Evening journal., 1902-04-28
GEORGETOWN VIEW OF IT
People There RidicuIe the Idea Of the
Confession Being a BOnaiide One

AVuiNeNiVu WINS bVuuhuN NuV
The Georgetown correspondent OF
the Evening Journal writes as follows
regarding the arrest in the Collins
case:
"A Mistaken Identity" or Trying
20 Find the Man Who Didn'tCommit the
Murder would be a good title for the
little farcical drama that was enacted
in Sussex county on Sunday afternoon
and evening. Through the eagerness
OF the friends of Elmer Collins to
fasten the murder of his wife. Aida
Collins. on some person-colored pre-
ferred-two sharp-wtted convenient
conscienced pinkerton detectives. ac-
cOmpanied by a relatives of the accused
husband, came to Georgetown early
Sunday morning TO settle and clear up
forever and a day the deep mystery
that has enshrouded the cruel and un-
natural murder which has caused so
much excitement in this county and
tSate for the last two weeks.
The object OF their quest was one
lihalf-wtted, half ape. half negro man.
who was arrested a week or so ago for
assauting a farmer by the name of
Anderson. In Little Greek hundred. and
who is now confined in Sussex county
jail. These acute sleuths brought with
them a certain parchment containing a
well phIased and carefully wOrded con-
! fession. setting forth that he one Will
liam Waite. alias Pratt, alias any old
thing, Of black skin and blacker soul.
had. on the night preceding the Col
lins murder. slept in the carriage of
Elmer Collins, which carriage was in
the carriage house adjoining the stable
In which the murdered woman was
\ found. Failing to be awakened by
the cocks first crow or the setting
hens "cluck." the aforesaid negro over
slept himself. but awoke I'm time to
hear Collins call to mis- wife to bring
The money and tomato seed to The
field with her
Having an empty stomach and q
great need for little spending money
he sat himself down to await the com.
ing of Mrs. Collins to set the hen
which looked as though she needed set
ting. In due time he performed his
unpleasant task and securing tn,
money and seed he took himself to th'
nearby Branch and there divestinl
himself of his shirt which had beei
spattered with blood and carefully
wrapping the money and seed in it. h
planted the whole business and sa
down to await the harvest However
\ he soon noticed crowds of people gath
ering at the house and in the nearb
field and becoming alarmed, he Skin
Y ned out" with the avowcd intentiO
lof killing somebody else. The neA
lperson whom he met was Andersen
and he proceeded to do him up /
40 short order. after which exploit he II
IS voluntarily found himself in th
g county Jail
n This being read To the negro by on
q of the detectives in the presence Of
r notary public. the negro gave his as
y sent and kissed the Book. Then the dc
l. tectives began to make arrangement
Z to take the man for a carriage ridl
n and incidentally to locate his none
4 and tomato patch Accompanied b
Sheriff Hart they set out for the seen
of the tragedy about 2 o'clock. Afte
- a pleasant ride of some twenty SUISSE
y county sand miles. they arrived upo
e the ground. when. alasl and alack
the suspect declared that he had nev6
ie seen the place before and th5
Is he knew nothing whatever about tn
murder. OF anything connected with
~ and therefore could not locate IN
r prospective crop of tomatoes an
IN greenbacks.
Is AS the Court House clock was stril
70 ing 10 last night the vehicle. bringin
u the prisoner back to JAIL arrived
"a town, and was greeted by a large gail
~ !. ering Of town people. eager for new
I, ~ II was all told in two words, "Nothi
IN doin'."
ne The cute-a-cute detectives did not n
re turn with their murderer but sci
r. him over under the charge Of Coz
I'D stable Phillips and Sheriff Hart.