The San Francisco call., 1905-08-15
COLLINS TELLS
4 WEIRD TALE
Takes the Stand in Victoria
and Contradicts Evidence
of Documents and People
DENIES HIS MARRIAGE
Asserts His Wife Was Agnes
Newman and Not Charlotte
Despite All the Records

VICTORIA, B. c., Aug. 4.-After CIV
ing expert evidence on California law,
disputing the evidence of r. n. Whiting,
Assistant District Attorney of San Fran
CISCO regarding its application to per-
jury, George d. Collins, being tried for
extradition for perjury before Judge
Lampman, gave sensational evidence un-
der cross-examinat ton by Frank Higgins,
representing the State of California. He
says the evidence given of marriage
between himself and Charlotta Newman
in San Francisco was utterly false and
was part of a conspiracy framed to per-
seeute him. He stated he had never mar
ried Charlotte Newman. now styling her
self Charlotte Collins, in whose suit Tor
maintenance against him at San Fran
cisco the affidavit was made upon which
the perjury charge is based. He said he
had married her sister, Agnes Nj. New
man.
His marriage with Agnes NJ. Newman,
he said, had been contracted in his office,
witnessed by DIR. Euston and his daugh-
ter. Jennie Euston, whose present where
abouts he did not know. He had written
the contract, he said, which he, Agnes NJ.
Newman and the witnesses had signed.
He had given 1t to her and had not seen
it. She had continually urged him to go
through a ceremony of marriage. he con-
tinued. and he yielded on May 10, 1883,
when the ceremony was performed by
Father Connolly at st. Johns Church IN
San Francisco. He had drawn $1,000 which
she had deposited in the Hibernia Bank
in her name and@she had assigned 1t TO
him prior to her death. She was always
acknowledged, he asserted, and was bur-
led publicly as his wife.
Higgins produced that license and
certificate of marriage, in which it was
written that the marriage was between
Charlotte Newman and George d. Col
Inns. Collins said he, had signed the
application for a license before 1T was
filled out, and left client James Null
cahey. since deceased, to get it and
give it to Agnes Newman. The name
of Charlotte Newman, he declared,
must have been placed in it by error.
The placing of the name of Charlotte
Collins in the marriage certificate, he
further stated, was also a mistake. He
denied it was in his handwriting, and
said if Mr.. Groom, County Clerk. had so
sworn, he was mistaken.
The testimony of Thomas Curran and
William Newman as to the wedding
with Cnarlotta Newman, asserted Col
Inns. was absolutely false. Curran. he
said did not know whom he married
and Newman was willfully lying, being
eager to do anything criminal, mean or
diabolical to further the conspiracy
against him.
Collins further stated that the de-
position of Charlotte Collins, who he
said had no right to so style herself,
was false. The three children in her
custody, he asserted. were the children
of her sister Agnes, the issue of her
marriage with him. He had not sent
rSISy money to provide for them, but
would look after them as soon as he
was freed from the conspiracy launched
at San Franc go which now engulfed
him.
Higgins will continue the cross-ex-
animation of Collins tomorrow