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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1909)
NEW EVIDENCE OF IS INSANITY GIVEN Examination by Alienists May Bar Trial of Mrs. Collins for Murder. ILLNESS SHATTERED MIND Woman Questioned by Newspaper Man Babbles Like tanlac Ac tress Brought Into Case Doc tor Says She Is Demented. In all probability Mrs. Kate Collin, to whom all evldfnre points as having shot ar.i killed her husband. Dr. Roy A. Miles Collins. last Saturday morning. will never be brouKht to trial for the murder. Ir.Mrad developments yesterday Indi cated that a lunacy commission will be ral!d next Thursday to pass upon her mental condition. If the defense is successful then In sup porting evidence it disclosed yesterday for the first time, showing not only that Mrs. Collins Is out of her riitht mind at present and had been for at least a week prior to the shooting, but also that sev eral years atro during a long illness she became insane for several months and had to be closely watched on that ac count, the commission wiil undoubtedly adjudge her Insane and commit her to the asylum. Developments following each other In rapid succession yesterday placed. a ma terially different aspect on the case. Im mediately after a Coroner-s Jury yester day morning had returned a verdict to the" effect that Dr. Collins came to his death by a gunshot wound Inflicted by Ms wife. Attorney P. L. Willis, a friend of Mrs. Collins since she came vo Port Una with her two small children M 'years ago. hastened to the County Court and filed a charge ot insanity against her. Later Mr. Willis gave a statement to an Oregonlan reporter In which he re lated much of the evidence on which he expects to prove that Mrs. Collins is and has been Insane and la mentally Irrespon sible for her actions. One of the most Important portions of this evidence, and something that has not before been made public. Is the fact, as related by Mr. Willis, that last Mon day. July 19. five days before the trag edy. Mrs. Collins visited him at his of fice and displayed marked signs of In sanity. She wished the attorney to mike out legal papers by which ahe could teave all her property to her daugh ter, spoke wildly of trouble she was hav rng with her husband, and declared dis connectedly Severn 1 times that she "was going away from here." Mora than once she was on the verge of hysterica and hnd to be quieted by the lawyer. Her actions led Mr. Willis to believe she In tended to commit suicide. Sickness Shattered Mind. Another new feature of the defense's case is that a number of years ago Mrs. Collins, who had been supporting her two children by the hardest kind of work as seamstress, became sick while at the lawyer's home and was Insane for a num ber of months. During that time ahe continued to stay with the Willis' ant was cared for there until she finally re covered. Mr. Willis says he recognized 'the recurrence of the symptoms of her former Insanity while she was in his office last Monday. Further bearing out this evidence of Mrs. Collins' previous insanity Is the statement of Dr. G. Orlo Jefferson, who hs been for many years her family phy sician. Ke corroborates Mr. Willis" state ment about the woman's former Insan ity. Moreover, Mrs. Collins was In his office also during the week before the murder and showed marked symptoms of being out of her right mind while there. An Oregonian reporter saw and talked to Mrs. Collins at the Mountain View P-inalorium. at East Thirtieth and Fowell streets, yesterday afternoon. It was the first time anyone save her physicians and attendants, her daughter and representatives' of the District At torney's ofn?e had been permitted to speak to nr since she was taken from the County Jo!l to the sanatorium Sat urday night. Though attendants at the hospital said her condition was better then than at any time since she was brought there, she appeared to be en tirely irresponsible and irrational. Her conversation was Irrelevant and discon nected. In response to a question as to whether fhe had any statement to make, or wished to clear up some of the contradic tory statements she has already made, Mrs. Collins turned wildly to her daugh ter. Mrs. Gertrude Garber. who with her husband was supporting her in bed, and asked: "What's he talking about? "What's that he's saying?" Daughter Xear Tears. "I don't know that man do I? What does he want?" she cried when the query was repeated. "Is that the man who brought me out here?" she went on, turntr.g to Patrolman Marsh, who stands w-atch over her room from 4 o'clock In the afternoon to niWlnight. "He has been very kind to me. hasn't he?" "I never saw him before, what does he want?" she repeated a minute later turning to the rejKirter. "He wants to learn how you are." said Mrs. Garner, wlio was almost In