The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-10-11
cries FOR HELP
over THE WIRES
Farmer Burke on Night OF Col
Inns Tragedy Startled by
Danger Call.
DAUGHTER HEARS VOICE
shrisks OF Woman In Distress Come
Over Phone, but Family Supposed
% Was Prank-Detectivss
at Work.

Parker. q. D.. Oct. io.--"Hclpl Help!
.|Come quick"
n This appeal uttered indistinctiy by n
"A womnns voice over the telephone nc
n companied by the crying OF children.
II Following ten short rings. known as the
4 long roll or the danger call. startled
n Mr.. and Mrs. j. o. Burke and their
"A Sunday night. the night OF the tragedy
N I'm the home OF Harry r. Collins. when
N his wife was murdered. presumably by
3robbers.
N IL was on the rural telephone line
Irunning between Parker and Hurley.
fused by seventeen farmers. The Burke
Telephone is No. on the line and Cot
Ilins' phone In No. ,.
III As the danger call sounded over the
Iwire I'm the household OF MIR. and Mrs.
XI3urixe. who were entertaining n house
Xfull OF company that evening. they and
{thcir i6-year-old daughter jumped To
take down the receiver. The daughter
E|sccured possession first. She heard the
faint call OF voice over the telephone
land the voice uttered n terrible cry
(which the girl says sounded like the
above appeal for help. This was par
|tially drowned by the crying OF chill
Idren. Then there was silence.
~ Thought u a Prank.
The family thought nothing OF the
Some mlschievous boys had been play
@>lng FRANKS over the telephone and they
believed that IL was but a continuation
1fof II.
When they awokc the next morning
Ind learned OF the tragedy In the Col
H Inns home the incident OF the night be-
Tore was indelibly impressed upon their
minds. and they have told TO States
Attorney Jones the story I'm substance.
which Is now being discussed every
where.
States Attorney Jones says he has
heard the story and has nothing TO say.
He refuses 10 make public anything
That he may have OF interest I'm tho
Ease. c. w. Leaning. private de-
1rctive from Ynnkton. S. d.. Is In tho
tity working up clues which he has
xound since arriving here. He Is work.
Jng without pay or expenses. with the
hope OF unearthing the crime and tho
utility pcrpctrator OF Il. but complains
bittcriy that States Attorney Jones re-
<ises To cooperate with him In his
1unt for evidence which might lead
- the arrest OF the criminal or Grim
mails.
Collins Out Of Town.
"a Harry +. Collins. the murdered wom-
Mn's husband. has gone To his home
16tead In Lyman county. near Draper.
~ d.. and will not return until wednes-
Eoroner's jury. lie must reach his land
mis- week In order To comply with the
requirements OF the government.
M The Burke farm Il 1--WE miles south of
Me Collins farm. Inasmuch as there
arc seventeen telephones on this line.
no effort was made To communicate
HAT night with the other patrons OF
nc rural telephone system, and the
mmily and visiting friends resumed the
Evenings enjoyment.
M The night operator nj Parker. who
would have known OF or heard the
dhnger call. Is In Sioux Falls. s. D.. and
IA could not be interviewed By your
correspondent. This new and startling
Bforts ton. coming from this reliable.
Honservatiye and apparently truthful
Warmers home. has made a deep Inn
uression upon this community. and has
0hly intensified interest In the case and
ndded n deeper mystery To the tragedy.
No Report Of Chemist.
The demented Swedc, VINO was ar
xestcd last week ut Howard. s. D.. and
Who had been chased by u posse for
fxo days over cornfclds, has been
found TO have escaped from the Yank-
ton, s. d.. insane asylum and has been
r&turncd TO that institution. IL has
been learned that he stayed at n farm
muse on the night OF the tragedy a
u1ile or so south OF the Collins home.
md that the farmer. fearing that no
night do his family harm. sat up until
daylight and then drove him to Marion.
O. D., eighteen miles from here. THAI
Morning. turning him adrift. II has
Merely been established that he had
no completely In the murder OF Mrs.
collins and knew nothing about II,
Coroner Brown. OF Centcrville. stated
foday that as yet he had received no
rapport from the Brookings college
chemist. but that one was expected be-
fore Wednesday
Estates Attorney Jones stlll refuses %
make known TO the anxious public
fhrough the local or other newspapers
What progress he has made on tn,
case. II the inquest hearing on Wcdnes-
day Is public. a great crowd VIII be
urcSent Detective Callahan, OF the
! -lzi.n n-nn.A IL .Llll In Tho ,.l..Ir :