Evening journal., 1903-03-16
ELMER COLLINS
FACES A JURY
Ieads Not Gni1ty to Murder of His
Wife, Who Was Found Dead
Nearly a Year Ago


Broadluln: Hiram II. Kitchens, Broad
kiln; William J. Darby, Cedar Creek;
George r. Clendaniel, Cedar Creek; John
d. Messick Cedar Creek; jeremiah Baltz
Dagsboro; George e. West. Dagsboro;
William II. Jester, Of East Georgetown;
Henry T. MessiclS, Georgetown; Jesse 7.
Wells, Jr., Gumboro; Charles L. Hearn.
Gumboro; John T. Warrington; Indian
River; Charles II. Rust, Indian River;
Daniel l.. Hazard, Lewes and Rehoboth;
George A. Rust, Lewes and Rehoboth;
Isaiah Howard, Lewes and Rehoboth:
James II. Dorman. Little Creek; John II
Hastings, Little Creek; Robert Knowles
Little Creek; William ]. Tyndall, Nants-
coke; Lemuel Swain, Nanticoke; John f.
S. Wroten, North West Fork. William w.
Knowles, North West Fork; Stansbury
II. Parsons, Seaford; d. II. Prettyman.
seaford.
Motive for Crime.
IL has not been clearly stated what the
State win try to show as a motive. It is
said that they will attempt to prove, how
ever that Collins wds tired of his wife
and wanted to elope with girl, MAY
Rhoads. The State will also attempt tc
show that he had a quick and violent
temper. bloody bar Of iron and blood
covered clothes win be introduced as evil
dence as Will pieces OF boards on which
there are bloody finger marks.
On certain points the evidence OF III,
State and defense will be corroborative
The defense viii contend that Mrs. Col
Inns was murdered on the morning o
April y by William Waite, colored VIII,
was arrested for the crime, and made sew
eral confessions weeks after the murder
The State investigated these confession
but did not push the case against him. IL
was committed TO Farnhurst on tn
ground that he was insane. The at
torneys for the defense will claim. and at
tempt 10 show, that the negro Waite, wa
Sleeping In the wagon house in the stabl
and heard COLLINS talk to mis- wife abou
the $50 In money in the house. After Col
ms went TO the field with his children tn
defense will attempt to prove that Mrs
Collins went to the stable and there me
the negro. He jumped from the wago
and she seeing escape cut Off by the doc
tillHIITltn
to make her exit by the doors ieadin
through the building and into the pound
Then It was they say that Waite deliy
cred the blows with the bar. The positio
In which the body was found, they sa,
will prove this part Of their contention.
A Mysterious Witness.
The attorneys have a witness who's
name is not given whom they say win Civ
b evidence which cannot be impeached cor
/ cerning a confession Waite is said to hav
made. The confession. it ds claimed wa
made before that given to the private dc
tecuve and Peter Hart, who was sheri
at the time.
This witness. it is said, win tell of
conversation between himself and III
negro which was about as follows:
, Waite, they say you killed Mrs. Co
lins."
Waite is said ito have replied: what
did?"
We'll, they will hang you
We'll did kill her and got the none
out Of her stocking. They will not han
me- though. / viii play crazy. / Ina,
! often gotten out Of scrapes in that way.
IL Is said that several prisoners in the ia
heard these statements.
The defense says that there is eviden,
to show that the girl, May Rhoads, wro
. the letter TO herself which she alleges 81
/ received from another girl, stating thi
, collins wanted TO elope with her The le
Ter Is not in evidence. The defense sa,
tne girl has a grievance against the Co
D., Inns family. Evidence will also be DR.
duced in Collins behalf tending TO sho
that the Henrys, who live on the adjoii
ing farm, have had a dispute with CO
lins over a. piece Of land.