The sun., 1898-11-03
ATTORNEY GENERAL 8 PLEA
Asked the COart Not to Give a
Man the Benefit of a
Doubt.
ARRAIGNED THE REPUBLICANS
Much Interest Manifested in the
Trial of Rev. G. G. Collins,
who is Accused Of Giving
A. Henry a Dollar
to Vote.
ARRAIGNED THE REPUBLICANS
rom IA staff CORES spondent,

DOVER, Nov. 2.--Chief Justice Lore
and Judges Pennewil and Grub sat in
the Court nouse to-day to hear the case
OF Rev. Charles G. Collins, colored who
Is charged with giving Alfred Henry,
also coored, 81, Oh which Henry was to
get registered.
The case was heard and decision re-
served. 1t is thought that decision
will be handed down some time to-
morrow.
Aside from the fact that the arraign-
ment OF Collins is the first case under the
new law i'll regard to the punishment of
persons briblng Or offering to bride voters
or giving or Offering to give men money
with which to register, the trial of
reverend Collins had its sensational feat
ure.
Acknowledgement r. G. White, in sum-
ming up the States evidence and pre-
sentlng his argument befors the Judges,
as the case was not tried by jury, made
some remarks which caused general sur
prise among the many who crowded the
court room.
Mr.. Whites speech was of the orde
usually heard from the political plat
form and his arragnmenr of the man
Collins seemed to lead him into an ar
raignment OF the entire Republican
party.
The CASE against Collins was that he
had given this man Henry 81 with
which Henry was TO get registered. Col
Iins had been taken before Justice of
The Peace at Frederica and there ar
ragned
At that arraignment Henry swore that
Collins did not give him the dollar with
which to get registered Later Henry
was told that he must state on the wit
ness stand What he had been heard to
state on the streets, and, again, he was
questioned by II Justice OF the Peace.
! ms time he swore that Collins had
! dropped the dollar where he Henry J
could find it. From that the case was
brought to court, and to-day came up for
| trial.
Alfred Henry is an aged colored man,
weak-mlnded and apparently irresponsi-
ble. He was placed on the stand to-day
by Attorney-General White, and testified
that he found a dollar on the last regis
lratlun dav, and used it to get registered.
He stated that Rev. Charles &. Collins,
the defendant, indicated where the dollar
was, and that it was from his indica-
rion that Henry wen. and found the dol
lar.
The other witnesses for the State were
!mmaterial, and all their testimony was
rather negative.
e llins went up on the stand and de-
MED the statement of Henry bv stating
that he did not give Eenry dollar, or
Iniicate in any way that Henry could
find dollar at any certain place with
which to get registered.
The defence called DR.. Paris I. Car
Isle on the stand, and DR.. Carlisle testi-
fled that he would not believe Alfred
Henry on his OATH
Attorney General White, in his argu-
ment to the Court, delivered a long dis
course rn bribery in Delaware polltics.
Hs asked lor II decision against Col
Inns, and made the remarkable request
that the defendant, Rev. Charles G. Col
Inns, should not be given the benefit OF Il
reasonable doubt. Such request Is un-
known in legal circles.
Mr.. White was bitter in the prosecu-
tion OF the case and went on to say that
better ten innocent men be convicted OF
such a crime than for one guilty man to
be acquitted. He finished by asking for
verdict OF guilty.
William T. Snithers, Esq., who repre-
senteu Collins, did not argue the case at
any length, but merely stated that it had
been proven On the wtness-stand that
iienry was an old, weaK-minded and IT.
responsible man. Mr. Snthers asked
that the Court give no heed to the
request of the encouragement that Col
Inns should not be given the benefit OF Il
reasonable doubt.
Mr.. Snithcrs contendcu that the case
was simply question as to whether the
testimony OF Collins should be believed
or whether that of Henry should over
weigh it.
Mr.. Sniti,ers was satisfied that the
Court would do the defendant justice.
rhe Court reserved its decision. 1t is the
impression here to-night among Demo-
Gratis and Republicans and also in legal
circles that Rev. Collins viii be acquitted,
as it Is not thought that the case against
him is in any way strong.
On the night Of Novcmbcra, THE