The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-18
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the light, and it would not turn on
asked her if she did not know who shot
Mr.. Collins. She studied awhile and
asked why 1 asked the question. told
her 1 believed she knew who shot Mr..
Collins. She then asked me VINO sus-
pected I told her I suspected john.
She said if 1 thought it was John to
not turn another wheel and to quit
searching. She said she was too full
to talk then and said she would talk to
Q.-When you were going through the.
rooms did you search any of the par
ties?
A-No. I saw Mrs. Collins in the Ii
brary and saw the shot in her back.
Q.-When were you there again?
A.-The next morning, and talked to
Mrs. Collins and told her that believed
she knew who shot Mr.. Collins. She
said if there were any questions L
wanted to ask her she would answer
truthfully. In the talk she made the re-
mark that death was nothing to liv-
ing death. l did not press any ques-
tions. saw she was suffering and
was satisfied in my own mind that she
knew something she was going to tell
when she spoke of living death
Q.-Tell what occurred about the find
ing of the revolver.
Al was in the Central National
bank and a gentleman told me that one
of the revoIvers had been found. L
drove to the house at once. 1 met John
and Mrs Collins came up. We went
into the library and 1 told them would
like to see the revolver that had been
found She said wait a minute, and
she went out and brought in a key. She
gave the key to John and we went up
to the closet and John unlocked the
door. The pistol was on the shelf. Mrs.
Collins said it was her gun. (Chief
steele here produced the revolver). She
had described the gun to me. 1t had
a peculiar trigger. 1 told John that
whoever did the shooting must have
passed through the hall and out
through the back window. He said he
thought so, too.
Odd you say anything to John
about having searched this closet the
day before with Sheriff Cook?
A.-No.
Odd you ever have any talk with
Mr.. Collins about John?
Ayes. 1t was two or three days be-
fore the Goth of April.
Odd he ever say anything to you
about anyone shadowing him?
A--No- He came to me about a year
ago to get permission to carry gun to
and from the depot.
Q.-Give the other conversation.
Ale went to the police station and
called for me and left word for me to
come to the Athletic club. went there
and found him waiting for me. He
said he wanted to play pool with me
and we went to a back table and he
said he wanted to make a COMPLIANT of
me. He then spoke of his stepsOn and
his son.
Q.-What did he say?
Ale wanted to know if I could
suggest anything he could do for John.
He said he was society mad and was
spending more money than he could af-
ford. He asked me if L could find out
what John was doing. He said Grant
was in trouble and wanted to know if
Rock Island officials in his behalf. We
played from about 9 till IL.
Q.-What did he say about John?
Ais main talk was that John was
society mad.
Q.-What did he want you to do?
Ale wanted me to go to Lawrence
and find out if John was gambling or
how he was spending his money. He
said ne would pay me.
Odd you go to Lawrence?
Ayes.
Q.-What did you find out?
Al was unable to do anything with
out consulting some one, the sheriff or
marshal, and came back and told Mr..
Collins that I would have to tell the
sheriff or marshal to find out anything
and he said that 1 should let it drop.
Odd you investigate the story of
L. F. Collins?
Ayes. I know the man and talked
to Mr.. Elder the tailor who knew his
father in Pennsylvania
Cross examination by Mr. GODDARD:
Q.-What time did you first hear that
Mr.. Collins had been shot?
Am the neighborhood of o'clock.
Q.-What time did you get there?
A.-AbOut $40.
Q.-YOu told Mrs. Collins you sus-
pected John the forenoon Of that day.
Q.-When did you first suspect John l.?
Any suspicion commenced when 1
saw Mrs. Collins had been shot.
Q.-You have suspected him ever
since.
Ayes.
Ole has answered all your ques-
tions and shown you about the house
and did not try to avoid you.
Q.-When did Mrs. Collins tell you the
murder. was done for revenge?
About the time Mr.. Collins was
removed from the bed.
Q.-That was soon after you got there
Ayes.
Q.-She was laboring under some ex-
element.
Al have seen death often but I new
er saw any woman who acted like Mrs.
Collins.
Il Q.-She is a strong woman both men
tally and physically, is she not?
A.-She is undoubtedly a very strone
woman mentally.
The examination then reviewed the
ground already covered and was scorch-
tng.
He said that Mr. Collins suspected
that John was gambling and that he
suspected that his class or club was
running a regular poker game. He
said that Mr.. Collins had not asked hin
to go to Lawrence thereby contradict
ing that part of his direct examination
He said afterward that the talk about
him going to Lawrence occurred some
time after the time that Mr.. Collins frs
told him about John. He also became
confused about the trip to Lawrence
and admitted that he made no investi
cation about John Collins.
Chief Steele said that he had gone tt
Governor Leedy to induce him to offer {
reward on Saturday.
Q.-Do you expect tosget that reward
Al expect that I will get part of it
Odd you think that John Collin:
was guilty when you went to Governor
Leedy?
Al can't say that suspected hin
but I suspected that some one in tn
family had done 1t and that John wa