrdingly. This means that the Collins
case will go on the greater part of next
week.
Sheriff Cook, the first witness this
morning, being a continuation of his
examination from yesterday, told how
John Collins had come to him, with Dell
Harbaugh, who had by a letter from
Miss Babcoclk, been introduced to Col
Inns, and told the sheriff that there was
was married to Miss Babcock. He
said that 1t was understood that if in
the fall. things were as pleasant as they
were in the spring. he was to talk to
Miss BabcOck's mother about marrying
her daughter said the sheriff. Con-
tinuing he said: John told me that
he had told Miss BabcOck several stO-
rteS about his father being ShadOWed
but there was no truth in them. He
told me he did not know where his
watch and diamond were, and said that
he had celebrated Dewey day at the
Beta house, with his fathers revolver
and then returned it to him. John also
denied that he had said that a bomb
had been found in his fathers Office,
and that he, John, had put it in the safe.
He said he had gone to Kansas City to
see a man about going out as advance
agent Of some show: that he didn't find
him; that he bought a white vest and
drank two cocktails and a glass of beer,
then took to Lawrence a 25-cent bottle
of champagne. He afterwards told me
that he thought a negro had gotten his
watch-taken it from him during a dis
turbance on Kansas avenue on the night
of Dewey Day. He said, too, that if it
was found a negro had his watch and
said he gave it to him it would be his
word against that of the negro, as to the
truth of the matter"
The sheriff then told how John had
said they wanted to trade their home
for a smaller place, wanting some one
to assume the mortgage of $500, and
that John said his father owed about
$500. John told me his father was
carrying heavy load and he would
like very much to take the burden from
his father"
On the Sunday preceding the death of
J. s. Collins, Mr.. Cook said John told
him he came up to see about borrowing
money, but decided not to borrow it.
He told me he played poker one night
and lost 81 then went to bed, but after
wards got up. won the g back and then
quit the game forever
Q--Did you talk to John about the
stories concerning his watch?
A.-Yes.
O-Did you insist on John telling
where the watch was?
A.-Yes.
Q-What did you tell him?
A-That if At was pawned I would
Q-What did he say?
A.-That he would tell me In day
or two.
Q.-Did he say anything about the
telegram sent to Miss Babcock?
A.-Harbaugh asked him what he
meant by tell nothing" He replied by
saying that he had an understanding
with the girl and feared she would tell
her mother that they We're engaged
He said he had told this to the foreman
OF the cOroner's jury and the insurance
man.
Q.-Why did he want it kept from
Mrs BabcOck
A--Said if she thought he and the
girl were engaged she would instruct
the daughter to have nothing further to
do with him, and thereby blight his
prospects of getting the girl.
Q-Did he say he was going to hire
A.-Yes; that he was going to Kan
sas City to get them. The witness also
testified that John told him the reason
he did not invite the Babcoczs to come
to Topeka Dewey day was that he ba5
no money to entertain them
Odd he say he told Miss BabcocI1
ne feared his father would be assas-
sinated2
A.-Yes; he said he told her that but
there was no truth in it.
Odd he say he came to Topeka to
see a dOctor2
the stuff he had drank in Kansas CITY
had probably made him sick, and he
said perhaps that was true. Later John
Collins told the sheriff that his father
nad said there was plenty of life insur-
9nce Tor ali of the family He also said
ms parents always kept their doors
locked at night. because once when he
was sick he went down stairs to get
some medicine and his mother got up,
opened the doors and gave it to him
watch?
A;--The next day after I first talked
70 MN, ne gave me a statement of
tne IactS- he gave it to me at the San
IA Re depot, when I was going to take
the train. He called me to his carriage
and gave me written statement.
Written Statement of Collins.
The statement which John Co11ins
gave Sheriff Cook at the depot follows.
My gold watch was given to me On
gram J. H. C.. on the outside and an
fmRcription J. II. Collins NTa-ot 81