Middletown transcript., 1902-05-03

| The confession tailed well with the
story told by Collins as to the conversa-
ton with his wife in reference to the
money, and also in reference to coming
to the field with the seeds. It also agreed
with the footprints which were found
near the "branch" and with the story Of
the small boys who saw the negro in the
vicinity of the scene of the murder.
PRISONER TAKEN TO SCENE
Sheriff Hart, who has the custody Of
the prisoner thought the best plan to
follow would be to take the negro to the
scene of the murder, allow him to point
oat where he had buried the money and
the bloody shirt and dig them up. This
was a sure way, in the opinion Of the
sheriff, to ascertain whether the confess
sion was of any value.
accompanied by the two Pinkertons,
the sheriff took the prisoner to the scene
of the murder near Laurel, but here the
confession appeared to izzle.
On arriving at the scene of the murder,
the negro refused to repeat any Of the
confession. Search was made for the
place where the money and the bloody
shirt were alleged to be buried, but no
trace OF them could be found, and the.
negro did not point out the places where
they had been buried. He even went so
Tar as to assert that he had never been
upon the place before and that he knew
nothing of it.
At times the negro would say yes or no
to certain questions which were asked
concerning the murder, but his answers
were unsatisfactory, and gave the i'm
preston that he did not know what he
was talking about.
After being "sweatedn for two hours
Sunday morning by Pinkerton Detective
Butler, and companion detective, Will
liam Waite, alias Dashiell, alias Collins,
made confession that he murdered Mrs.
Elmer Collins near Laurel two weeks
ago, but subsequent developments have
caused many to reach the conclusion that
the negro is demented.
Waite was arrested on the charge of
committing murderous assault on James
Anderson, farmer in Sussex C0untyesfl
the day upon which Mrs Collins was
buried. He was taken to Georcelnwn
Jail, and since that tins some Of the Off
GERS and the detectives employed BY the
Collins family have been Of the opinion
he knew something Of the murder.
Blood was found upon his clothing.
SAID HE KILLED THE WOMAN
Sunday morning the two Pinkerton de-
tectives had another conference with
Waite, in which he was given what is
known as the "thirty-second degree
among detectives or ''sweated' according
% the common name. At the end sof
his interview, Waite swore to coii1es-
ZION which he made. It was witnessed
by Magistrate G. I. Purnell.
In this confession the negro said that
le was asleep in the carriage house OF
Collins on the morning of the murder
ind awoke about 6 o'clock. He heard
Collins tell his wife to bring the money
which size had and the seeds which he
vas to plant and come into the field.
Waite was seized with desire to get the
money, and when Mrs. Collins came into
he carriage house he struck her with an
ron bolt and then cut her throat
Waite, further in his confession, sid
hat he had then taken the seeds and the
money and gone to the branch, short
istance from the field, where Collins was
t work and buried the money. He also
ecame frightened and buried his bloody
hirt along the branch" Seeing so
1any people about he thought it best to
cave the section, and he did so on his
icycle. Later be went on toward the
lace of Anderson, and on Monday Of
Irs. Collins funeral he assaulted Ander-
IN, intending to kill him, but failed