davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13

do boats and other craft which return
ed to Cadiz there is little doubt that
the Spanish squadron off Martinique
has at least seven warshipS of formida-
BILE dimensions. These are: Armored
cruiser Vizcaya, built with double
screws, two turrets, two tunnels and
two military masts with tops; length
364 feet, displacement $3.50 tons, maxi
mum speed 20.2 knots.
She has an armor belt of steel five
feet six inches broad, 315 feet long and
10 or II inches thick. Her turrets have
inch steel armor, coming towers, II
inch armOr. Her protected deck is
from two to three inches of steel. Her
armament is two IL inch HontOria guns
mounted Singly in turretS, one forward
and one aft, ten inch guns, five on
each side, the forward and aft ones be-
ing sponsored, eight 6 Founders, ten 6
pOnderS, s NOrdenfeldt machine guns,
2 Maxim machine guns, 6 torpedo tubes
and submerged torpedo tubes. She
carries 4S4 men.
Armored cruiser Almirante Ocuendo,
built of steel double screws: two tur-
rets, etc. Her tonnage armor and arm
ament in every respect are similar to
that of the ViZcaya.
Armored cruiser Infanta Maria Ter
esa built of steel, $3.50 tons diSplace-
ment. This cruiser is also identical to
the Vizcaya.
Armored cruiser Cristobal Colon.
built of steel twin screws, two covered
barbettes, fore and aft, two tunnels,
one military mast. The length 1928 feet,
displacement 6,84O tons. Her armor
consists of complete nickel steel belt
eighty-three inches wide, eight inches
thick. The arrnor of the barbettes is
six inches thick The protected deck
is from to inches thick, coming tow
er inches. All the guns have shields.
Her armament is two 10-inch; ten g.
inch guns, six 4.7-inch; ten 6-pounders;
ten 1-pounders; two Maxim machine
guns; four torpedo tubes.
She has a complement of 500 men.
the Terror and F'uror are torpedo
boat destroyerS lately added to the
Spanish navy, having been built at
Clyde Bank in 1896. They are of steel
with three tunnels and one mast; length
220 feet, displacement 320 tons, speed Is
knots; armament two 14-pounder quick
firing guns; two 6-pOunder quick firing
guns; two 1-pounder quick firing. They
mount two 14-inch torpedo tubes on
deck and carry 81 men. The Pluto is
another formidable modern destroyer,
but her exact dimensions and armament
are not available at the navy depart
ment.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
FUNSTON TO TAMPA.

Col. Fred Funston will leave tonight
for Tampa, Fla, to join General Miles
as one of his staff. The telegram or
dering him to Tampa was received this
morning.
He says that this means that the
Twentieth Kansas regiment will go to
Cuba instead of the Philippine Islands,
a S he received assurances from General
Miles that he would only be detached
from his regiment in the event it went
to Cuba.
The detachment will be only tempor-
ary, and Col. Funston will join his reg
iment as soon as it lands in Cuba.
Lieut.. Col. Ed Little will have COM
mand of the regiment after tonight un-
til Col. Funston joins it again in Cuba
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13

Just then I got to the door and the man
said it was at the house behind ours.
As I ran over there 1 looked at the
Methodist church clock and it was ten
minutes past five. 1 went to the front
door of the Collins house and found a
shotgun lying at the foot of the stairs
1 went on through the house into the
bed room on the first floor occupied by
Mr.. and Mrs. Collins and found Mr.. Col
Inns lying on the bed with the blood
streaming from a wound on his left
shoulder and the back of his head. Mrs
Collins was standing over him doing
what she could for him. Mr.. Collins
lived perhaps 20 minutes after 1 ar
rived but was unconscious all the time.
The wound was a terrible one and the
blood was gushing from it in a stream -
Sheriff Porter Cook and Chief of Po-
lice Steele arrived soon after the muir
der. They made a careful examination
of the premises, with but little sat
iSfactiOn. There were some tracks near
the dining room window, but they did
not appear to be near enough to have
been those of some one who had enter
ed the room by means of the window.
SilaS Rain says that he saw marks of
foot prints on the roof over the kitchen,
but they were near the edge of the
roof and could not be traced to the
window which was unfaStened.
Chief of Police Steele sat in the room
near the dead body of Mr.. Collins with
his head between his hands. For once
his mind was not able to light upon any
thing which he could regard a clue.
Time after time he went over the
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13

