The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-29

killed. Referring to the closet adjoin-
ing the Collins bed room Mr.. Stafford
said:
Q-What was kept in the closet?
A.-CIothing.
Q.-Was there any ammunition there?
A.=YeS.
A.-On the shelf.
Q.-where was the grip containing
ammunition kept?
A-On the high shelf in the closet.
Q.-Did Mr.. Collins keep his shotgun
loaded?
Al never knew him to do SO.
Odd you ever know him to re-
turn from a hunting expedition and put
the gun away loaded?
A.-NeVer
Q.-You owned a revolver?
Ayes, sir.
Q.-How long?
A.-Fifteen or sixteen years.
Q.-Mr. Collins also owned a revolver?
A.-Yes, sir.
Q.-What kind?
Al do not know.
Here Mr.. Stafford handed Mrs Col
Inns a black handled revolver and she
examined it carefully.
Q.-Is that yours?
Alt looks like it.
Q.-Are you sure that is the revolver
you identified at the preliminary?
A.-Did identity it positively?
O.-I ask you?
Al think I did not do so.
Q--Do you think that Is your re-
volver?
Al am not positive
Mrs Collins also failed to identify ].
S. Collins revolver.
Q.-Is that your husbands revolver?
Alt looks like it.
Q.-Can you identify it positively
now as your husbands revolver?
Al can not.
Q.-Can you tell what make it was?
A.-Smith and Wesson.
Q.-Have you seen Mr.. Collins carry
ing a revolver?
A.-Yes, sir.
Does that look like the one he car
ried,' said Mr.. Stafford as he drew from
a small leather case and passed to Mrs.
Collins a blued revolver. She replied:
1T looks like it, but I can not identify
Q.-You say to the jury now that you
do not recognize it?
A.-Yes, sir.
Own you examine it?
Ayes, sir.
Mrs. Collins took the revolver in her
hands and looked it over carefully, then
said:
4 can not see very well, but think
would be able to tell or know no more
about it in 100 years than do now"
Then Mr.. Stafford turned the questions
to the location of the bed occupied by
Mr.. and Mrs. Collins. The window
shutters on May 13, according to Mrs
Collins, were open, but the blinds were
drawn; the windows locked the hall
door locked. Mrs. Collins then told how
>
and the result showed that the doors
could be opened from the side opposite
to that upon which she and Mr.. Collins
slept. She said:
by pushing straight the spring would
not yield but by little manipulating
the doors were opened
At II O'Clock the court adjourned un-
til 1870.
Afternoon Session.
Mrs. Collins and the members of the
Gov H1xr Of 90
sharp. They promptly went to the wit
ness stand, and Mr.. Stafford resumed
the examination, confining himself to
further inquiry concerning the outside
entrances to the Collins residence. There
are four outside doors, the two rear
doors being fastened with bolts. On
May u and 13 the rear doors were fast
ened but the witness could not saw how
If with a key it would have been hang
ing up on the door casing. The door
between the kitchen and dining room
was bolted, as it always was, on the
night of the tragedy. The screens were
nailed in and the windows were all
fastened. All members of the family
saw to it, as a general rule, that all
windows and doors were fastened. The
witness said there was nothing to pre-
vent one from passing from the dining
room to the kitchen, then outside, after
unlocking the kitchen door. Mr.. Stafford
elected the further fact that all up
stairs windows were kept fastened.
The excessive heat in the court room
was severe upon Mrs. Collins and she
carried a palm leaf fan at the after
noon session of court.
Q.-What did Mr.. Collins allow John
when he was at school?
A-S25 per month.
Q.-Do you know where he stopped at
Lawrence?
A-At the Beta house.
Odd you know how much he paid
for board?
Al do not know.
Odd John receive a birthday pres
ent?
A-Yes, but it was given him prior
to his birthday.
Q.-When was this?
Am March I think.
Odd he give John anything else?
"A diamond at the same time I
think
Q.-When did you see them last?
A.-At the preliminary.
Q.-When did you last see your re-
Volver?
A-on the Saturday following Mr..
Collins death.
Q.-When did you see it?
A.-When it was picked up by Mr..
Steele.
Q.-Where were you?
Al was near Mr.. Steele.
Q.-When did you see it again?
Mr.. Stafford then produced the evil
dence from the cOrOner'S inquest and
showed where Mrs. Collins had at that
time positively identified a revolver as
hers. He pointed out the testimony
reciting that fact.
Odd you so testify?
Al presume / did.
John Collins watch was then pro-
duced and identified by Mrs. Collins.
Mr.. Stafford called attention to the
scratches in the case.
Odd you ever see these?
Continued on Sixth Pageo