tears as she rat with her arms about her mother. "Why I'm all right," said Mrs. Col lins. "I was never sick a day In my life." she added, but the sentence broke off with a nuyh that was followed closely by tears and hysterics. That ended the interview. Those who have been about Mrs. Col lins to any extent since she was sent to the sanatorium are firm in their be lief that at the present time at least she Is insane. Patrolman Gill, who was detailed by Chief Cox to guard the ac cused woman during the day, said yes terday that he had no doubt that Mrs. Collins Is out of her mind. During his stay at her bedside Gill has been able to quiet the unfortunate woman and sooth her to sleep when no others could. Three times yesterday he put her into quiet slumber merely by laying his hands on her forehead and telling her to sleep. The first time she slept from about o'clock in the morning until lt:30 o'clock in the afternoon. Then she awoke and was able to take a light luncheon, after which she again slept. According to Olll. Mrs. Collins only on one occasion alluded to the shooting of her husband yesterday, when she re peated to herself as If greatly distract ed." I did it. It did it." To distract her thoughts the patrolman told her to sleep and she obeyed like a child. She did not again refer to her declaration of the day uefore that her husband had shot himself. She seemed to have for gotten that side of the story entirely, said Gill. At times the officer said she forgot that her husband was dead and asked for him. May 'Become Rational. At the sanatorium It was said that If Mrs. Collins continued to Improve as WITNESSES IN COLLINS MURDER CASE ON THEIR WAT TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. - if 1 f Xa. fl i - x . Ay--- riSr 3 r - it iK i I fh - J J : " m " - -If i & lteit ' 1 - ''"' V "if i ;.. ; V 1 1 r i h 0 I "3 p h I f : . f. - t I - ,! I a $ tv . y ' i " I - J - $ ? - , ' . 'f -l 4 , "-..' . if-. . .... : r rOVJiT AND COCNTKSS VIGGO a.....' VOS HOf.STEIN-RATIir.OU. rapidly as she has since Sunday night, in two or three days they believe she will become rational enough to be able to make a connected statement of her connection with the shooting of her husband. Mr. Willis told some of the past his- tory of Mrs. Collins that had not hith erto been given out in discussing the case yesterday. Mrs. Collins' first hus band. Mark Van Winkle. was a nepnew of Mr. Willis" wife. Van Win kle, however, deserted the woman near ly 26 years ago, leaving her with two children to support. About 20 years ago she came to Portland. "She went to sewing then." said Mr. Willis. "She perfonmed splendid duties as a mother by her children. By her own unaided efforts she brought them up. She Is a woman of more than ordi nary energy, and Is entitled to unusual credit for what she did for her children. Her son died. I believe in California, about two years ago, but her daughter. Mrs. Garber. lives in Camas. "It was due to overwork more than anything else. I think, that Mrs. Col lins was taken ill a number of years ago and it unbalanced her mind. She was at our house for several months during her sickness. At no time was she violent, but I remember on one occasion while we were at the dinner table, she got up and ran out of the house crying that it was aftre. Her physician at that time said she was un balanced. "Just one week ago today she was In my office to arrange for property to be left to her daughter. I saw that she was again affected in the old way. and It was my impression that she was intending- to kill herself, for she re peated a number of times "I am going awav. I am going away." I saw clearly that her mind was affected. She would ask a question about one thing and then Jump to something else? Her con versation was disconnected. There is no question about her insanity at the time. ' "I suggested to her to make a visit to her daughter, as I feared she was thinking of suicide, but she refused. Mrs. Collins spoke Monday of her hus band's relations with another woman (It was not with his first wife however) which was evidently worrying her greatly. This woman was a variety ac tress who had gone to Dr. Collins to have her throat treated. This actress is now supposed to be in San Francisco. Would Ixt Husband, Go. "At that time, however, Mrs. Collins said to me that if Roy wanted to go with this other woman, he could go and she would not place -any obstacle in his way. "She also said, but she was partly wild at the time, so that her statement mav or may . not have been accurate, that she herself was not going to marry Collins, but that it was he who insisted. I know, however, that ahe was very much in love with him." As Countv Judge Webster and Dr. W. T. Williamson, of the County Lun acy Commission, who pass on all cases of alleged Insanity coming under the