Evening journal., 1902-04-15
Thousands Attend Funeral Of
Murdered Woman
NO INSURANCE ON HER LIFE
Strongest Evidence Against Collins
Seems TO be Presence Of Blood
Upon His Shirt
star Correspondence Evening Journal.

Staff Correspondence Evening Journal.
Laurel, April 15.-The curtain was
rung down on two acts of Sussex
county's latest tragedy yesterday. The
first was when Mrs. Aida Collins, the
woman murdered on Saturday was
buried, and the second act when in less
than an hour after he had committed the
body Of his wife to the cold ground FL
mer Collins was arrested by Detective
Francis charged with being her slayer.
Collins was brought to Laurel by De
tcctiyes Francis and Ratledge and Con
stable Phillips shortly after s o'clock last
night. Stop was made at the Laurel
House, where supper was served. The
prisoner declared he was innocent.
Collins in Jail
About 10 O'Clock Detective Francis
started for Georgetown jail with the
prisoner. 1t is not known when he will
be arraigned but the hearing probably
will take place before Magistrate Woot-
ten in this town. DR.. Fowler, DIR. Hitch
and Postmaster Smith tried TO get the
detective to allow Collins to remain here
until this morning, but the officer would
not consent.
Robert G. White, former attorney-gen-
eral, will be engaged as counsel and
haheas corpus proceedings viii be taken
to have the prisoner released.
The detectives admit that as yet they
have found no motive for the crime
They consider the eviuence strong
enough however TO warrant them in
making the. arrest. Detective Francis
left for Wilmington today where he will
have conference with Attorney enerai !
Ward. The evidence will be submltted
) TO the latter and upon his decision will
depend the future action of the authorl-
ties. The detective says there are sew
eral questions thatrCOllins has not an
swered to his satisfaction.
Detective Ratledge, who went 20 work
on the case yesterday, discovered blood
in the hen house and he has a theory
that the murder was committed there.
There was blood on a block of wood on
the floor. He says the block was not one
of those used when chopping the heads
OF chickens. Blood also was found on
the sticks used AS roOsts. What is be
lieved to be blood was found on the door
and floor Of the house.
Another thing that seems suspicious 70
the detectives is that Collins on Satur-
day morning removed all the manure
from the chicken house floor and carried
il to the field with him. While looking
around the stable yesterday afternoon a
man found a small key III the corn Crib
adjoining the stall where the murdered
woman was found. This key would un-
lock the lock on the chicken house door
and the door to the meat house. On the
door of the corn crib were numerous
blood spots which had the appearance Of
having dripped from the loft above. y
thorough search failed to reveal amy
blood there. Detective Francis does not
place much value on the discovery of
these stains.
A search was made of the house last
evening fOr the tomato seed Collins said
his wife was to bring to the field to him.
They could not be found. Before he was
arrested last night, Collins was asked
whether there was any insurance on his
wife's life. He said there was not.
This matter will be investigated further.
No Threats of Violence
When the detectives did not return to
Laurel Immediately after the funeral, il
was thought an arrest would be made
ana the streets were filled with people.
When the officers ahghted in front of the
hotel with their prisoner. there was a
rush for the carriage. The people did not
wish to harm Collins. but simply wanted
TO get look at him. Not one threat of
violence was heard. They surged into
the hotel after him. Supper had been
ordered in advance and the detectives
Constable Phillips and Collins sat down
together. The latter ate a hearty meal
He seemed to be cool and collected in
sharp contrast with ms condition at his
wifes funeral In the afternoon When a
reporter asked him how he felt he re-
Piled pretty we'll"
He did not want to go to Georgetown
jaA last night and begged to be allowed
to remain in Laurel all night. He pro
tested against being taken from his
home. His leave-takng of his children
sisters-in-law and father was very pa
thetic. He assured them that he would
soon return. The detectives say he tool
the arrest as if he expected it. He mus
have known that he was suspected from
the way Detective Francis watched HIM
There is n wide din renee of opinion IL
Laurel regarding the guilt or innocence
of tn prisoner. While manv from th'
facts surrounding the case think sus
picion has been cast on him, they do no
think he is guilty. He is a man who ha
always borne the best reputation an'
tnere Is not person who does not have
good word to say for him. No one sus
nected him at first and those who nov
think he was concerned in the murde
lave arrived at that opinion recently.
Thousands in Tears
4 Thousands shed their tears with tn
husband of the woman yesterday. !
more forlorn and broken-spirited maj
& would be hard to picture. The heart
q If the people of this county went on
o Collins as he hovered over tn
,offin in tho church yesterday after
,oon. raining kisses on the cold whit
ace Of his wife. and again when wit
1 he baby in his arms he staggered al