The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-05
JOHN COLLINS TALKS.
Expects New Discredits
Anonymous Confessions.

Lansing Kas, Dec. ST don't take
much stock in the letters from anony-
NOUS persons and ex-convicts to the
effect that they know who the real
nurderers of my father are said John
Henry Collins, now serving a life sem
tence in prison for the murder of his
father, James Collins. by this I do
not mean that I discredit their stories
that I am innocent They are right that
far. Perhaps they know who the muir
derers are, but their evidence will never
be taken seriously by the public or the
courts. There is only one way to clear
the mystery, and that will be for the
murderers themselves to confess. Such
a thing may happen some time.
II am hopeful of getting new trial"
continued Collins. Proceedings are
now pending IN the supreme court to
open up the case. Under the law an
appeal must De taken before the term
of court in which defendant was tried
expires. My case lasted up until the
very last week of the term. 1t was alb
solutely a physical impoSsibility for me
to get the evidence copied in time to
take the appeal within the time fixed
by law. 1t was unfortunate for me.
hope that the supreme court will see
the predicament I was in and in the
interests of fair play and common JUS
tice give me a new trial.
L
was against me strongly. The news
papers had worked the people up to
high pitch. I could not get fair trial.
I believe public sentiment against me
has now subsidized. The people have
come to their sober senses and are will
ing for me to have a fair shake Under
ordinary Circumstances believe I can be
acquitted. I know I am innocent OF
the charge for which was convicted"
Getting back to the letters from
anonymous writer's and from ex-con-
victs touching upon his case, Collins
said:
People take no stock in such letters.
The writers may be telling the truth
as to what they know yet they create
no impression. Sometime, perhaps, the
story will come out. but it will come
from the lips of the men who did it.
Murder will out The fiends who COM
nlitted the crime for which I am suffer-
ing are no doubt hardened criminals.
Some of these days they will try to kill
the wrong man. They may get killed
themselves. If they linger long after
being hurt they will confess to all their
crimes. That is the only hope I see
for clearing up the awful mystery.
"Of course if am given a new trial
my acquittal will not depend upon
someone else confessing. I believe I
can establish my own innocence The
mystery can be cleared up later"
Young Collins is still clerk of one of
the cell houses. He is kept quite busy.
He begins work at o'clock in the
morning, and says II Is frequently III
o'clock at night before he finishes If
he has any spare moments during the
day he studies books or practices on
horn. He plays trombone in the prison
band and is becoming quite an ac-
complished musician.
That he doesn't expect to remain in
prison many years is evidenced by the
character of studies he has taken up.
He is studying Spanish and German,
devoting more time to the former Ian
Guage than the latter. He has ordered
a photograph with the Spanish lessons
attached, for the purpose of aiding him
in his studies. The phonograp phi takes
the place of a teacher. The prison has
no Spanish teacher. so the machine
must be used in order that the student
can get the exact twang of the Ian
guage and pronunciation of the words.
Collins close application to his Span
ish books leads the officials to believe
that it is his intention to go to the
Philippines or some of the other new
possessions of this country in the event
of his acquittal upon a second trial, or
his parole or pardon later on