The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-10-27

WOMAN ATTACKED ~ THE SON
or HER swEgrhEART.
is CHARGED WITH MURDER
Richard Higgins end His Sister Inter
eepted Letter TO Their Father
From Mrs. Thomasson-
Met and killed Her.

PEORIA iLLa-Mrs. Nellie Thomas
son. wife Of a real estate dealer here,
died at 70 O'Clock Thursday night in
Tacoma as the result OF injuries receiy
cd last Saturday in an encounter with
Richard Higgins. son OF John G. Hig-
gins. member Of the board OF superyis-
ors Of Peoria county. n a Republican
politician. Young Higgins is 90 years
old. His sister. who was present is
"a years old,
The Higgins children intercepted a.
letter written to their father by Mrs.
Thomasson. In which she asked him
TO meet her in the depot OF the Chi
cage. Rock Island and Pacific railway
in THIS city. Higgins was in ST. Louis
and his son opened the letter.
The missive asked higgins to be in
the waiting room. When Mrs. Thorn.
ssson arrived she vas confronted by
young Higgins and his sister. What
took place Is a mystery, as only the
three. and an uncle OF Higgins. we're
present
Some time later. however. the wo-
man asked c. A. Brant the ticket
agent. To assist her 10 the train. He
did so. and when she was gone he no
diced the floor OF the waiting
was covered with blood.
Mrs. ThomassOn fingered In great
agony al her home In Tacoma until
Thursday night when she died. One
lip had been severed. both eyes black.
ened. one shoulder displaced and her
back covered with bruises. She had
many internal injuries. DR.. John
Potts. the attending physician, had
been unable to rouse the patient suf-
f~iciently to get a statement.
HIGGINS CHARGED WITH MURDER
Higgins is under arrest. accused OF
murder. lie wept when placed In
Jail.
I'VE had been trying for years 10
break up the relations between my
father and this woman" he said.
when we got that letter. ny sister
and I went to see u We could no; make
sum- NAAkNNANAA VIVA MNaH ~ AahN
her in the waiting Dom. ! went up
% her sad touched her on the shoul.
der. Mrs Tbomasson, ! believe, 4
said. she turned around quickly and
said. oh. rs you. Is az and drew
out a hatpln. I then pushed her sharp
~ and knocked her over a chair. My
sister pulled me Away and told me
that / would be arrested; that we
couldn't do anything with her. That's
ali there was 10 H."
Miss Jennie Higgins made the fol
lowing statement:
Il had nothing 10 do with the ar
fair whatever. only as a witness. !
saw Mrs. Thomasson attack my broth
er with a hatpin and then he struck
her several times. I did not engage
in the seune."
Mrs Thomasson had not lived with
her husband. J. w. Thomasson. for
three years. and IT the time % her
death did not know where he vas.
They were not divorced.
The connection Of the late detec.
tive. william r Murphy. who vas
murdered under such sensational cir
cumstances in this city last June.
proved a startling development OF the
case this afternoon. Il appears that
the night he was killed. Murphy was
s~hadowing John H Higgins. al the
Instance % the members of The fam
ily. He was called from this duty 70
Investigate a burglary on Second
street. AZ . o'clock tha, night he was
killed Either that night or the fol-
lowing one Richard HiEEins SAYS that
Mrs. Thomasson called Bp the house
BY telephone and said; Marphy was
a good friend 81 yours Welli 10
got his tonight Kicrans la fellow
detective Of Murphy r. your friend
too. Re will get bis next"
=. MRS. HIGGINS rs WEALTHY.
Mrs. Higgins IS wealthy. she and
Mr.. Higgins we're married thirty years
ago and she decided much Of her pro
erty 10 her husband
In an additional statement just
given out Richard Higgins says that
his uncle. Douglas Mcdonald. arrived
al the Rock Island station AZ the sagos
time be did. Ills uncle stood by when
the alleged assault took place aud
took him BY the arm. saying. Come
away you will be arrested: yon can't
DO anything with her"
Higgins says that his family had Of.
fered Mrs. Thomasson large sums Of
money to give their father up. but she
had always refused. lie declares that
she frequently called up the residence
by telephone and tainted them upon
their failure to break Off their Fela.
ton.