Evening journal., 1903-03-20
RESTS
SIDE OF CASE
Witness Testifes in Passing Collins
House He Heard Man Say "PH
Kill You Before Morning"

the defense, could shake his testimony.
When the old patriarch left the stand
he left behind him the impression that
he had told the truth.
During the dramatic recital there
was a deathlike silence in the court
room, which WAS only broken by the
questions OF, Attorney General Ward
and the answers Of the witness. Col
Inns seemed deeply interested and
there was an absence Of the sneers and
laughs OF the morning session.
The brother of the murdered man
sat in the room where he could distinct
ly hear every thing that was said. Say
eral times there was a twitching Of the
mouth, showing the great mental strain
under which he was laI0oring. II did
mot change his opinion regarding the
crime, and during the balance Of the
afternoon, when DR.. Robin. the blood
expert was being cross-examined by
Mr.. White. DR.. Collins occupied a chair
at the attorneys elbow and helped Dr.
Edwin Fowler coach him.
States Strong Case.
The testimony of Niblet, following
within a few hours of that of May
Rhoades, who told of getting the let
ters from Collins, and that of her faith
er. Solomon RhOades, who said he pull
ed from the fire part of charred let
ter his daughter had received from the
accused man. and the expert evidence
Of DIR. Robin made a strong chain of
circumstantial evidence against the
prisoner. The defense says that it will
be able to break down much of this
evidence, but it was so convincing that
it will take the strongest kind OF tes
timony to do this.
Scream in Collins House.
To add to the already well-forged
links, word has been received from De-
tective Francis. who went down along
the banks OF the Nanticoke river to
seach for another witness. It was to
the effect that he had been successful
in his search and had found the wit
ness. This man. it is said, viii testify
that ON the night preceding the day
Mrs. Collins was found dead in the
stable he heard cries and screams COM
ing from the Collins home. The State
tried to keep this matter quiet. wishing
to spring it on the defense as a sur
prise
Tests for Blood.
DR.. Robins testimony strenGthened
the theory Of the State that the blood
on Collins overalls got there when il
spurted from the body OF his wife, and
not when he picked the dead body up
and pressed il to his bosom sometime
after the murder. DR.. Robin was on
the stand most of the afternoon, and
in all probability such learned dis
course was never heard in the court
room in Sussex county. He made the
test for blood in the court room.
Human Blood on Boards.
The most important part OF his e0i-
dence was wien he said that IN his
opinion and from what he head learn
ed by scientific research and tests ths
spot on the leg of Collins overalls got
there within five minutes after the
woman was dead. Under cross-eX-
animation, however, he qualified il
somewhat by saying that it was pos
sible for the spot TO have got there If
a partly cOagulated blood clot had be-
come detached and been attached to the
fabric and pressure applied.
He further said that the bOod on the
board in the corn crib was human
blood. The tests made in the labOra-
tory showed this
While he was testifying and he wac
on the stand the greater part Of the af-
ternoon the jurymen stood on their
seats so that they could better see and
hear everything that he was doing
Part of the time that he WAS ON the
stand DR.. Robin had an array Of bot
ties of chemicals before him and made
tests in full view of the assembled null
titude. At this stage THE judges crowd.
cd around him, and the crowd was sC
eager to see that they pressed forward
on the railings with such force tina
the bailiffs had to push them back Il
!, keep the railing from being demolished
To Last Another Wesk.
The State officials say that they d.
not expect to complete their case befor'
Saturday. The defense has a large ar
= ray of witnesses, and it is not though
that the case will come to an end befor
a week from tomorrow
u IL II, otAiA 1lcl lllc QCAtlo- Lco 0tNiNt'
to place Collins on the stand and ALLOW
him to tell with his own lips and in hi
way all he knows about the tragedy.
States Theory Public.
In the argument over the admission
of a test pair of overalls and a DUNN.
head, which Hr Ward wanted to hav
admitted in evidence so that he Nigh
illustrate his theory of how the murde
twas committed. 1t was learned for tn
first time the exact theory of the Stat
ais to how Collins killed his wife I
is that he pressed her to him with tn
back of her head resting against tn
flap of his overalls and cut her throat.
Told Before BY journal.
II will be remembered that on tn
Saturday preceding January. 70, tn
date the case was first set for trial, tn
Evening Journal printed an exclusive
story, giving briefly the testimony Ma.
Rhoad gave yesterday, and telling o
tho prayer Henry NibIet overheard Col