The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-29

through C0xY.e Dody. Iasn, to bc
sure that he had landed his man, with
fiendish glee he jumped upon him and
trampled on his face and head. Then,
ory club and beat the mans head to a
pulp.
Mrs. Copple, the wife, attracted to
the scene by the shots and cries for
help, with a lighted lamp went to the
door and called to her husband and, re-
ceiving no answer, called for Higgins.
For her reply she received a bullet
through the head.
She dropped In her tracks
While the blood flowed I'm great st, cams
from the wound, Higgins placed the mug
zle of the gun close to her breast and
agail. firSd, the charge literally tearing the
breast away. leaving the organs OF the
body exposed. The club was again used
and her head battered, much of the hair
being torn from the scalp.
During all this time Of ti1e terrible trag-
edy, the FIVE small children. the oldest IA.
were In the house and Higgins afear his
crime cody walked into the room where
they were, and sitting down on a chair,
took the twin babies In his arms and
nursed them to sleep. He locked all the
doors and the children were told that
there were burglars In the barn when they
asked about the shooting.
Stayed to Guard Children.
After the children were asleep Higgins
for over an hour sat at the window with
his gun actress his knees. asserting that
he would kill the first man or woman who
tried to enter the house. lust before dawn
he made his ecape on the mule
1t was not until 8 O'Clock In the morning
that the children discovered the crime.
They climbed out OF the window and start
ed to do the chores when they found the
bodies OF their father and mother, bespat-
tered with blood and horribly mutilated.
lying In the yard. with the hogs gnawing
at the riesh. The beasts vicious after their
first taste Of human blood, practically had
eaten all the flesh from the head Of Mrs.
Copple. ..'
There are no near neighbors OF tho Cop
pie family and no one knew Of the crime
until late in the morning when the little
boy, only years old. ra4 three miles to
inform neighbor that papa and mann
ma were dead and he wanted his break
fast" ... A..
Pursued by Posses.
The news Of the crime spread like a
prairie fire and posse after posse was or
gan3zed for the purpose Of capturing the
fiend. Higgins abandoned the mule early
the next day and was hoofing 1t to Omaha,
when captured by the town marshall of
Hooper, At that time, both at Rosalie
and at Bancroft, where Copple's brothers
reside, there was talk OF lynching. Rosalie
farmers were outspoken and stated in the
open that II they could get their hands on
the murderer they would string him UP.
Thurston county authorities were afraid
to bring Higgins back to the county seat
OF Pender near Rosalie, so took HIM to
Omaha where he has been kept for safe
Keeping until this morning. The trial was
to take place today at Pender, and Hig-
gins attorneys were prepared to argue
for change of venue, their contention
being that their client would not receive
fair trail in a community where the feel
ing was 80 strong against him.
1t was while the officers were on their
way with their prisoner, to the county
seat of Pender. when Higgins was taken
by the mob and lynched.