The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-28
MAY TAKE TWO WEEKS.
Collins Trial Likely to Prove a Long
One.

One.
The Collins case is expected to con-
sumo two weeks in the district court.
County Attorney JetmOre says that it
will require that long. The prosecution
has been somewhat nonplussed by the
SlownesS of the defense to summon wit
nesses. The sheriff has served no pa
pers for the defense but there is time
for that as the mass of testimony to
be introduced by the prosecution will
have to be gotten out of the way be-
fore any witnesses for the defense can
testify.
Some of the attorneys have limited
that the defense expects to have no
witnesses whatever except the mem
witnesses will be called and that they
will rely upon the weakness of the case
made by the prosecution.
There is more talk about insanity but
no one now believes that the insanity
dodge will be tried. John Collins will
go before the court denying any shadow
of guilt. His actions have been pecu-
liar from the first but his friends have
never made a claim that he is insane.
Detective Dell Harbaugh who worked
up the evidence with which John Col
Inns is surrounded. is here. He has been
in Topeka frequently for the past two
weeks. The detectives for the defense
have made Investigations of Har-
baugh's life, 1t IS supposed for the pur-
pose of impeaching his character but it
is possible that he may not be put on
the stand by either side. What Har-
who will be present at the trial to tell
their own story.
Sheriff Cook has returned from Kan
Sas City where he summoned w NJ
Lyon who was employed on the Jour-
nal at the time of the murder. He is
now attending a medical college in
Kansas City and is wanted by the pros
johnson Jordan, who is the most i'm
pOrtant witness for the state, is in To-
peka. He is here to testify and unless
a hi inf h1r 1,a
at the trial His whereabouts are being
kept a secret for there are few people
who will trust Jordan.
John NJ. WilkersOn who has been
working hard for the defense seems
hopeful that John Collins will be ac-
quilted He calls attention to the en-
part of John Collins to shield himself
directly after the murder.
Mr.. WilkersOn said: John Collins
never hesitated to show any officer
around the house. He might as we'll as
not have said that a door down stairs
was open but he said they were shut
and thus threw suspicion on himself. I
have history of 500 insurance fraud
cases at home and in not one of them
did a son or daughter murder a parent
for insurance money.
ct have no faith in the testimony Of
Johnson Jordan and it viii be found
that his story will fall to the ground
when he gets on the witness stand
The tests with the Collins gun were
made by Sheriff Cook Saturday but
they simply proved what has been
proven before, that the shots that caus-
ed the death of Mr.. Collins were fired
from a range of about ten or twelve
feet-thus precluding the possibility of
suicide.
BaiIiff John Coyne spent Saturday ar
ranging the district court room for the
Collins trial. When the doors opened
this morning the court room had a
seating capacity twice as great as it
has usually.
One of the long tables was removed
from the room. and this space used in
the arrangement of long wooden bench
es from the poor commissioners office
on the first floor and the G. A. r. rooms
in the third story of the building. All
the spare chairs were taken up from
the various offices in the court house,
and space not filed by the benches will
be occupied by them.
Inside the railing surrounding Judge
Hazen's desk are tables for the use of
newspaper men. The witness stand
has been moved back almost to the rear
wall of the court room so that Judge
Hazen and the member of the jury
will have no trouble in studying the
faces of the different witnesses.
The balcony of the court room, which
has never been used since the court
house was built, was thoroughly clean
ed, and several benches, which some
time ago were placed in the appellate
court room, were returned.