ground, and then, baffled, stopped to re-
volve the matter in his mind again.
L am at a loss to tell what
this means,'' said Chief Steele. 1T is
terrible mystery and do not care to
say much about it now. But you can
say for me that this murder was not
done by a burglar. No one would come
in here to rob the house, and then leave
Mr.. Collins gold watch and clothing un-
touched. 1 have no theory about the
affair that I care to give out now. We
may be able to find something that will
throw some light upon it a little later,
but now 1 am at the end of my string"
Sheriff Cook was in much the same
quandary. He and Chief Steele made
a careful examination of the bed and
bed clothing, and Sheriff Cook took pos
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
HAD FEW ENEMIES.
Intimate Friends Can Throw Little
Light on the Subject.

Mr.. ]. H. Leonard said: "I have been
Mr.. Collins most intimate friend for
years and I can not see through this
mystery. 1t certainly seems as if some
one who was a bitter enemy of Mr.. Col
Inns was the murderer as there was no
attempt made at robbery. Mr.. Collins
was agent for great many houses and
farms and perhaps some one of his ten
ants had trouble with him. Mr.. Collins
was a man who treated every one in a
most gentlemanly manner. Even those
he disliked were always treated cour-
teously and he never had what would
be called an enemy. The one who did
the shooting thoroughly understood
how to handle a hammerless gun. It
is my opinion that the first shot was
fired from very close range and that
after that Mr.. Collins raised himself
on his elbow and that the second shot
was fired from a distance of about Is
feet as the shot scattered, making a
wound about three inches across. From
the distance that the shot was fired
the charge in the shell would not scat
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
KILLED AND WOUNDED.
Names and Residence of Those Who
Fell at San Juan de Porto Rico.

Washington, May 13.-The men killed
and wounded during SIMPSONS bonn
bardment of San Juan yesterday are
designated as follows on the muster
rolls of the navy department:
Frank Widemark, seaman on cruiser
New York, killed; born in Finland. He
declared his intentions of becoming a
citizen. Length of service about eight
months.
Samuel Feltman, ordinary seaman on
cruiser New York; leg broken; born in
New York city; next of kin Joseph Al
exander; 81 Willet street, New York,
native born citizen; service about one
year and five months.
Raymond c. Hill, apprentice, second
class on battleship Iowa, slightly
wound; born in Coventry, England;
naturalized citizen; service about one
year and ten months
John Mitchell, on battlesh1p Iowa;
slightly injured; born in Constantine
ple, Turkey; has no relatives; alien, but
intentions declared; service about two
years and eight months.
These names are taken from press
dispatches, as the navy department mas
not given out an official list of names.
M G. Markle is a marine and is not
horne on the naval roll.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
A HORRIBLE MURDER.

enough so to admit of the passage of
the body of a man.
So far as is known not a window or
door in the house was found open after
the shooting. A north dining room win
dow which is in the room directly north
of that in which Mr.. Collins was muir
dered was not fastened and one up
stairs window was unfastened but
neither were open.
The whole affair is shrouded in the
deepest mystery and Chief Steele and
Sheriff Cook are greatly puzzled.
Whoever fired the shots knew where
Mr.. Collins kept his gun and ammuni-
ton. Mrs. Collins says that he never
left the gun loaded in the house. The
indications are that when the murderer
entered the room he went straight to
the closet and loaded the gun. Mr..
Collins sat up, perhaps recognized the
murderer and then the shots were fired
that ended the life of a useful man.
Mrs. Collins has three or four shot
wounds in her back, just under the left
shoulder blade but her wounds are not
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13

