Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-04-11
ENGLISH ISFREED;;
COLLINS MOTHER
SHAKES HIS HAND
Dramatic Scenes In AL
bany Court Room At
Verdict

! ALBANY, April 10-R. S. English,
Of Moultrie, former lieutenant in the
army and relative of numerous Sum-
ter county people, was acquitted of
the murder here a few weeks ago of
Policeman Collins, after the jury had
been out fifty minutes. The verdict
was returned at 1850 o'clock.
Dramatic scenes followed the an
nouncement of the verdict. The
mother of the slain policemaE, Mrs,
L. G. Collins, of Wellston, Ga, shook
hands with English, as did her two
sons, and English said, "God bless
YOU all" The sweetheart of the dead
policeman, however, burst into tears,
and said to English, "You are guilty,
you know you are, and God will pun
ish you" She is Miss Matte Strick-
land, of Albany.
English was congratulated by his
army friends, and he shook hands
with the jurymen, judge, district at
torney and his own attorneys.
Americus Witnesses Aid.
Toward the close of the trial the
defense began putting character wit
nesses on the stand for English, and
all of them testified that they had
knowledge of the reputation for
character enjoyed by the defendant
and that it was good The list in
cluded several Americus people and
many of the officers with whom Eng
lish served in the army. The first
witness was Miss Maggie jenkins, a
teacher in the Moultrie schools, who
lives at English's home town in
Dooly county.
]. S. Walker, of Americas, trav-
cling salesman, next testified.
J. M. Collum, former principal of
the Third District A. & M. school at
Americus, where English graduated,
was the next witness.
T. G. Hudson, of Americas, for
mer commissioner of agriculture in
Georgia, also testified to the good
character of the defendant.
Major J. L. Fort, of New York, for
merly of Americus, who was Eng
hsh's battery commander, was next.
He was followed by Capt. j. R. Sla-
ter, of Valdosta; Capt. E. R. Clark,
Of Albany, and Sergeant Westbrook,
of Americus.
Makes Long Statement
4 10, Sr
which time he conferred with attor-
neys, English went on the stand and
made a statement in his own behalf.
He was before the jury 48 minutes
during which time he seemed per
fectly at ease and never hesitated for
a word.
He gave a history of his life from
the time of his infancy to the night of
the shooting. He told of his mill
tary career from the date of his
enlistment in The National Guard at
Omaha, Neb., IN July, 1916, while
passing through there on his way
home from visit III Denver W
his discharge at Camp Gordon in
October, 1919. He enlisted as a
private and rose through the diff
ferent ranks to the grade of second
lieutenant. He was in the Argonne
Forest fight and with the army of
lCcL patron.
The defendant explained that he
found the German Luger pistol in
dugout the American forces cap
tured from the Germans The night
of the trip from Moultrie to AL
bany he went by his room to get his
overcoat, he said, saw the pistol
lying on his dresser, put it in his
pocket and brought it and cartridges
with him He'll H said that he was
not in the habit of carrying pistol
and had never had the Luger in
= his pocket before. He also declared
that he did not often drink whisky
and had frequently refused drinks.
1t was Horkan's suggestion that they
buy the whisky that night and he
agreed with the others.
He explained the other details of
the trip to Albany, but was not famil-
lar with street names and location of
houses, as he said that his only prev
E ious visit to Albany was in the fall
of 1915 to play a game of football
with the district school team from
Americus.
Just as they were getting ready
to return home, English said, the
shooting occurred Newell and Mar
tin were ahead and he and Horkan
were following some distance behind,
Horkan walking in the rut on the east
side of the street and he in the one
on the west. The car passed about
d that time, he said, with the curtains
b mn Ae +hey aDnroachad tho roy Eng
, lish continued, he saw Newell and
Martin and some one who was not a
member of their party This stranger
was dressed in civilian clothes and
! wore a slouch hat, he said
As he and Horkan approached Eng
: lish stated, he heard the stranger ask
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