The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-05
John Collins Taken to the Peni-
tentiary This Morning.
Measured For His Prison Gar b
of Gray.
A JOURNAL REPORTER
Accompanies Him on His Trip
to Lansing.
Young Collins Goes Into the
Tailoring Department.

John Henry Collins left his cell in the
county Jail at $50 this morning for the
Kansas penftentiary.
There was no one there to witness his
departure except Attorney H E Val
entine who accompanied John Collins To
the penieentiary- The young man arose
before o'clock this morning Mrs
Porter Cook, wife Of the sheriff. sent
him a breakfast which she had pre-
pared. This he ate and wrote brief
note thanking her He came from his
cell in charge Of the jaIler fully dressed
and with a cigar between his teeth
which he puffed indiferentIy If his
transition to the position Of a convict
worried him II was not apparent Sheriff
Cook thought that It would be q wise
preeaution to secure his prisoner and
he snapped a handcun on his right
wrist and fastened the other link to
his own hand His mother and sister
spent some time at the Jail last evening
but did not witness his departure
As John Collins stood on the stone
steps Of the Jail he waved an adieu TO
Mrs Cook who came TO the door Of the
jail residence He acted more like a
man going on pleasure trip than into
q life of confinement ana disgrace
The party was driven 70 the Union
Pacific train where it was met by a
Journal reporter. There was only
few minutes to wait and John Collins
walked into the coach with the same
careless air that has characterized all
his movements since his arrest
Lansing. April 5-John Henry Col
Inns is now 4 convict in the Kansas state
peniteutiary. At II O'Clock this morn
ing he was enrolled as convict NO SSS2
and dorued q regulation suit of gray
prison clothes numbered 7S3.
John Collins arrived at the penIten-
tiary in charge of Sheriff Cook and
accompanied by Attorney Henry VaIer1-
tine at $50 a. m He was Immediately
taken into the WaFdeu's Office after haV-
ing been booked. measured and search
ed and a conference was held with War
den Lands On the question of his work
Lands suggested the tailoring depart
meut and Collins at once expressed his
satisfaction He viii start to learn the
tailoring trade tomorrow morning
II had been reported that Warden
Lands intended TO put Collins to work
in the coal mine, but like other stories
this proved TO be without Foundation
John Collins preserved his reuarks-
bly, cool demeanOr on the way to Lans-
ing He laughed and j0ked with his at
toruey and the sheriff on the train and
told Eunny stories From the time he
left the Jail at Topeka up TO the time
he arrived at the pentrentiary a Iightec5
cigar was between his teeth His last
cigar he lit as he climbed in the wagon
which conveyed him 10 the prison A.
he lit IL he remarked with a smiIe-
Here's my last smoke for awhile"
He manifested his first nervousness
while being measured. His face flushed
and he trembled perceptibiy when he
was booked However, he answered the
questions IN a voice without faIter-
Stripes ara no longer in vogue at the
penitentiaTy and Collins prison garb
consists Of light gray shirt and a dark
gray coat and pants His work in the
tailoring department will be easy, and
he will have the privilege of talking as
much as he pIeaSeS.
When at Lawrence the party changed
cars. but there was no incident and no
change in the demeanor of the prisoner
Sheriff Cook attempted TO land Col
Inns in the peuiteutiary without attract
ing any attention, either at Topeka or
along the route. and in this he was
entirely successful Many people looked
at the young man but no one seemed to
recognize him The early morning start
would have prevented crowds from col
Iecting, even If Collins had been recog-