session of the blood stained clothing
worn by the murdered man, but there
was no clue to be found.
There was one peculiarly suspicious
thing connected with the murder which
the officers are at a loss to account for.
Mrs. Collins says that her husband all
ways kept his revolver under his pill
low but when the officers looked for it
soon after their arrival it had disap-
peared. They searched the room over
and over but could not find any trace
of the weapon. 1t is possible that the
murderer removed the revolver before
so as to protect himself against possi-
BILE danger from Mr.. Collins.
1t seems incredible that the reVol-
yer could have been removed after Mr.
Collins had retired. Did the murderer
make his preparations in advance?
Mr.. Collins and his wife were at the
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
But This May Not Be the
Case.
Mrs. Collins Slightly Wounded
in the Back.

J. S. Collins, the well known real es-
tate man was killed at o'clock this
morning by an unknown person. The
weapon used was a shot gun belonging
to Mr.. Collins, and two shots were fired
in rapid succession. The first shot
struck Mr.. Collins in the left shoulder
and the second struck the right hip.
Mrs. Collins was slightly wounded in
the back.
were fired at close range. for in both
cases the entire charge tore its way in
to the body. Either would have pro-
duced death.
The miscreant who did the murderous
work, stood near the foot of the bed,
and the first shot was fired as Mr.. Col
Inns rose up in bed. The second shot
was fired evidently after he fell. When
found, he was lying across the bed and
the mattress was blood soaked.
Mr.. and Mrs. Collins were sleeping in
the south sitting room, down stairs, on
a folding bed. Adjacent to the room on
the west. was a large closet in which
Mr.. Collins kept his shot gun and load
ed shells. Mrs. Collins says that the
gun was never left loaded.
Mrs. Collins was awakened by the
roar of the gun. The two shots came in
such quick succession that she could
not distinguish between them.
Helen! Helenl" cried Mr. Collins.
'T am shot in the back. Get the cam
phor. Helen, quick, and rub it on my
back"
Mrs. Collins bend over the PROSTATE
form of her husband and saw the blood
gushing from the wound in the should
er
She ran to the head of the stairs and
called John Collins, the son who was
sleeping in the northeast room.
Some one has shot your father.
come down at once" said Mrs. Collins.
John sprang from his bed and ran
down stairs. He was followed by Miss
Grace Collins, the daughter who slept
over the parlor.
When John Collins ran into the room
where his father was stretched out on
the bed he was still breathing but un-
conscious.
Both the daughter and son ran across
the street and aroused neighbors who
telephoned for DR.. Tefft and John Col
Inns returned to his fathers bedside in
time to see him expire.
The shot gun was found in the front
haH with two empty shells in the cham
oers' but the front door was not open.
showing that whoever killed Mr.. Col
ans did not leave that way. The fold
ahe doors between the parlor and the
sltting room, In which Mr.. and Mrs
collins were sIeeping.were slightly aiar
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
LOSS INSIGNIFICANT.
Spaniards Report That Porto Rico
Was Not Injured.

Havana, via Kingston, Jamaica, May
13.-General BIanco has received a dis
patch from General Macreas, the Span
ish commander at Porto Rico, reading
as follows:
Eleven of the enemy's ships appear
ed during the early hours yesterday be-
fore Porto Rico and opened fire with
out giving warning. The port battery
replied and a severe cannonading was
continued until 9 o'clock in the morn
ing. The damage done was inconsider-
able and the loss is insignificant"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
ONE SEAMAN KILLED,
Eight Wounded, the Result of San
Juan Bombardment.

