Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-16
Council Bluffs
ANOTHER PERSON IN MURDER
Not Satisfied that Mrs. Collins
Killed Husband.
SEVEN SHOTS IN ALL FIRED
Bullets of Kind that Could Not
Have Been Fired from Re-
voIver of Husband or
wife.

AaoEhAAN <tAAAAN
Los Angeles. Limited train. was shot and
instantly killed at s o'clock Friday morn
ing at the home Of Mrs. Collins mother.
% South Eighth street, Council Bluffs.
While his wife, Grace Belle Collins, who
Thursday filed suit for divorce, said to
Coroner TreynQr that she shot her hus-
band in self-defense, the police, finding
that Collins was shot three times and that
one Of the bullets in his body was of a
kind that she could not nave fired will
her weapon. are inclined to doubt the
stories of the crime. They are trying to
find out who used a third weapon in the
house. 1t is possible that Mrs. Collins
did not fire at her husband at all, the
officers say.
Mrs. Collins Thursday flied suit for di-
vorce from Collins, whom she married on
June %, 1909, and the shooting of Collins
followed, it was claimed. an attempt on
his part to kill both Mrs. Collins and her
mother, Mrs. Jennie Powell.
Collins called at the Powell home early
In the morning and Mrs. Powell rose TO
let him in. He fired four shots at her, but
all missed and she ran screaming from the
house. Mrs. Collins then rushed out and
Collins fired twice at her, but neither shot
hit her. Mrs. Collins then ran back into her
bed room, secured a revolver and returned,
blazing away at her husband. Her first
shot struck him in the temple and as he
wheeled around she fired again, the bullet
striking him between the shoulders and
passing clear through his body.
Mrs. Collins was arrested and taken
before Judge Snyder, who Immediately re-
n,anded her to the grand jury, which is
now in session.
Mysterious Third Person.
The fact that Collins was shot three times
indicated, the police say. that some one
else other than the mans. wife also shot
him, as only two OF the five cartridges in
the revolver which Mrs. Collins claimed to
nave used were found to nave been dis
charged.
Mrs. Powell, when first telling her YER
sion of the killing, declared that Collins
fired four times at her and twice at his
wife. His revolver, a ~six-chamber Colt
of 3S-calibre, showed that only two shots
had been fired out of it. The weapon
which Mrs. Collins claims to have used is
a Ss-calibre Smith & Wesson, with a long
barrel. That an automatic revolver firing
copper tacketed bullets of 32-calibre was
used by some one In the house during the
shooting is the belief OF the officers, who
say the evidence Is that seven shots in all
were fired. Two of the wounds In Collins
body, It Is said by Coroner rreynor and
City Physician Tubbs, who performed the
autopsy, were caused by 3s-calibre bullets,
while the third wound, which was in the
right side just above the hip, was caused
by a cope Jacketed bullet of 32-calibre.
This bullet was found low down in the
right thigh.
BuIIets In WnII.
In the dining room of the Powell home
the officers found trace of two bullets, one
of which was imbedded in the wall. The
other had gone through a partition into
the hallway, where it embedded Itself in
the wall. In the room upstairs, where the
body of Collins was found lying face down,
two copper-jacketed bullets were found
on the floor near where the dead mans
head had lain.
Efforts by the officers to locate the third
revolver had not been successful Ip to last
night. All living in the house denied there
was any other weapon besides that which
Mrs. Collins claims to have used on her
husband.
The officers say also that they doubt II
Mrs. Collins shot at her hush Aad at ali
They have learned. 1t is said, that after
the first shot was fired, presumably bp
Collins, she fled from the house AMI tOoN
refuge at the hospital conducted by Mrs
Pangle ut the corner ui First avenue anu
Eighth street, and only returned to The
house after her husband bad been killed.
Couple Has Quarrel.
Collins and his wife, who had been living
at 1924 West Broadway, had a violent quar-.
rel Tuesday, and Collins, it is said, drove
his wife from the house, She vent to tlC
home Of her mother on Eighth 1t. eet. Col,
Inns came in from his run early YESTERDAY
morning and falling to find HIS wife a
home went in search Of her. He went L
the home of Mrs. Sally w. Williams. 40
West Broadway, and not finding her there
started for the Powell home. Mrs. WI
liams, as soon as Collins left her place, tel
ephoned Mrs. Powell that Collins vas com
ing and that he had a revolver an;
warned her TO be on her guard. On hi
way to the Powell place Collins, II is said
stopped at the Davis saloon at the cornel
Of Broadway and Eleventh street and dranl
a glass of whisky. From there ht went dl
rect to the<PowelA home.
Mrs. Collins, her sister, Mrs. J. W
Watts, and the ~lstter's husband; he
mother, Mrs. Powell. and Needham Whit
man anu QullO CdlAIldSti TWO yOuni
negroes stopping at the Powell place, wer
all taken before the grand jury during tn,
afternoon.
Afterwards the three men, Whitman
Calamase and Watts, were locked up Il
the city jail, while Mrs. Collins was AXE
to the county jail. Mrs. Powell and Mrs
Watts were permitted to return to thel
home. Coroner Treynor announced tina
he would hold an inquest this afternoon.
Collins was well thought of and wa
said to be a Woodworking man who save,
his money. He bought the home at 352
West Broadway and his bank book Shove,
that he had about $500 saved.
Mr.. and Mrs. Collins were married a
the home Of her mother by Rev. John Al
bert williams. rector OF the church Of 81
Philip the Deacon Of Omaha. In her di
vorce petition Mrs. Collins accuses her hus
band Of cruel and inhuma treatment. Sh
Is % years of age and he was %. The
were prominent in colored society in Coun
Gil Bluffs.
Brother Dies In SnOvvslide.
William and Alfred Boehm Of Dumtries
Ia, started last evening for Anaconda
Mont, in response to a telegram receive