Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-05-31
IN THE LOCAL FIELD
NO MOTIVE FOR HIS CRIME.
r. L. Higgins, Native Of Hlnsdale, Says
Mr.. and Mrs. copple, Whom He Shot,
Were His Friends.

-
Mr.. and Mrs. copple, Whom He Shot,
Were His Friends.
Copies Of the Omaha, Neb, Bee have
been received containing long accounts
of the murder of MIR. and Mrs. w. L.
Couple at their home near Rosalie, Neb.
by Roy l.. Higgins, a native of Hindale
Higgins was known in Rosalie as Fred
Burke and he had been under other as
sumed names. hut the particular object
in hiding his identity is not apparent
He had been arrested number of times,
usually for drunkenness, but had never
been charged with a serious crime until
he killed the Copies.
Higgins was recovering from debauch
and evidently did not know just what he
did. as he could only remember firing
three shots. but as a matter of fact he
shot Couple twice in the abdomen and
once in the head and then shot Mrs
Couple. firing six times in ALL He then
pounded the heads of both victims to a
pulp with a club. He threatened to kill
the oldest child Of the family Blanche
a girl of 10. when she attempted to fol-
low her mother out door after the father
had been shot.
Higgins went into the house. threat
ened the children and told them there
were burglars outside and that their
parents were watching them Early in
a mule and drove away. When the chill
dren went out door at in the morning
the hogs were eating away at the pros
trate bodies. The children drove the
hogs away and little later a neighbor
appeared. Couple was prosperous
farmer and it was at first thought the
motive of the murder was robbery, as
Couple had received a draft of 5000 for
the sale of cattle and the draft could
not be found. Higgins was reputed to
have displayed a large roll of bills at a
house where he stopped before he was
arrested. but when taken into custody he
had less than SO. Two of the Couple
children were twins only six months old
Higgins walked long distance bare
footed across country before he reached
Hooper, where he was arrested In a sa-
loon. During his walk he nearly cut
of the big toe of his left foot and he was
so helpless when he reached Hooper
that he had to be assisted across a
bridge into the village. The murderer
is described as boyish- looking fellow,
rather undersiZe. He was a cigarette
fend. In all his talk after his arrest he
said he had absolutely no motive in
killing the Copies. When first arrested
he was cool and collected. said his name
was Higgins and claimed that he worked
on farm north of Hooper. After he
was Identified he talked freely about his
crime. He said he never had a cross
word with either of the Copies. that
they were good to him and he liked
them He said he fully realized the
enormity of his crime. that he ought to
be burned at the stake and probably
would be II taken back to Fender, that
his only request was that he might live
long enough to see his mother, who
lives with a married sister, in DEN
yer, and that then he would be ready
to take his medicine. The coroner 8
jury which investigated the case reported
that the Couples came to death by shoot
Ing and clubbing at the hands of Fred
Burke.