The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-29
Mrs J. s. Collins Testif1es in the
Murder Trial
Can Not Identify the Pistols
Found.
A JURY is SECURED
At 6:15 Last Night Through
Judge Hazen's Efforts.
County Attorney JetmOre Places
His Case Before the Court.

The Collins case was called promptly
at o'clock this morning. John Col
Inns, the defendant, came into the court
room, feeling as he said, first rate, ="
and ready for what promises to be a
long drawn out trial. The young man
is well satisfied with the makeup of the
jury, and believes he will secure JUS
tice.
At GIT last night Judge Hazen ad-
rninistered the oath to the following
jury in the Collins case:
G. NJ. Berber, Auburn.
Henry Porter, Waveland.
Charles Stevens, Valencia
John Kellinger, Vidette.
J. S. Jordan, Wakarusa-
A. H. Buckman, Vidette-
r. s. Butner, Valencia
J. F. Goodwin, Vidette.
William Keck, Auburn.
Emery Probst, Auburn.
John Dickey, Auburn.
J. A Miller, Valencia.
The jury was secured after a. day Of
tedious work, and it's selection was due
largely to the influence of Judge Ha@
zen who insisted there should be no de-
lay.
AS the whistles sounded o'clock Mr..
Hayden said:
I wish we might adjourn until morn
ing"
mo sir" said Judge Hazen. This
jury will be completed tonight" and it
was.
Before discharging the jury until this
morning Judge Hazen counseled with
them. saying: 'eYou have been called
to try an important case. desire to
caution you against conversation with
any one concerning this case and remind
you that you should read no newspapers
nor listen to other reports of the case
but so guard yourselves that you viii
be able to try this case fully, fairly and
impartially. So conduct yourselves
that when it is finally ended not the
slightest breath of suspicion may at
tach tC any one of you"
Court then adjourned until o'clock
this morning.
During the day the qualifications of
fifty men had been tested. r. S. But
ner is the only one of the regular panel
who was retained The remainder OF
the special venire of hfty-five was
drawn upon and when the jury was Sc
cured there remained but four names on
the special venire which had not been
called. In all fifty-one men were ex-
amined before a jury was secured.
The jury is regarded as a body Of rep
resentative men. The members are
farmers and know but little about the
case, but they belong to the better class
of citizens Who as Judge Hazen
said: will give both the state and the
defendant a fair and honest trial"
The crowd at the opening of the court
was very small but grew larger toward
noon. Additional chairs and seats have
been put in by Bailif John Coyne, who
Is making strong effort, with the linn
tied facilities at his command, to pro-
vide accommodation for the visitors.
There were five women in the court
room this morning. Two of them were
students of shorthand who are practic-
ing on court reporting. The remainder
of the crowd was composed of men who
are ordinarily found on the sunny side
of Kansas avenue
But few of the witnesses were pres
ent at the opening of court this morn
ing, the understanding being that the
statement of the case to the jury by
the attorneys for the state would oc-
cupy some time. The defense will out
line its case when the evidence by the
state against Collins is all in.
County Attorney Jetmore began his
statement a few moments after
o'clock. He said: In this case I want
to present the evidence as the witnesses
go outside of the lines of legitimate
prosecution" He then proceeded to
recite the details of the crime for which
John Collins is being tried. How on
the morning of May 13, J. S. Collins
was shot and soon died, then the Ioca-
tion of the rooms; the loss and later re-
covery of J. S. Collins pistols; the find
ing Of the shotgun in the hall, and all
the incidents connected with the death
of Collins. Mr.. Jetmore laid particular
stress upon the fact that while Mr..
Collins was dying, Mrs. Collins insist
ed that author of the crime was not a
burglar This suggestion had been
made by DR.. Fl. x. Tefft, but was re-
peatedly denied by Mrs. Collins. The
county attorney also dwelt at length
upon the fact that an examination of
the Collins house, within a few mo-
ments after Collins died, showed that
no one had entered or left the house.
The county attorney then went on to
show that the theory of suicide was
untenable. He also argued that q per-
son unfamiliar with the mechanism of
the late improved hammerless gun own
ed by Collins and with which he was
killed, could not manage it and he there
fore concluded that the defendant alone
knows of the crime and is responsible
for II Mr.. Jetmore explained in detail
were inflicted and by assuming various
positions showed the impOssibility Of
suicide. He also stated that the bed
clothing viii be exhibited in court.
John Collins Listens.
In referring to the case Mr.. Jetmore
described the affair as a murder
During all of this recital John Collins
did not move a muscle.
Just as Mr.. Jetmore reached the por-
slon Of the statement in which he re-