Evening journal., 1903-03-24
staff Correspondent Evening Journal.
Georgetown, March "A.

shortly De1ore IL o'clock this morning
in the Court of oyer and Terminer
where the case OF Elmer Collins.
charged with the murder Of his wife.
has been on trial for over a week. Mr..
White said he had one more witness
to call. the Rev. II. c. Turner. and
asked permission to call him out Of or
der after the State had put in its evil
denee in rebuttal. Attorney General
Ward agreed and the case was closed
with that understanding.
Contrary to expectations, the de-
fense did not attempt to attack the
testimony Of May Rhoads, the girl who
gave sensational testimony last week
about Collins making love to her be-
fore the murder of his wife.
Failing in its attempt to connect
Waite Pratt. the insane colored man.
with the case. the defense made no
further effort to implicate him in the
murder.
In response to the summons, State
officials Of the Delaware state Hos
pital for the Insane. at Farnhurst,
brought Waite Pratt, the demented col
ored man. into court. His arms were
securely bound to his body to keep him
from doing any violence. He was not
kept in the court room. but sent to the
county Jail.
William w. Culver testified that he
visited the Collins home on Sunday
and found the corn crib door unlocked.
He pushed it open and saw very little
corn in It. There was no blood there.
Walter Smith said he worked for
Collins for two months. He had never
heard Collins and his wife quarrel or
disagree.
Mar.ha Benson said Garland Fitz-
gerald. who said he had heard Col
Inns say; "This is the worst days work
/ ever did" was not around the Col
Inns farm on Sunday or Monday.
Miss Rose Collins and Miss Maud
Collins sisters of the murdered
woman. corroborated the testimony OF
preceding witness.
Mrs. Thomas Phillips testified to
what she saw on the day Of the MUIR
der.
Mrs. Annie V. Cooper said she fire.
quently saw Collins and his wife, and
they seemed to be very affectionate.
She rehearsed the conversation in
which she said Mrs. Hattie Collins had
said that the one who committed the
murder knew more about the house
than she. Mrs. Collins.
Mrs. Ella Hearne testified to hearing
the same conversation.
Jacob Norris a Portsville sailor, said
Mrs. Mary L. Smith, a witness for the
defense. said TO him about a month
after the murder: why not pick up
some sorry niger or sorry white man
and let Elmer so. There are plenty of
them"
DR.. Robin the blood expert, was call
ed and asked the effect OF death on
the muscles. Mr.. White objected to
this question being asked and the court
sustained him.
Collins Again on the Stand.
The prisoner was again placed on
the stand this morning. He was shown
the bloody bolt with which the State
contends the woman was murdered.
He said: THAT bolt was given to me
ny lily Wilt A0AntAt WIN NAAANh "
tie the cows. 1t was kept near the
carriage house door, The last time ]
saw it was about three weeks ago. ]
had another one which 1 carried to the
field when / took the COW. l have not
seen it since.
He identified the hatchet There was
no particular place to keep it. how
ever He did not remember where he
last saw it.
State Senator ID. o. Moore. Of Lau-
rel, testified that Collins had a good
reputation for peace and good order.
|4 When the defense closed the State
began to call witnesses to testify in
rebuttal to show that Niblltt was not
so much OF a liar as the defense tried
to make out yesterday afternoon. There
was a dramatic scene in the court to-
day, when Collins was placed on the
stand and allowed TO handle the bloody
iron bar and hatchet with which his
wife is supposed to have been killed
He identified them as his property
When Collins went on the stand il was
noticed he looked more worn and hag-
gard than he has any day since trial
started. His friends fear that his ner-
vous system is giving away and they
fear he may collapse II the trial does
not end soon.
]. Edward Bailey, OF Delmar, was
called by the State in rebuttal. He
said that the reputation of Henry Nib
lett attacked by the defense yesterday
for truth and veracity was good. H'
Il said he would believe him on his oath
J. I. Reckords, Albert Evans, Jane;
w Bailey Ceba L. Hithens, all testi.
fed to the same effect. Mrs. Kitchens
was recalled and contradictcd wit.
nesses for defense. who said the bod,
was not cold and the blood fresh.
At noon the Rev. II. c. Taylor, th'
4 Hast witness for the defense. was call
4 ed. At 11.50 o'clock Deputy Attorney.
General Richards said no more wit