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Collins - James



Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal 23 March 1901 p 5

Last evening John Gwinn, who rooms in the Harter block on East Main Street began to wonder why his neighbor in the next room, James Collins was so quiet. He could usually be heard at all hours hammering and sawing away, making or mending violins. Mr. Gwinn could not understand it, for not a sound had been heard from Collins all day long. Finally his wonder and interest at the silence became so great that he went out and knocked at Collin's door. No reply. Then standing on a chair Mr. Gwinn peered through the glass of the transom over the door. it was getting dark but in the twilight he could distinguish the form of a man lying prostrate on the floor. Then he understood an unwanted quietude and went down and told the police that old Uncle Jimmie was dead. The room was opened and the old man was found cold and stiff where he had fallen when struck by death, his head lying against the stove. Along the walls were hung his violins and on the table were the remnants of a very frugal meal. The old man had evidently died Thursday evening just after eating his supper or yesterday morning after breakfast. The body was taken to McClelland's undertaking establishment and prepared for burial. Mr. Collins was a native of Ohio but had been a resident of Crawfordsville for 35 years. He was 73 and leaves 4 children: Mrs. Tom Francis and Mrs. Herman Burnhart of this city and Louis and Robert Collins, who are engaged in railroading. Mr. Collins was a member of the POS of A [Patriotic Order Sons of America] and that order will have charge of his funeral, which takes place tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the residence of his son-in-law Herman Barnhart on Milligan Street. - kbz



Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 22 March 1901
 
Last Friday John Gwinn, who rooms in the Harter block on East Main Street, began to wonder why his neighbor in the next room, James Collins, was so quiet. He could usually be heard at all hours hammering and sawing away, making or mending violins. Mr. Gwinn could not understand it, for not a sound had been heard from Collins all day long. Finally his wonder and interest at the silence became so great that he went out and knocked at Collins’ door. No reply. Then standing on a chair Mr. Gwinn peered through the glass of the transom over the door. It was getting dark, but in the twilight he could distinguish the form of a man lying prostrate on the floor. Then he understood the unwonted quietude and went down and told the police that old Uncle Jimmie was dead. The room was opened and the old man was found cold and stiff where he had fallen when struck by death, his head lying against the stove. Along the walls were hung his violins and on the table were the remnants of a very frugal meal. The old man had evidently died Thursday evening just after eating his supper or Friday morning after breakfast.  The body was taken to McClelland’s undertaking establishment and prepared for burial.
Mr. Collins was a native of Ohio but had been a resident of Crawfordsville for thirty five years. He was seventy three years old and leaves four children, Mrs. Tom Francis and Mrs. Herman Barnhart, of this city, and Louis and Robert Collins, who are engaged in railroading. Mr. Collins was a member of the P. O. S. of A., and that order had charge of his funeral, which took place on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock from the residence of his son-in-law, Herman Barnhart, on Milligan Street. - "S"

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