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Submitted: 10/5/17 • Approved: 10/5/17 • Last Updated: 3/26/18 • R134756-G0-S3
1852 - 14 Mar 1884
Died in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas
Son of John Burrow Collins
Husband of Alice M Merchant Collins Tuttle
2 Children
Frontier peace officer and Abilene City Council member. Collins had served in the Frontier Battalion of the Texas Rangers. On January 8, 1884 he and his brother, Walter Collins
, a Taylor County deputy sheriff and Abilene deputy marshal, entered the Cattle Exchange Saloon to confront Zeno Hemphill, who was running a gambling operation. The city council had issued an order closing down gambling and Frank Collins informed Hemphill of the order. The exchange grew heated and Hemphill punched Frank in the face, which caused Frank to pull his pistol and point it at Hemphill. At that point, Deputy Marshal Walter Collins stepped between the two antagonists, telling them to stop the argument, whereupon Hemphill pulled his pistol and shot Deputy Marshal Collins in the chest. Frank Collins and Hemphill then began shooting at each other, with Hemphill being killed almost instantly and Frank being mortally wounded. Deputy Marshal Collins died of his wound within a half-hour. Frank lingered for two months, dying on March 14. The brothers are buried next to each other.
Photo Courtesy of David M Habber
Contributed on 10/5/17
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Record #: 134756