Richard Carrington Bond, Collins's brother-in-law, said that Collins slept in a detached camp at the rear of witness's residence. The deceased had no money and was assisted by his mother-in-law. He used explosives for prospecting. About 6.15 am on June 11, the witness was awakened by a loud explosion alongside his bedroom which blew the wall in and wrecked the room. Witness and his wife were stunned by the explosion but when he regained his senses he rushed out of the room to Collins's camp. Collins was missing and was eventually found in the lane with a deep gash in his throat.
Mrs. Minnie Bond stated that she heard Collins strike a match outside the bedroom window about 6.15 am and then heard him walk away. She recognised his footsteps as he walked, and as it was his custom to light the fire every morning, she took no notice of what she heard. A few seconds later, an explosion occurred and the room was wrecked.
Constable William Pollard said that he was awakened by a loud explosion that shook the house. A few seconds later he received a telephone message that a man was lying dead in the lane at the back of Crameri's hotel. Proceeding to the spot, he saw the body of a man lying on the ground, and a group of people standing by it, some in night attire. The man's throat was cut right across very deeply, and he appeared to be dead. There was a blood stained razor on the ground near the feet. Later, one of the bystanders picked up a half-plug of gelignite, with a detonator and fuse attached. The fuse had been lighted and had burned about an inch, where it had been partly cut through; it might have burned towards the end instead of towards the detonator. There were blood stains about 12ft. from the body, and a trail of blood from there to the body.
Further evidence disclosed that part of a plug of gelignite with cap and fuse attached was found under a wet bag near the fence of Bond's residence, while a partly-filled bag of sand had been used to pack up the explosion. In Collins's room, a portion of a plug of gelignite was discovered on a table.
After reviewing the evidence, the Acting Coroner announced the following verdict :-"That Louis Collins came to his death on June 11, 1933, at Leonora, through loss of blood, as the result of injuries to his throat, inflicted by himself while of unsound mind."
Mrs. Russell was the mother-in-law of Collins and Mr Bond, each of whom had married a daughter of Mrs. Russell. Collins' wife died 1903, the year their daughter, Olive Amy, was born, and Olive had lived with Mrs. Russell, her grandmother, since childhood. The family comprising Mrs. Russell, Mr. and Mrs. Bond, Louis Collins, and Miss. Collins, all lived in the same premises and had their meals together. The deceased slept in a detached camp near the back lane, about 30 feet away from the room occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Bond. He had no funds and was assisted by Mrs Russell. For the past 12 months, he had been endeavouring to obtain employment and filled in his time prospecting round Leonora.
Louis Collins' wife, Olive, died in Perth on 28 April 1903, the year of the birth of their daughter, Olive Amy. Mrs Collins was 29 years of age. She is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery.
