Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-04-19
WOMAN EARffR IN JAH
Miss Collins Has Clients Come to
Fer There.
BARRISTER is ACCUSED OF FORGERY

Miss Lula M. Collins Pike county,
barrister, formerly president of Pike
college, is practiclng law. these days
from a cell in the Pike county, Mlssou-
ri, Jail, and preparing to defend herself
against her accusers and the Pike coun-
tyl bar. D.. 3,
Miss Collins has been in Jail three
weeks in default of s2,5O0 bond, charg-
ed with forgery, and with uttering and
selling a forged instrument. 1t,is all
legged, in an information procured by
Rufus L. Higg;nbotham, prosecuting
attorney, on the complaint of Daniel
Grimes, a, negro, that September IL,
1920, she forged a promissory note for
$500 purporting to be signed by Grimes
and his sister, Sarah Smith, to the. or
der Of Ida Burrus.
Victor E. Smith, chairman Of the
grievance committee Of the Pike coun-
ty Bar association, Is assisting in the
prosecution.
Receives Clients In Cell.
AS she sits in her cell with her law
books at hand, her clients come and go.
She gives attention to the details of
cases pending at Bowling Green and
Louisiana, and is pseparing to file petit
tlons for the cnsuiigtterm Of court. ,
Former friends, who might qualify as
bondsmen, have not done so, but there
has been no lapsing of the loyalty Of
the lowly, whom chiefly she has served,
nor dwindling of the devotion Of Miss
Villa Nora Mitchell, formerly county
superintendent of schools, friend and
companion ;;'of Miss Collins through
years. ,,. -
The dilemma which has befallen Miss
Collins has drawn renewed Interest to
the remarkable attachment Of these two
women for each other. Both We're born
at louisiana Their families were
neighbors and friends. They grew up
together. went to school together and
were graduated from the same high
school. Both became teachers. Miss
Collins, older by> several years than
Miss Mitchell, also studied law.
Formerly Head of Pike College.
Miss Mitchell was elected county su-
perintcndent and held that office for
fourteen years. In 1907, Miss Collins
became head Of Pike. college, a co-edu-
cational institution, of Bowling Green,
Miss Mitchell was associated with her
in conductingeit and, both lived at thei
college. In 1916, they sold the college
and it was converted into high school.
Miss Collins. then took up the prac-
tIce of law, opening an office in the
Phoenix building with rooms adjoln-
ing those which she and Miss Mitchell
occupied rs living quarters, taking
their meals out or doing light house.
keeping there. y "a
Among the most intimate friends Of
Miss Collins and Miss Mitchell has been
Mrs. Burrus. Miss Collins has aided
her in placing some loans and when, as
she says. Miss Collins went to her and
told her that Daniel Grimes. an aged
negro owning one hundred acres Of
land, wanted to borrow. $500. Mrs. Bur-
rus consented to lend it to him. The
note which Miss Collins bought bore
what purported to be the signature or
Sarah Smith and Crimes mark, attest
ed by F. A. Davis. At the expiration
Of the ninety days, Mrs. Burrus says
Miss Collins went to her and told her:
that Grimes on account Of the bad
roads, could not get into town,
and obtained a three weeks extension.
Later Mrs. Burrus heard that Miss Col
lins had collected s1O0 on another loan
in the same neighborhood and had not
accounted for it, so she made an in
quiry and was informed by Grimes and
Mrs. Smith that they had made no note
and had received no money. Davis said
he had not attested the instrument.
Secured by Minnesota Notes.
Meantime, Miss Collins had given to
Mrs. Burrus, as collateral, two $4,000
notes, secured by deed of trust, on
property in Minnesota. purporting to
be signed by Silas King. Mrs. Burrus
has received a letter signed "Silas King.
by A. Fay King" denying that he exc
cuted the notes and protesting ignor-
ance of the papers The Minnesota
property was inherited by members of
the Parsons family Of Bowling Green.
They sent Miss Collins to Minnesota to
look it over for them. She bought the
property from them and, according to
information received from Minnesota
land registrar, sold it to King.
The prisoner said today that the Pike
County Bar association was prosecut-
ing the case and that although under
the law she was entitled to be repre-
sented by counsel, no lawyer was pre-
pairing to defend her.
She quoted a lawyer as saying:
We've got her where we want her
now"
She refused to talk about the charge
against her and the Minnesota collat-
eral and other details mentioned. 1T
would be entirely out of line" she
said, ito discuss transaction which is
the basis of the pending proceedings.
Il f.tr-