The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-09
COUNTY RECORDS
AGAINST COLLINS
Marriage License and the Certificate
Put on File Bear His and Char
lotte NeWrnan's Names.

me by George Collins at the time Of
our marriage on May 15, 1889. and it
has my name inscribed in it, she said.
There could be no possibility of my
husband being married to my sister
Agnes and myself at the same time.
Their relations We're such as would not
be countenanced by society, but moth
ing in the way of marriage was pos
sible without my knowledge"
INDICTMENTS PROBABLE.
William Newman is trying his hard
est to induce the Grand Jury to indict
Collins on a charge of bigamy. Dis
trict Attorney Byington is looking up
the law in the case and if he finds that
the fact of Collins alleged bigamous
marriage having been contracted in
Chicago does not make an indictment
here defective, one will be returned at
once, the Grand Jury being willing to
act.
The disbarment proceedings brought
against Collins last July are still pend
ing. The Bar Association, after hear
ing the testimony, decided that dis
barment proceedings should be brought
in the Supreme Court and they were
The charge against Collins in connec-
ton with the estate of Agnes Collins,
or Newman, was that in order to COL
lect $500 she had on deposit in the
Hibernia Bank at the time Of her death
he had sworn he was her husband
Collins demurred, one of the many
grounds being that when he got the
money he was acting in a personal
capacity and not as an attorney for
any one. The demurrer is still under
consideration by the Supreme Court
Should Collins be convicted Of
bigamy he would be disbarred thereby.
conviction of a felony being sufficient
to deprive lawyer of his license.
The developments in the strange case
of Collins and his wives make the
following excerpt regarding Agnes
Newman. or Collins, from his brief in
support of his demurrer to the disbar-
ment proceedings interesting. 1t giving
something of an insight into the work.
ings of the mind of this man, who has
brought about one of the most peculiar
matrimonial tangles that courts have
ever been looked to to unravel:
We might contemptuously ignore the law and
rush In where angels fear to tread; we
might for the delectation of the accusers and
their co-conspirators invade or permit the in
vasion of sacred family ties now hallowed by
endearing memories and sanctfed in death
we might permit the hand of the despoiler TO
draw back the curtain and with diabolical de-
rision invite the vulgar gaze of the curious;
we might even allow loved ones to be the
targets for coarse jests and ribald criticisms
but We stand guard at the portals OF our home.
ever ready to make sacrifice. matter how
great it may be- in defense Of hallowed memo
ries of the past, and never shall the marauder
trespass the threshold or desecrate by his i'm
pious touch the cherished garlands of affection
that entwine its sanctity We are ready TO
render the last full measure of devotion in
maintaining the privacy or our home and in
repelling the Ubiquitous attempts that are be-
ing made to defame the memory OF one whose
gentle presence was a benediction TO all
who came within the charmed circle OF her gra-
eiousness OF manner. her splendid qualities Of
heart and intellect, and. above all. her trans
cendent nobility of character. II is at best a
meager tribute but shall at all times and in
all places Indignantly resent and bitterly repel
any and all inquiry as TO ner relation to re-
spondent-as to whether she was or was not
his wife-and this we would do even unto the
last syllable Of recorded time. We have
just sense OF honor that forbids US descending
into the debasement of an Investigation that
carries with 1t villainous imputation against
the fair fame of the dead; we have neither the
instinct. the appetite nor the bowling propen-
sity Of Jackals