Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-10-27
AWFUL TRAGEDY IN DEPOT
Woman Dies After Encounter With Rich
Mans Son.
She WAS TRACED BY A LETTER.
missive Made Appointment With Young Mans
Father Whose Daughter Witnessed the
Affair-Dled In Great Agony--A Sensation.
al Deveiopement--Yo Young Higgins is "a Years
Old and Ills Sister 20.

Peoria, III. (SpcciaD Mrs. Nellie
homaSon, wife Of a former prom-
ncnt real-cstatc dealer in this city, is
dead at her home in Lacon as a re
suit OF injuries received III sensa'
tional encounter with Richard and
Jennie Higgins, son and daughter OF
John G.. Higgins, a prominent mem
Der of the Board OF Supervisors OF
Peoria county. Young Higgins is -
years old, and his sister is 20. Nncy
intercepted a letter written to HiS-
gins, senior by Mrs. Thomson, in
which she asked the elder Higgins to
meet her in the depot OF the Rock
Island railroad in this city. Higgins
was at St. Louis, and his son opened
the letter. When Mrs. ThOmasOn ar
rived she wa, confronted by young
Higgins and his sister. What took
place is Il mystery, as only the three
and an uncle OF lliggins-Douglas>
Mcdonald, Of Monica, lll.-werc pres.
ent Some time later, however, the
woman asked c. A. Brant, the ticket
agent, to assist her to the train
lie did so, and when she was gone
he found blood on the floor OF the
waiting room. The woman fingered
in great agony at her home in Lacon
until She died.
Died in Great Agony.
Higgins is under arrest on State
warrant charging him with murder
The case has created a sensation
Mrs. Thomason has been IN con-
atosc condition since, rallying enough
at intervals to speak a word or two
Her lip was severed. both eyes were
bIackcned, one shoulder was displaced
and her back was covered with bruises
She was also suffering with !ntcrna
injuries. The attending physician vas
unable TO rouse the patient sufficiently
to get a dying statement from her.
Higgins wcpt when placed i'll jail.
Opened Fatal Letter.
1--WE had been trying for years to
break up the relations between my
father and this woman he SAID
when we got that letter my slStet
and | went down there to see If ""
.ould not make some arrangements
with her We met her in The waiting,
room. | went up to her and touched
her on the shoulder.
Mrs. ThomaSon, | believe, | Sald
She turned around quickly and said
oh. its you, is it, and drew out her
hatpin. | then pushed her sharply
against the side OF the face and knock
4. i. =
pulled me away and told me that !
would be arrested; that we could MOI
10 anything with her. That's all tncrc
vas to It.
In an additional statement young
Higgins says that his uncle, Douglas
Mcdonald, arrived at the Rock Island
Station at the same time he did and
stood by when the alleged assault took
place, Higgins says his uncle took
him by the arm, saying, Come away
YOU will be arrested; you can't do
anything with her.
A Sensational Development.
That Detective William T.. Murphy
who was murdered under sensational
circumstances in this city last June,
was connected with the Higgins
ThomasOu case was a starting dcvel-
opment of the afternoon. 1t seems
that on the night Murphy was killed
he was shadowlnG John H. Higgins
at the instance of the members OF the
Higgins family. Young Higgins says
that either on that night or on the
following night Mrs Thomason called
up the Higgins residence by telephone