New York, May 1s.-A special from
ST. Thomas says the casualties on
board the United States fleet in the
bombardment of San Juan were as fol-
lows:
Killed:
SEAMAN FRANK WIDENGARK, of
the New York.
Wounded:
Samuel Felt and four other seamen
on the New York.
Marine NJ G. Merkle, elbow broken.
Seamon R. c. Hill, Slightly hurt.
John Mitchell, slightly hurt.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
LANDED FOR COAL.
Additional Information Concerning
Span nish Fleet.

London, May 13.-The Madrid cores
pondent of the Daily Mail says:
The government has received inform
alton that Admiral Cervera's voyage to
Martinique was uneventful. The route
to be taken to Porto Rico is not known
here but it was embodied in Admiral
Cervera's secret instructions. He was
instructed to coal at neutral port and
probably selected Fort de France for
that purpOSe.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
SPECIALIST IN PORT.
Bombardment Delays Shipment of
5000 Tons of Freight

Mobile May 13.-The following dis
patch was received today:
San Juan, Porto Rico, May 13-Spec-
ialist will be delayed an indefinite time
by bombardment of this port, started
today. (SigneO
In previous message, Captain Evans
reported the Specialist ready to clear
for Mobile with 5000 tons of freight
loaded
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
CAPE VERDE SQUADRON.
List of Ships Composing It With
Their Fighting Strength.

Washington, May 13.-The Spanish
Cape Verde squadron, now in the West
Indies, is made up of seven first-class
ships, of which four are armored cruis-
ers and three destroyerS. This is as
near the exact strength as can be sta
ted, for the reports from Cape Verde
and from Csrdiz have caused much doubt
as to the exact strength of the Spanish
squadron. But allowing for the torpe-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
CABINET IN SESSION.
Otherwise Quiet Day at the White
House-FeW Visitors.

Washington, May 13.-Today was the
regular cabinet day, a knowledge of
which fact kept many away who other
wise would have conferred with the
president Senators Platt of New York.
Fairbanks of Indiana and Turpie of In
diana, Representative Butler and Bank
head of Alabama were early arrivals.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
WHERE?

London, May 13.-A special from Ma
drid says: Urgent instructions were
sent to the commander of the Cape
Verde squadron when the lombard
ment of San Juan de Porto Rico be-
came known.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
LIGHTS PUT OUT.

Malaga, Spain, May 13.-The coast
and harbor lights in this vicinity have
been ordered extinguished until further
orders.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13

ter enough to strike Mrs Collins
think that part of the charge must
have struck something and glanced of
striking Mrs. Collins"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
WAS THIS THE MURDERER
Suspicious Man Seen on West Sixth
Street by John KSthary.

John Kathary, who is employed in
the carpet department of Crosby Bros,
said: Il was coming down town this
morning to work and passed Sixth and
Topeka avenue a few minutes past
o'clock I saw man across the street
between Harrison and Topeka avenue
walking west very rapidly with his hat
pulled down over his eyes. He was
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
HEAVY LIFE INSURANCE.
MIR. Collins Carried $4,000 Payable
to His Wife.

Mr.. Collins carried in all $4,000 on
his life. Of this amount SIS, 900 was in
life insurance and 900 in accident life
insurance. He was a director and a
member of the Masonic Mutual Benefit
Life association of Kansas and carried
the usual policy of 81, 900.
The following is a list of the policies
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13
aaLoRIoUsLYn BEATEN BA OK

spain's Official Version of the Bonn
bardment-
Madrid, May 13.-The official version
here of the bombardment of San Juan
de Porto Rico is that the American
fleet was gloriously beaten back
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-13

IContinued on Second Page.l
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-06
smoke generated by the fire, which serf-
ously injured his health. Hence the suit.
j. G. Edwards.