Jurisdiction of the courts here, are out of town and will not be back before Thursday, it will not be possible to have Mrs. Collins examined by the Com mission, even if her condition is such that ahe could undergo the examination before that day. Dr. S. E. Josephi is the third member of the Commission. Mr. Willis said yesterday that he will ask to have the Commission pass on Mrs. Collins" case as early as possible. Among the witnesses who testified at the Inquest held by Coroner Norden yesterday morning were Dr. Charles B. Frisble. who was first summoned to her husband's side by Mrs. Collins; De tective Frank Snow, who was called by the physician: Deputy Coroner James Dunning. Dr. Percy J. Wiley, autopsy physician, and a newspaper man. Dep uty District Attorney J. H. Page con ducted the case for the state. Sup porting the theory of the defense that Mrs. Collins has been Insane for some time was Dr. Frlsbie's answer to a Juror's question whether-Dr. Collins thought his wife Insane. Dr. Frisble replied that Collins had thought so for some time prior to the shooting." Suicide Theory Scooted. The theory that Dr. Collins might have committed suicide was aired when Autopsy Surgeon Wiley showed that it would have been very unlikely for any body to have committed suicide by saoot ing himself as Collins was shot. The bul let entered his left side, said the physi cian. In such a way that In case of self destruction Collins would have had to pat his light hand to his left side. Detective Frank Snow testified that Mrs. Collins at no time had stated definitely to him that she had done the shooting, her answers at all times being, "Well, if you say I did, I must have done It." or words to that effect. Deputy Coroner Dunning, however, said she had said before himself. Snow and Frisble, "I am guilty. I did It." A newspaperman said that in response to a question put by Deputy District At torney Fitzgerald as to the number of shots she tired, Mrs. Collins answered, "What difference does it make how many shots I fired? 1 am guilty. I did it. Why prolong my misery by these questions?" Part of the jury's verdict was as fol lows: "'From the evidence submitted to this Jury we are of the opinion that said gunshot wound was initiated by Mrs. Kate Collins, the wife of the above named deceased." The jury was com posed of Frank Barry, foreman. C. R. Price, James Brown, C. I. Haynes, E. F. De Grandpre and Henry Chambera. Proceeding on the theory that Mrs. Collins was perfectly sane -whe.n she killed her husband. Deputy District At torney Fitzgerald, for the state, said yesterday that the insanity plea of- the woman will have little weight In his of fice and that she will be tried on the charge of murder in the first degree, placed against her Saturday. "We don't want another statement from the woman." said Fitzgerald. "We already have her full voluntary state ment that she committed the murder, given before witnesses. It makes no difference what she may say now or later in the light of this statement and the facts." Mr. Fitzgerald said that Mrs. Collins would be arraigned in Judge Bennett's court this morning, unless she is too IM to appear. He scouted the statement that she would be committed to the asy lum by a lunacy commission, saying that she would be tried on the evidence. Accused of Forging Money Order. Joseph McGovern. charged with furg lng a signature to a money order, was before Commissioner Marsh In the Fed eral Court yesterday. The" man waived examination and was held in $1500 bonds to await trial at Spokane. The crime was committed in Spokane last October, but the warrant was not issued for his arrest until April. In the meantime Mc Govern fled and was captured In Port land only a few days ago. Denver A dozen men, women and chil dren were rescued in an unconscious con dition Monday from the Dorrance rooming-house at Fifteenth and Welton streets, as the result of a fire which started In the oellar of a butcher shop below. All were hnrrled to a hospital and are expected to recover. KILLING, HER 11 Mrs. Collins Threatened to Slay Countess von Rathlou. WIFE NO. 2 HID IN CLOSET Divorcee Recounts Visits to Physl 'clan's Home and Declares Accused Murderess Seemed Insane. Tirade of Threats Repeated. Another development in yesterday's In vestigations on the part of the District Attorney's .office is that Mrs. Collins, had threatened to kill Countess Viggo von Holsteln Rathlou, the former wife of Dr, Collins. This was adduced by interroga tion of Countess. Rathlou yesterday after noon by Chief Assistant District Attorney Fitzgerald, who summoned heK and her husband to his office, where they were both subjected to a line of questioning calculated to draw from them anything that might have formed a basis for jeal ousy on the part of Mrs. Collins. The threat to kill Countess Rathlou was uttered by Mrs. Collins in the Sladen home at 722 Flanders street. She had gone there in the company of her hus band to see her little son, now in the custody of Dr.