The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-03
PRINTED II.
Another of John Collins Pecu-
liar Letters introduced
In Court This Morning and
Identified
BY KITTY SMOTHERS,
Who Took 1t Out of Her Broth
er's Pocket.
1t Said eEKeep Mum" and Was
Signed ssTurner Hail."
JOE sMOTHERs SAYS
That Collins Wanted Him to
Find a Man
Who Had Nerve Enough to DO
a Job of Killing.

When the district court convened at
$3.50 this morning a delay of half an
hour was caused by the absence of wit
nesses. Jesse Elliott had been told to
be present at the opening of the court
but a misunderstanding of the hour
made him late.
While the wait was being enjoyed by
the parties to the suit Mr.. Hayden said:
Have you any witnesses. Mr. Jet
more2''
mo. we haven't any" replied the
county attorney.
Il move the defendant be dis
charged came from Hayden.
Does the state object?'' said Judge
Hazen.
''wen, at this time we do" said Jet
more I'VE want to get our evidence
in first
Judge Hazen was in excellent humor.
He looked around the court room and
saw Lee Jones. He called to Mr.. SAT-
ford and said:
Here's Lee Jones'"
'AIr. Jones, take the stand, said Hay
den.
Jones took run for the door and dis
appeared
Hes a Democrat said Ralph Cav
to Hayden.
Here. here, call Jones back" said
Mr.. Hayden. 'srIf he's a Democrat his
testimony would be first class. without
an afhdavit, neither would he need to
be sworn
In the meantime an attachment had
been issued and the sheriff sent out for
Mr. Elliott The latter arrived at
o'clock and the examination was re-
sumed.
The testimony Of DR.. Tefft was being
heard when the State Journals last edi-
ton went to press yesterday After a
scientific description of the wounds and
the parts of the body injured the ex-
animation proceeded as follows:
Q.-How long would a man so wound
ed live?
About ten minutes.
Q.-Why would he die2
A.-FrOm loss of blood
Q--WOuld he be conscious?
A.-TO the last.
Q.-Was there blood on the floor?
A.-The blood had run through the
bed
ANY blood in the hall or parlor?
A.-NO.
Q..When was your attention called
to the wounds Of Mrs. Collins?
A.-After Mr.. Collins died.
Q.-What did you find?
A-That she had been shot.
Mrs. Collins Night Dress.
DR.. Teht here took up the night dress
which Mrs Collins had worn that night
and showed the jury where the shot had
passed through it into the body. He.
also made a similar exhibition of Mrs.
Collins undergarment.
Odd you make any experiments?
A.-Yes.
Q-Who assisted you?
A.-Steele.
A.-With what weapons2
A.-The shotgun.
Q.-What did you do?
A.-Had Mr.. Steele place the gun in
various positions to see If the wounds
could be made
Q.-What did you find?
A.-That he could place the gun in
no position to make the wound in the
shoulder.
Q-Where did you make these expert
ments?
Am the room.
Q.-FOr what purpose?
A.-TO ascertain whether or not it
was suicide or murder
Q--Were these experiments made
over MI Collins body?
A.-Yes.
The prosecution here attempted to
secure the doctors opinion as to what
the experiments indicated but the court
ruled against it.
In the meantime the doctor produced
number of small shot No. g. and some
pieces of wadding which he had taken
from the wounds.
Then followed a statement concerning
the turning of the body over to the
undertaken and also a description of the
examination of the bed, assisted by
Steele and Donovan.
Doctor Tefft explained that he was
looking Tor revOlvers which Mrs. Col.
ms said We're kept in the bed, but fall
su 70 nnd them He also detailed how
house.
Q.-Were other experiments made?
A.-Yes.
Q.-What?
AA--Some one lay down on the bed
S'-Dld you watch those experiments?
.,e.- Al this tn s juneture DR.. Tefft referred to
tests OF the Collins shotgun which vvere
made at Athletic park This foreI7oor1
me hrsI test we made with with No
% SHot. me second with No shot
When the prosecution asked the doc
tor to show the result Of the expert
nents today, the defense objected and
The objection did not prevent the
prosecution from drawing from the wit
ness the statement that at ten inches
tne collins gun, when fired, tore a hole
through the cloth, but on a preceding