No elective Office is TO the owner Of
property Of more paramount import
ance than that of the Board of Equali-
zation. Especially to the citizens of
this city is this fact true since from
the foundation of our present system
of State government has the respective
interior districts been arrayed against
San Franci-oo in their effort to foist
upon our property owners their undue
proportion of State taxation. Inas-
much as this city has but one repre-
sentative, as opposed to three from the
interior of the State, the vital neces-
sity of a strong representative from
this, the First District of California, is
at once apparent The Office requires
a man of nerve and backbone. one who
can exercise tact and diplomacy in
standing between the two opposing ele-
mentS and secure harmonious action of
the entire board. A man of peculiar
fitness for this position has been Sc
lected by the Republican party in j. G.
Edwards, a veteran of the civil war and
for nearly thirty years a resident of
this city. Mr.. Edwards was born in
Indiana and was reared on farm. At
the age of seventeen he enlisted in the
Union army and served until the close
of the war as q member of Wilder'S
celebrated scouts, an important factor
in the Army of the Cumberland under
General Sherman. After the war he
entered the insurance business In Ten
nessee and In 1877. came to this coast,
where he established and now publishes
the Coast Review, to-day the most
prominent insurance journal of the Pa
cific slope. While always active in the
interests of the Republican party Mr.
Edwards has never before sought a
political Office. In consequence he is
bound by no personal political interests
in the exercise of his official duties and
can be relied upon to act with resolu-
ton and integrity in all matters that
affect the public welfare.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-06
Judge William G. Burke

Ex-Court Commissioner William G.
Burke. nominee of the Democratic and
Non-Partisan parties for the office of
Police Judge, should be elected. His legal
and judicial training peculiarly qualify
him for position on the bench His edu-
cation as a lawyer was not received in
the lower courts. His practice has been
almost exclusively in the Superior courts
His connections have always been with
reputable law firms. For years he has
been connected with the Office of Sullivan
& Sullivan. For eight consecutive terms
he was elected by the Superior Judges
Commissioner of the Superior Court, re-
ceiying the votes of Judges wallace.
Coffey, Hebbard, Hunt and others of like
character. As Commissioner his judicial
functions were performed inteIIigently
honorably and to the satisfaction of the
bench, bar and litigants. 1t is about time
to elevate the tone of the Police Court
by electing Judges to preside therein who
nave the character and qualifications of
Judge Burke.
All electors, regardless of party affilia-
tons. should vote for him. His voting
number Is 73
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-06
SEVEN YEARS
AND A HALF
FOR WIDBER
Sentence Passed by
Judge Cook.
STAY OF TEN DAYS GRANTED
METHODS OF "HEFTER" PHELAN
TOUCHED UPON.
The Failure to Count the Money in
the City Treasury the Probabls
Cause of the Convict's
Downfall.
STAY OF TEN DAYS GRANTED
METHODS OF "HEFTER0 PHELAN
TOUCHED UPON.

Augustus c. Widber. who, through sys-
tematic thieving, reduced the funds in the
City Treasury to the extent of Sis, 900.
stood before Judge Cook yesterday with
bowed head while sentence was passed.
Seven years and a half in San Quentin
was the sentence imposed by the court,
and then Widber looked up, surprised
expression on his face, his lips twitching
with nervousness and mental pain. He
had expected a shorter sentence, as his
counsel had made an able plea in his be-
half for mercy.
Judge Cook, after reviewing the case at
length, the evidence, the prisoners con-
fession and plea for a new trial, touched
upon the methods of Phelan, the
"hefter."
IT md" he said, that the commission
did not count the money in the treasury
as the law provided 1t should, at all dur
ing the month of January. This failure
may be considered the starting point of
the criminal thoughts that gained mas
terry Of this youthful mind and resulted
In this sad elimination. Notwithstand-
ing the fact that the prisoner at bar is
guilty, IL he had admitted his guilt ]
would have been inclined to extreme
clemency, but as he has persisted in his
efforts to defeat justice the sentence
passed is none too severe"
Attorney Peixotto then asked that a
stay of ten days be granted and this was
ordered by the court In the meantime
a bill of exceptions will be prepared in
behalf of the defendant and the case
carried to the Supreme Court.