The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-10-11
CRIES FOR help
over THE WIRES
Farmer Burke on Night of Col.
Inns Tragedy Startled by
Danger Call.
DAUGHTER A VOICE
shrieks of Woman in Distress Cont
Over Phone, but Family Supposed
It Was Prank-Detectives
at Work.
Parker, S. D., Oct. ,1o.-'Help. Help!

Parker, S. D., Oct. ,10.-"Help! Help!
jCome quick!"
This appeal uttered indistinctly by a
iwoman's voice over the telephone &C
companied by the crying of children,
following ten short rings, known as the
'"long rolf or the danger call. started
Mr.. and Mrs. j. o. Burke and their
I16-year-old daughter about IL O'CLOCK
Sunday night, the night of the tragedy
in the home of Harry e. Collins, When
his wife was murdered, presumably py
robbers.
1t was on the rural telephone line
running between Parker and Hurley.
used by seventeen farmers. The Burke
telephone is No. 2 on the line n Col
,lins' phone is NO. 5.
AS the danger cali sounded over the
wire in the household of Mr.. and Mrs.
Burke, who were entertaining a house
full of company hat evening, they and
their 1~6-year-old daughter jumped to
take down the receiver. The daughter
secured possession first. She heard the
faint call of a voice over the telephone
and the voice uttered a terrible cry
(which the girl says sounded like the
above appeal for help. This was par
italy drowned by the crying of chill
ldren. Then there was silence.
Thought 1t a Prank.
The family thought nothing of the
iincident,. they say, as during the day
some mischievous boys had been play
ing pranks over the telephone and they
believed that it was but a continuation
lof it.
When they awoke the next morning
and learned of the tragedy In the Col
llins home the incident Of the night be-
fore was indelibly impressed upon their
minds, and they nave told to States
attorney Jones the story in substance.
which is now being discussed every
where.
States Attorney tones says he has
heard the story and has nothing to say.
He refuses to make public anything
that he may nave of interest in the
case. c.. w. Leaning, a private de-
tective from YanktCn, S. D., Is in the
city working up Clues which he has
found since arriving here. He is work
ing without pay or expenses, with the
hope of unearthing the crime and the
guilty perpetrator of it, but complains
bitterly that States Attorney Jones re-
fuses to cooperate with him in his
hunt for evidence which might leaG
to the arrest of the criminal or Grim
tinals.
Collins Out CT Town.
Harry e. Collins, the murdered WON,
ANS husband, mas gone to his home,
stead in Lyman county, near Draper
is. D., and will not return until WedneS
day, the day of the r~econvening Of thu
scoroner's jury. He must reach his lant
this week in order to comply with thu
requirements of the government.
The Burke farm is five miles south O.
the Collins farm. Inasmuch as there
ARE seventeen telephones on this line
no effort was made to communicate
that night with the other patrons o
the rural telephone system, and thu
family and visiting friends resumed tn
evenings enjoyment.
The night operator at Parker, VIII,
.,~,,Jl IA1 xyn rrNNrr ~ Nv hnnr I fri
LANCER call, is in Sioux Falls, S. D., ant
he could not be interviewed by you
correspondent. This new II startling
inforrp ton, coming from this reliable
conservative n apparently truthful
farmers home. has mad a deep i'm
only intensified interest in the case an,
added a deeper mystery to the tragedy
No Report of Chemist.
The demented Sweae, VINO was al
rested last week at Howard, S. D., an
who had been chased by a posse TO
two days over cornfields, has bee
found to have escaped from the Yank
ton, S. D., insane asylum and has bee
returned to that institution. 1t ha
been learned that he stayed at a farr
house on the night of the tragedy
mile or so south Of the Collins HON,
and that the farmer. fearing that h
might do his family harm. sat up unit
dayllSNt anu lnen uTOVe MIN 10 marion
S. D., eighteen miles from here, the
morning, turning him adrift. 1t ha
thereby been established hat he ha
no completely in the murder of Mr.
Collins and knew nothing about i
Coroner Brown, of Centerville, state
today that as yet he had received n
report from the Bookings collee
chemist, but that one was expected be
fore Wednesday.
States Attorney Jones still refuses I
make known TO the anxious publ
through the local or other newspaper
what progress he has made on tn
case. If the inquest hearing on Wednes
day is public, a great Grove will /
present. Detective Callahan, of tt
Pinkerton agency, is still in the vicir