- Collins' mother, Mrs. J. B. Miles, of Salem, who was then visiting her son with the lad. "It was on Friday, one week ago, that my husband and myself went to Dr. Col lins' home." said Countess Rathlou. "'and when we first went In, Mrs. Collins was not In the room. They did not want me to tell my son that I was his mother. I protested against this and Mrs. Collins came out of an adjoining room and com menced an hysterical tirade of abuse against me. She said, as well as I can remember, 'I will run you out of town. My, how I hate you! I will kill you one of .these days!" I did not say anything to her. I was surprised, as on a previous occasion when we visited them she told me she hated me and then held forth her hand and asked me to shake hands with her and count her as my friend. "Once when I went to see Dr. Collins in his office, she secreted herself in a closet and listened Xo bar conversation. That was two weeks ago Sunday and was the first time I had seen my former hus band to talk with him since our return from Denmark. At that time I dlad not know he was married and he tried to keep it from me until a few days later, when he told me all about his marital troubles. 'I will admit that my conversation with him was not what it would have been had I known she was in an adjoin ing room or even had I known he had remarried. Our conversation was largely about our little Billy. When we first sepa rated It was agreed I should have him three months out of the year. When I talked to him he didn't want me to even see the child, but on the following Sat urday, succeeding' my conversation with his wife on Friday, he permitted me to take Billy out, to my borne to stay all night. "I must admit I still had a feeling for Dr. Collins," but, she added hastily, "It was only material, not like I have to ward my husband." Countess Rathlou says she believes Mrs. Collins is insane. "The time she threatened my life, ' sne said, "there was a wild look in her eyes and she stared at me with & look that 1 shall never forget. The pupils of her eyes were dilated, her mouth would close as if she were grinding her teeth, and her hands would open and close convulsive ly.". REFERS TO MURDER IX PULPIT Dr. Paul Rader Sees Isson In Kill ing or Dr. Collins. The Collins murder was referred to in a sermon at the Hassalo-street Congrega tional Church Sunday morning by Rev. Paul Rader, . who was acquainted with Dr. R. A. Collins, the man slain. The pastor's text was the proverb. "Wisdom crleth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets." and he declared that ser mons are preached on the. streets daily to the observing. The clergyman went on to say that a man may appear to his friends to be happy and lightly weighted with the bur dens of life, when a great tragedy may be concealed within his breast. "We usually took our lunches together on Fridays," said Mr. Rader, "and Dr. Collins always appeared to me to be a happy young physician, who was enjoy ing his work and prospering. He always had a smile for the boys. We often talked over our college days together, and I never dreamed there was anything in his family life such as the last few days have revealed. When I saw the glaring headline of Saturday's afternoon paper, to say I was shocked is putting OLD RELIABLE UNION One of our Dentists Can be Called at Night in Case of Emergency. Specialists in Painless Dentistry Painless, High-Class Dentistry ' Crown and Bridge Work Specialty POPULAR PRICES 22-K. Gold Crown ...33.50 22-K. Gold Crown Molar. ..$5.00 Good Rubber Plate $5.0O Best Rubber Plate $8.00 Gold Fillings $1.00 Bridge Work $3.00 Silver Fillings $1.00 Extracting, Painless 50 ALL WORK GUARANTEED 10 . YEARS &LL WORK GUARANTEED Out-of-Town People Should remember that our force is so organized that we can do their entire crown, bridge and plate work in a' day, if necessary. Positively painless extracting free when plates or bridges are ordered. "We remove the most sensitive teeth and roots without the least pain. All Instruments Thoroughly Sterilized Another feature of this office there's no danger of infectious disease. Every instrument is carefully sterilized by an expert attendant every time it is used. Unionr aioiessiueiiiis Phones, Main 5936, A-2132. 