The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-13
A Mrs. Burnett Happened Along
OppOrtunely
At Daylight on the Morning of
the Collins Murder
AND SHE SAW A MAN
On the Roof of the Collins
Kitchen.
She Had Her COlored Servant
Girl Along Who COrrObOrates.

VIII AAOA6 " MV OOA VNOA -
The defense in the Collins case sprung
its first sensation in district court late
yesterday afternoon, when Mrs. May
Burnett testified that on the morning
of the murder of ]. S. Collins she had
seen a man leaving the Collins residence
by way of the kitchen and coal shed
roofs.
Mrs. Burnett is a widow, having son
years old. She has kept the boy with
her mother at Scranton since he was
four months old and she has been work
ing in Topeka. The prosecution, by Mr.
Jetmore, charges that the witness IS a
woman who should not be beneVed un-
der oath, while the defense presents her
as one of its most important witnesses
Ella Buchanan, Mrs. Burnetts servant
girl, will corroborate her employers tes-
timony.
May 12 Mrs. Burnett spent with her
mother and son in Scranton. She came
home to Topeka, as she testihes, on the
morning of the 18th, on the Santa Fe
train, arriving here at 4 O'Clock IN the
morning. Mrs. Burnett went to her
home on Eighth and Adams, and was
told by the servant, Ella Bucnanan,
that there was a house to rent at
Eighth and Van Buren. I'VE were very
much dissatisfied with the house in
which we were living and were very
anxious to move, and before doing an
other thing that morning, the girl ana
started out to see the house mentioned.
It was just daylight and presume 1t
does seem an unreasOnab BILE hour to be
looking for a house, but that's what we
started out for and we went to see the
house When we reached the house at
Eighth and Van Buren saw at once
that it would not suit me and we walked
to Harrison street, then north to Sixth
and east on the south side of sixth
street
did not do so. AS we were walking on
Sixth between Van Buren and Harrison
my girl called my attention to the large
house facing Van Buren street. On the
low roof I saw man moving west
towards another roof He left what
looked like the kitchen roof, stepped
upon another roof still lower and then
Disappeared
The witness referred to the kitchen
roof where she first saw the man. The
roof to which he descended was the
coal shed roof, from which it is an easy
task to step down to the alley fence,
then swing to the ground and disappear
When Mrs. Burnett had completed
her statement to the court, in response
to questions on the direct examination
by Mr.. GODDARD, there were evidences of
great excitement throughout the court
room. The news that such a statement
had been made soon reached the out
side and spread rapidly around town. In
a few moments many people came into
the court room to get a look at the
woman. She was und1Sturbed until Mr..
Jetmore began the cross examination,
then she became angry and the cross
examination was extremely sensational
Q--Do you conduct a disorderIy
house?
A-No.
Q--Have you been an inmate of such
a place?
A.-No, sir; I have not.
The witness was then asked concern
ing her visit in the vicinity of the Col
Inns residence and the examination pro-
Ceeded as follows:
civ f1if he ne
house?
A.-Yes.
Q.-When?
Al don't know.
Q.-Was it last week?
o.-That's the only time you have
been by the place?
A.-Oh, no.
Q.-How many times?
Al don't know.
Odd you walk along Sixth street
to look at the Collins house?
A.-YeS.
Q.-Who asked you to do so?
A.-Mr. Wilkerson.
Q.-Where did he tell you?
AT my house.
Q.-Was he with you?
A.=No.
Q.-Who was with you?
A.-NO one.
Odd it rain the morning you saw
the man on the Collins roof?
Ayes.
Q.-How do you know?
Al can't say.
Odd John Wilkerson tell you?
A.-NO.
ODD it rain before you got home?
DID you hear any shots that
morning.
A.-NO.
Q.-What time was it when you saw
the T1an on the Collins roof?
A.-Ten or fifteen minutes after s.
Q--HOW did you know?
Ave went home, the girl started a
fire and had breakfast nearly ready
when she told me it was o'clock
Q.-Are You packed up and ready to
leave town2
A.-NO, sir.
Odd you run sporting house at
Eighth and Van Buren2
mo, I did mott" exclaimed the wit
ness, Indignantly
Q.-Were you ordered arrested for
such conduct?
A.-Never heard Of such thing.
Q-Dld you room at Kiernan's?
40, didn't
Q,-Weren't you at the Ohio house
NO. was noti" exclaimed the wit
she continued with trembling voice L
want to say that don't like your nerve
IN asking me such mean questions
For the first time during the trial Of
the case, tnere was an Outburst in the
court room. Some people clapDed their
hands, and all Joined in a hearty laugh
at Mr. JetmOre's expense
When the uproar had subsfded in
Difference to Judge Hazen's orders Mr.
Hayden arose and said: 1T Is q sad
the merest insinuatiOn against a vvO-
mans chastity causes people to brea K
out in laughter, and I also want to OBJ
5ect to this method of examination
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