Evening journal., 1903-03-24

would not believe him on his oath.
William w. Phillips, who lives with
in three miles OF Laurel, said he would
not believe Niblit on his oath. He has
known him for twenty years. One OF
the men, the witness said he heard say,
they would not believe him on his
oath, was the Rev. w. f.. $. williams.
Richards r. Collins. said he knew
Niblit for twenty years, and that his
reputation for truth and veracity was
bad.
David w. Ralph and Noah c. Cooper
also said they would not believe him
on his oath.
Sister-in- Law for Defense.
Miss Rose Collins. a sister-in-law Of
the murdered woman. said she was at
the scene Of the tragedy from Sunday
afternoon until TUESDAY. and said De-
tective Francis did not question Col
Inns in her presence.
Saw Strange Negro.
Mrs Priscilla e. Phillips, OF Ports
vile. said she saw a c0lored man ON a
wheel pass her house on Friday after
noon at o'clock. The day before Mrs.
Collins was murdered.
said. Il never saw him before. He
WAS riding toierable fast. He was stout
and was bent over the bars.
HE was going toward the mill.
There are two roads there, either of
which lead to the Collins home"
Mrs. Phillips finally said it may have
been Thursday when she SAW the col
Ored man.
In cross-examinatiOn, she said it was
no uncommon sght to see colored men
passing the house on bicycles. Her i'm
preston was that the man wore dark
clothes and wore dark sweater with
yellow stripe.
Saw Blood on Fence.
Mrs. Florence White, who was a wit
ness for the State. was called by Mr..
White. When questioned to her visit
to the Collins home ON Monday she said
she saw blood marks ON the fence near
the carriage house. 1t looked to her
like finger prints.
Mrs. Phoebe Riggin, Of Laurel, testi-
fed to seeing blood in the carriage
house on the fence around the pound
Sidney p. GOsley, a State witness
was calle dby the defense. He traced
tracks as far as the hog pen. On the
Wednesday following the murder he
found more tracks. The tracks, he said
showed that the shoe had been mended
Thomas Riggin. of laurel, said he
found corn stalks in the pound ON which
there was blood. He also saw blood
spots ON the pound fence.
T,w,or TJoor,~I- rrroo ono. f,r fl,or4, nh
went up the branch on Saturday after
noon to look for the murderer. He
told of finding tracks near the branch
Boster Smith WAS another man who
looked for tracks. He saw four track,
in the mud near the branch goins
away from the house.
Captain Smith, a former seafaring
man. was recalled, and said he saw q
track on the private road near the hos
pen and near the miNl tail. about three
quarters of a mile from Collins house
This track showed that the left shoe
was fastened with pegs or nails.
Thought He Saw Fugitive.
Edward Peppin. a 13-year-old boy
who lives near the Collins farm, saiC
that between / and o'clock he was
at Jacob Collins mill pond with Rob
ert Brittingham in a bcat He could
see down the stream. He saw a mar
jump across the stream. which run;
from the waste gates. The man wore
| light clothes.
"He WAS running" he said "Aftei
getting across the stream he ran as fan
as / could see him."
''Was he white or black?"
Il cannot say"
"Was he large or small?"
"He was stubby."
did you tell the men at the mil
what you SAW"
"Yes, sir"
On cross-eXaminatiOn he said he had
ridden about fifty yards when he saw
the man. He said he did not remem,
Der Detective Francis or Constable
Phillips talking with him about the
case
did you not say TO Phillips and
Francis that | saw something in the
branch, but I don't know whether il
was a man or not?" aswed Mr.. Ward
Il don't think l did" was the reply
Other Men in Branch.
Robert Birmingham. the other boy
who was with young Pippin, said he
SAW a man running across the brancf
about fifty yards below the waste gates
The man wore light coat and wa.
short and chunky. He saw two ol
three tracks in the branch.
There was a difference Of eight min
utes before he saw the searching anC
the man he saw running. After seeing
him he saw other men in the brancl
searching around.
did you say to Constable Phillips
and Detective Francis that you saw
something in the branch. but you di'
not know whether it was man or not
Il did not" was the heply.
Good Words for Collins.
Luther Elsey, who came 115 miles
(Nonffnuad IN Eo1,rth pQQQl