221 Morrison Street, corner First. ts it mildly. We never -know what is be hind a face." CONDENSED NEWS BY WIRE Ferrol. Spain King Alfonso offlciated Monday at the laying of the keel of the first battleship of the new Spanish navy. T York The National TV"omen" Trades Union League ha iued it. call for the next annual conference, which la to be held In Chicago September 27. Cincinnati John W. Herron 84 year. old. father-in-law of Prenldent Taft. was much better Monday and Mr. Taft has been ad vised not to come to Cincinnati at present. Toklo While the crew of the Japanese battleship Asahi was engaged in gun prac tice at Ise Bay Sunday one of the im pounders of the velles blew up. killing four and wounding Ave of the gunners. Among the wounded were two officers. Chicago The change In the name of the vlllag.3 of Rockefeller, -named after John D Rockefeller, to that of Area, has etirred up a battle royal. The patrons of the post office on rural routes . are fighting the change, and two petitions .haire been sent to Washington. x-or Vr.rU Miss Mabel Howard, who for ten years has been a prominent actress on the American stage, and who played the title role in a Belasco road company or Zaza. has abandoned the stage and is pre paring to become a nun In a Roman Catho lic convent. San Francisco-Accordlng to Captain Quatrevaux, of the French ship Thiers, which arrived here Sunday from Newcastle, Australia, a new Island has sprung up rrom the waters of the Pacific near the Gambler group The Island Is located In latitufle 24 25 degrees south, longitude 128.90 degrees west, and seems to be made of volcanic rock. Chicago After taKIng every precaution possible to prevent identification, a man who registered as Edward Wilson com mitted suicide Sunday in the Saratoga Ho tel by swallowing poison. He was a mem ber of the Masonic order and In a note, found with a lodge apron In the room, made a request that he be burled by the Masons. New Tork Eight of the negro trooper of the Tenth United States Cavalry which returned on the transport Kllpatrlck brought with them ' Filipino wives. They will take them with the regiment to Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont. The War Department in sisted that when a soldier, whether a pri vate or an officer, marries a Filipino woman he must bring her with him when he re turns tew the United Slates. New York A siege of New York City by countless millions of little white moths con tinued until daylight Monday. The visita tion, which was on the anniversary of a similar event last year, was particularly annoying to the patrons of the hotels, res taurants and theaters, where the moths were attracted in clouds by the bright lights. Streetcar wheels crushed them until it was necessary to operate the cars by a liberal use of sand. Word Received From Nushagak. , ASTORIA, Or.. July 26. (Special.) The Alaska Fishermen's Packing Com pany received a cablegram from P. A. Berlund, superintendent of the company's cannery at Nushagak River, Alaska. The message, which is dated July IT. came via Seward, and states that everybody is well and the prospects are good for a prosperous season. ; As the cablegram came by steamer as far as Seward, it is expected that letters from Nushagak will arrive in about 10 days. Music Company Enjoined. Judge Wolverton yesterday Issued an order in the Federal Court restraining o -.. - . - . ...- m m -- , : m -r3S I 3 I NONE BETTER HADE-NONE BETTER KtlDYfl the Graves Music Company from selling a device used tin connection with the talking machine. The order was issued at the request of -the Victor Talking Ma chine Company, which asserts that the device in question is an infringement of its patent. The hearing of the case was set for August 5. NORTH BEACH Service of the 0. K. & N.'s Fine Excursion Steamer T.J.Potter v vrr TuiMii in n, j, ltMI, -w.3,,- i LuiuMini ifii imrTT" V v-f.v.'. .-v' ::".. ..tf.'A.-TWoVmWilRrvOfcJfiAKmw Between PORTLAND AND MEGLER From Portland, Ash-Street Dock, Daily, Except Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 A. M. Saturday Only, 1:00 P. M. MEALS ON THE POTTER THIS YEAR WILL BE A LA CARTE Baggage should be at dock at least 30 minutes before departure. . Season Tickets, from Portland $4.00 Saturday-to-Monday Tickets $3.00 Pive-Trip Commutation Tickets $15.00 Reduced rates will prevail from . all parts of the state. Purchase tickets at the City Ticket Office," O. R. & N., Third and Washington Streets. ' . WM. McMURRAY, General Passenger Agent, Portland, Oregon. rlU.lWIBIWullllWIIUI'MIMMLBimjJWPIt mMwmmm Igiglliiillia EASTERN EXCURSION RATES AUG. 11-12 Chicago and return, $72.50; New York and return, $106L50; St. Louis and return, $67.50; Boston and return, $110 50; St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, Winnipeg, Kansas City St. Joseph and Omaha and return, $60.00. Final return limit, October 31st. Stopovers allovred. Choice of routes going, either via Seattle or via The Spokane, Portland & Seattle R.R. (The North Bank Road) Direct connections via either route. For tickets, rates and sleeping-car reservations, call on or address. H. DICKSON, City Passenger and Ticket Agent, 122 Third Street, Portland, Oregon. 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