Middletown transcript., 1902-04-19
FOUL MURDER
THE PEOPLE OF LAUREL ARE DAzED
BY THE CRIME.
YOUNG HUSBAND ARRESTED


Not since the notorious Gordy murder
case has Sussex county been SO wrought
up as by an atrocions crime committed
near Laurel Saturday morning.
Probably to get possession of thirty dol.
lars in gold which Mrs. Alma Collins,
wife sof Elmer p Collins, was carrying
about with her home near Portsville.
two miles west of Laurel, she was fouiIy
slain. 1t was horrible crime, for Mrs.
Collins, q quiet and kindly young wife OF
FIVE years, was savagely felled with an
iron cudgel. Then she was battered and
mangled almost beyond recognition in a
manner like that employed by the Wild
est savages.
Detective Francis, Sheriff Peter ]. Hart
and an infuriated posse secured the SUR
rounding country in the hope of getting
the fiendish murderer, but no arrests
were made.
From the story of her husband he and
his two children came in from distant
field before noon but cosld not find the
young wife and mother,
They began troubled search and
came across blood-stained hatchet and
an iron bar in the carriage house, and an
instant later they saw Mrs. Collins dead
in a pool of blood in an abandoned COW
stable. The children were sickened at
the heartrendering sight and screamed in
terror. The father sounded an alarm and
soon attracted neighboring farmers. The
startling news flew throughout the coun.
try.
Farmers were gathering at Laurel for q
fair Saturdays shopping and they poured
out to the Collins home. Foot prints
were found and tracked to neighboring
woods. A vigilance committee was
formed and took up the search with
lynching in their mind. A guard was
spread around the woods bent for scour,
ing them. In the meantime Drs. JOS
eph Hitch, Sr., and Joseph Hitch, Jr.
were summoned and found that q blow I
evidently inflicted by an iron bar, had
caused death. The skull was crushed I
and there were five distinct wounds fh /
the back Of the head. The hatclet hAdjI
been used on the unfortunate wonan'5
forehead, both eyes were blacked, thki
throat cut and the windpipe severed
rNOYrrArc tn1p-,rr,r, ~ ~ i
Detective Francis Monday arreste a-
ner Collins, on charge of mnrd ing
MS wife, Aida Collins, who was Ind
with her skull crushed and thr cut
rom ear to ear In the stable neal aurel
Saturday morning. When ca Is re.
urned home from the funara onday
lfternoon. Detectives Francis ID Rat
edge we're about the premises, hey or
lered the curious crowd to We, and
fter the place was cleared officers
vent into the house and que ned Col
ins and asked him for the hirt worn
ghen he found his wife. o wristband
t it was covered with bloc which COL ..
ms claims he got when picked the
ody up.
When informed that h as under ar
est he said he would 90, but soon {
hanged his mind. The men relatives |
loaded with the dete les, and one
Collins was en- to the Lau- !
81 hotel, where he was, ssn supper. AL i
ig, orderly, curious wd surrounded h
le hotel to get . glimI 3 Of the prisoner !
Ie asked permissipn< write letter,
nd about 10o'clpck i the rain storm, lli
arted for Georgetowi with Francis. +
st was mainly on ae condition of his n
othes and a few Conflicting circum- 4.
ances that we arr sted Collins, ;, said
elective Francis. eve think We have :
longh eyidence akIeast to warrant his = :,
stention for q hetring So far as We y y
low Mrs, ColliES was not insured. y n
At an early b Tuesday morning Col :
IS was put z agh the sweating pro- :
IS in Geo1 wn Jail He told the =
me story I the Inquest over his :, y
ad wife: Bsgbre being locked up Mon =
y night he had consultation with his al
torney, r. CkWhite. as
There was pathetic SCI he on the &c
'eet at LauI Monday nigI when the sh
her of th murdered woman and the
her Of TIe prisoner walked up and p
wil, arm ii arm, with tears in their q
es. 10