Smyrna times., 1903-03-18
COLLINS TRIAL BEGINS AT GEORGETOWN
Elmer Collins Charged With the Murder of
His Wife Enters Plea Not Guilty.

HIS "ile Enters Plea Not Guilty.
Elmer Collins. young farmer living
near Laurel, faced jury in the county
courthouse at Georgetown Monday TO
answer toa charge of killing his wife on
April l2 last at their home, five miles
west of Laurel
Chlef Justice Lore and Associate
Justices Grubb and Pennewill were on
the bench when court opened and thew
sWore IN four special deputies to pre-
serve order among the throng that
crowded into the small court room
When the case was called Deputy At
torney General Richards represented
the prosecution. Attorney. General
Ward being absent in Dover, Charles
+. Richards, father of the prosecutor.
and ex-Attorney General White appear
ed for the prisoner. Two sisters of the
murdered woman and DR.. Collins. of
Crlsheld, brother of the accused man.
were within the bar of the courtroom
while IN the rear among the spectators
were two gray haired men, the fathers
OF Mr.. Collins and of the dead wife.
1t required twenty minutes TO
read the long indictment. Collins
leaned upon the railing for support
and looked steady in the reading
clerks face. He responded Not
Gullty with show of emotion. All
during the afternoon Collins sat be-
tween two tipstaves apparently not
annoyed by the gaze upon him from
all parts of the crowded room.
The selection of jurors was a tedious
task. In all 50 names were called and
then the panel was exhausted. Twen-
ty men were challenged by counsel
Tor Collins and nine challenges were
used by the Deputy Attorney General.
Twenty-fOur jurors were excused bv
the court because of their consciences
would not permit them to send a man
to death. Almost every man drawn
SAID he had formed an opinion and
nothing could change his views. Six
teen talesmen were selected from the
crowd before the jury was completed.
as follows: H. NJ. Tunnel, w. w.
Knowles, Enos B. Wright, Hiram H.
Kitchens, Jesse Ewells, Osuaci Town
send, John F. Wooten, William J.
Mustard, Joseph B. Hearn, Peter
Wlngate. Thomas Pepper, P. R.
Layton.
The theory of the prosecution is that
Mrs. Collins was killed on the night
the morning she was found
IN the stable and not that she was
killed while her husband had the two
small children in the field. To sub.
stantiate this the State will trv to
prove that on this morning Collins
dressed the two children, Hazel, aged
years. and Katherine, aged 2 years.
The prosecution will show that it
was the custom of the mother to dress
the children. The State has not clear |
ly pointed ont what it is to be shown
as the motive. 1t is said, however,
that 1t will attempt to show that Col
Inns was tired of his wife and wanted
to elOpe with a girl who has been sum- |
mOned as a witness.
The defense claims that there is evil
dence to show that the girl wrote the
letter to herself which she alleges she /
received from another girl, stating
that Collins wanted to elope with her.
The letter is not in evidence. Accord |
ing to the defense. the girl had a
grievance against the Collins family. !
Evidence will also be produced in Col |
Inns behalf tending to show that the
Henrys, who live on the adjoining /
farm, have had a dispute with Collins
over piece of land.