The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-15

service. Roy L. Bone, city commits
siOner Of finance, engaged the de-
tective over distance telephone.
after Hammatt had conferred with
him and Mayor Cofran, who was the
first city official with whom he con-
ferred about the letters. He said the
entire matter was managed by Chief
Of Police Ross Mayor r. L. Cofran,
City Detective Charles Lyle, and
Commissioner Roy L. Bone.
Hammatt spoke highly of Collins
character and services while in his
employ at the Crosby Roller mills.
He said Collins had worked for him
twelve years ending March 2, 1912,
and had proven unusually efficient
and trustworthy and that at the time
of leaving his company, he had writ
ten a letter of recommendation. This
letter was introduced in evidence.
Hammatt said he had no personal
knowledge of Collins being in any way
connected with the attempted black
mail.
Hired q Motorcycle.
w. E. Tucker 1919 North Topeka ave-
nue., connected with the j. C. Harding
company, motorcycle dealers, was intro
duced as a witness by the state but
that he believed Collins had engaged a
motorcycle after, and not before, the
affair on the Topeka avenue road, he
was sent to get his books.
Later he was placed on the stand and
testified that Collins had come to his
place several days before the flashlight
episode and had told him his
jury making it impossible for him
to ride bicycle and that he wished
to take motorcycle and let his father
see whether he could ride it, and that
II his father could use 1t, he might buy
1t. A second hand machine. which was
In bad repair. was mended and Collins
took it away the day Of the attempt to
secure money from Hammatt, and the
Day following complained that no pump
had been placed on the machine and
That he had to leave the machine at
Baughman Brothers ice cream factory
near Twenty-third and Lincoln streets,
on account Of puncture.
Jesse Baughman told of Collins
leaving the machine at his place. He
was not able to determine the time
OF the evening with much certainty,
but thought the time about o'clock.
Collins does not deny having left the
Geraldine Mckinney, bookkeeper
Tor the Harding company, testified
that Collins telephoned to her the day
AFTER the attempted holdup that he
mad left the motorcycle at Baughman's
because
was going to Kansas City. On cross
examination she insisted that Collins
SAID Kansas City and not "out of the
CITY,, nor Emporia instead of Kansas
City. Collins was arrested in EN-
poria. Tucker said that although Col
Inns had talked about buying the ma
chine and had taken it for trial, that
ne had never returned to discuss buy
ing it.
Mrs Hugh McGrath. 1912 Kanxas
avenue told of
automobile belonging to Frank Camp
bell. Besides herself were Mr. and
MRS. Campbell and Mr.. McGrath and
q little girl
She refused to say positively that Col
inns was the man who stopped the car
by waving white handkerchief, and
VINO rode on the running board to the
AHennurst farm. She said she was quite
positive he was the man, but would not
swear positively. Hugh McGratfl's tes-
tlmony was much the same Frank
campbell. however, did not have any
doubt about it. All three testified that
the man stood in the light from the car
ana they had good view of him.
l think he Is the same man, think
there is no possible chance of being
mistaken" testified Campbell
Mitchell Bundy. jailer at the county
jan. stated he was in car with Chief
Ross and Detective Lytle and told of a
car passing theirs with a man riding on
u, the root board. He said the man looked
like Collins. -
Mystery of Chunk OF Mud.
chunk of mud bearing the i'm
print OF what is believed to have been
the front tire of the motorcycle rid
zen by the person in waiting on the
topeka avenue road for Theodore
Hammatt to bring him $4,000 is part
OF the evidence by which the state ex-
poets to prove John Collins guilty of
attempted blackmail
hoy L. Bone, city commissioner, on
the witnessstand this afternoon. tes-
tilted that a chunk of mud bearing the
imprint OF a motorcycle wheel had been
taken from "a place at the roadside in
front of the William Bradbury farm.
where motorcycle had been pushed to
the side of the road and had been per-
mftted to fall over on its Left side.
TINS chunk OF mud was fitted to the tire
81 the motorcycle procured by John Col
Inns from the J. C. Harding Co. and which
John Collins admits to have been riding
on the eve OF the hold up.
Your husband. madam. is suffering
from voluntary inertia" Poor fellow!
And here I've hem falling him -