The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-18
In the Collins Murder Mystery
is Somewhat Remarkable.
A MESSAGE is SENT:
"Father is Dead Tell Nothing"
Mrs Collins Also Says
"Death is Preferable to a LiT-
ing Death.''
Was Someone Pursuing Mr..
Collins to Seek His Life?

The fact that ]. S. Collins was great
ly perturbed in mind was discovered to-
day.
Mrs. Chapman, the matron at the
Lake View club house, said when she
heard that Mr.. Collins had been killed:
II am not surprised"
She then said that the last time he
was at Lake View, which was the week
before he was killed, he walked the
floor of his room all night and appeared
to be laboring under great excite
ment.
This information was given to Sheriff
Cook today, and Mrs. Chapman will be
brought to Topeka to testify.
Her testimony is thought to indicate
that Mr.. Collins committed suicide, but
that theory is untenable, for the
wounds could not have been made by
him.
Nothing else of a startling nature
was developed today, but the telegram
to Miss Babcock at Lawrence is still
unexplained. John Collins refused to
meant, and some of his friends say
they referred to something connected
with their love affair.
The testimony of Edwin Lange, the
travelling man who was one of the first at
the Collins house after the murder was
concluded at o'clock Tuesday without
developing anything of great import
ance. 1t concluded as follows:
Q.-Who did you see when you went
back. A.-Grace was sitting. on the
foot of the bed crying. She said MY
poor papa's, dead" : Mrs Collins was
sitting on the bed holding Mr. CoIIln
head and hands.
Odd you ever hear of any one
waylaying Mr.. Collins within the past
year or two?
A.-No.
Did you ever hear of him having
any trouble with any one?
Did you never hear of any trou-
BILE in the family?
A.-No.
Q.-After Mr.. Collins had died what
A.-Mr Knowles called my attention
to the fact that Mr.. Collins trousers
were not touched. had supposed that
a burglar had been in the house. 1
then went through the house. 1 found
the north door out of the hall locked.
Odd you go up stairs?
A.-No, I did not went to the
front window and the porch to see if
could discover marks showing that any
one entered. 1 saw but one track and
that was in front of the library window
and the heel was on the walk and the
ball of the foot made the track.
Odd you go into the closet?
A.-No.
Q-Had you discovered that he had
been shot with shotgun?
Ayes. After we found that Mrs.
Collins had been shot knew a shotgun
had been used. We did not notice the
dead.
Q-When did you leave the house?
Att must have been about o'clock
John Collins wanted to send some tele-
grams and 1 intended to take them
over, but Charley Nelson came up and
took them. The office was not open and
he gave them to me.
Odd you notice who they were to?
Ayes 1 noticed that one was to a
party named Leonard in Lawrence and
a lady named Babcock in Lawrence.
e-;., Il &c oad OF-
father is dead. Come
Odd you talk to John and Grace?
Ayes.
Q.-What did they say?
Al inquired if the upper door in the
balcony was left open the night before
and he said he thought it was. Grace
said that the front door was locked
Odd you ask them il they heard
any one run up stairs?
Ayes, I asked John. He said that
he did not. He was awakened by the
report and jumped out of bed dazed and
then heard his mother calling: John
come down quick, your father is shot,
He said he ran down at once. Grace
said she did not know whether she
heard the shots or not. She heard some
thing that sounded like a gun and then
her mother calling.
Q.-Were you there when the revolver
was found?
Ayes, was told it was found Mr.
Nelson told me. We were sitting in the
library when some one called for him
ana ne went TO the door. w hen ne
came back he said that the women had
been frightened at finding the revolver.
Odd he say who found the revoI-
YER?
Ale said that Mrs. Grant Meade
had found the revolver.
Odd you have any talk with Mrs.
Collins about the pistols?
Ayes, 1 asked her if she knew
where the revolvers were. She said that
they were kept under the pillows.
Dr. H. K. Tefft was the next witness.
Q.-What is your business?
A.-PhySician and surgeon
Q.-Were you called to Mr.. Collins
residence on the morning of the 18th?
A--Yes.
Q.-How did you receive word?
A.-By telephone.
Q.-Who called you?
Al don't know.
Q.-What was said?
A.-Come to j. S. Collins residence.
He has been shot.
Odd you ask any questions?
Al believe not.
Odd you see Mr.. Lange?
Ayes. He met me. went to the
house. Mrs. Collins met me and said
Mr.. Collins has been shot. I went in at
once but the blood had stopped and
there was pulse at the wrist and he
was practically dead. He made an ef-
fort to breathe once. or twice after ar
rived.
o.-Tell the jury where the wounds
were2