Harry Collins (1905)

COLLINS, CRAWFORD

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson
Date: 12/30/2007 at 20:14:32

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, May 4, 1905
Page 1

Met Death By Violence

Harry Collins of Patterson Found Dead on Railroad Track and in is Thought to Be a Victim of Foul Play

Harry Collins, a young man whose home is in Patterson was found dead on the Great Western Ry track near St. Joe, Missouri on last Friday morning. His body was terribly bruised and one arm was severed from the body by the cars. The nature of the wounds on the body and the fact that no blood was found where the body lay led the officers to suspect foul play and a coroner's inquest was held before the remains were brought here for burial. The result of the verdict has not been announced. W. W. Crawford, the young man's uncle was notified and was present during the inquest. The remains were brought here and burial held at the McGinnis cemetery yesterday. The unfortunate young man had been in Kansas City at work for the past few weeks and a few days previous to his death wrote his mother that he was coming home. Later - since the above was written one man has been arrested and charged with the crime and more arrests will follow.
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The Madison County Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, May 4, 1905
Page 3

Supposed to Have Been Murdered.

Harry Collins, a young man of about twenty years of age, whose home was near Patterson, this county, was found dead on the tracks of the Great Western railroad about two miles north of St. Joseph, Mo., last Saturday morning. Young Collins left here about four weeks ago for Kansas City, where he secured work in one of the packing houses. He wrote his mother at Patterson on Friday morning a postal card, which she received Saturday, stating that he would be home Saturday. A telegram was received Saturday afternoon stating that he had been killed by the cars. His uncle, W. W. Crawford of Patterson, immediately took the train for the scene, and on arriving there ascertained the following facts: That the body had been discovered about six o’clock Saturday morning lying between the rails face downward with the left arm cut off and lying some three feet away. The body was badly crushed on one side and the head was considerably bruised and cut but the skull was not fractured. There was one peculiar circumstance and that was that there was no blood on or near the body. This circumstance led to the belief that he had been previously killed and place on the track for the purpose of diverting suspicion. There had been two trains pass over the road about two hours previous to the finding of the body and the supposition is that both trains passed over him.

Acting on the theory of murder there has been an arrest made of a Pollander, who was seen in the neighborhood and the authorities are now looking for a supposed confederate who was known to have been with the party under arrest the day previous.

The body was shipped to Patterson and the funeral held Tuesday at that place.
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The Madison County Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, May 11, 1905
Page 6

Hanley

The body of Harry Collins, who was killed near St. Joseph, Mo., was brought here Monday and taken to Patterson for interment.

Gravesite
 

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