Evening journal., 1913-02-19
WIFE DIES
AFTER MANY
QUARRELS
Tragic End Of Mrs. RiGgin Of
Near SaarptOWn is
Being PrObed
HUSBAND SAYS SHE
THREATENED TO KILL SELF

e
teacher, living near sharptown, yes
terday notified neighbors that his
wife had probably committed suicide
by taking poison These neighbors.
however, imporuned Magistrate
Walter Menn to Investigate The
coroner's jury ordered an autopsy.
many believing the woman mad met
with foul play Dr,tDick. chief sur
geon OF the Peninsula General Hos
pital. assisted by local physicians,
held the autopsy.
Mrs. Riggn, formerly Miss Angus
ia Broomkinst was born in Sweden
in 1865 and came to this country sew
eral years ago. She went to Boston
and became a trained nurse there
About Eve years ago she came to
Sharptown on a visit and while here
she met Riggin. who Immediately
fell in love with her The love was
returned. and shortly afterward they
were married and settled on a farm
just outside of Sharptown They ap-
lparently lived happily until about
two years ago when there were quar-
rels. This continued until January
this year, when she had Riggin
arrested on a charge of assault and
battery. He was arraigned before
Justice of the Peace Cooper, at
Snarptown, who fned him SO and
costs. After this both parties con-
suited Attorney A. NJ. Jackson, Of
Salisbury. who brought about a re-
conciliation. They had apparently
lived happily ever since.u until last Sat
urday, when il was reported that
they had had more violent quarrels
and that Mrs. Riggn had threatened
to leave her husband.
II is supposed that all OF the do
mestic trouble arose over money
matters, as Mrs Riggin was worth
at least $4,000, nearly all Of which
was in Sweden certificates. and which
she refused TO have converted
into money. or TO allow her husband
to handle them in any way for. her
This enraged him, and as q result
there were many violent quarrels.
Higgins Statement.
In an interview last night, Mr.. Rig
gin said:
Il retired last night at 8 o'clock
and left Augusta reading a book.
Immediately went to sleep, and | did
not know anything else until 10
o'clock, when ! was awakened by her
in her room. She told me that she
was very i'll. but would not let me
go after a doctor. / did all / could
for her, and she said that she was
feeling better, and thought she would
/ be all right, and for me to go back
in my room and 90 TO sleep again
did so and was awakened by her
again about midnight. when she said
that she was much worse and was
afraid that she was going to die. I
looked at her and saw that she was
very bad of. and became very much
alarmed. I ran as fast as | could to
the house of Mr.. English. who lives
only a short distance away. and ask
ed him to come at once. as I was
afraid that Augusta was going to
die. When we reached the house
she was dead She had been COM
planning for the last two weeks With
bad cold, but | did not think it was
very serious"
When found Mrs. Riggin had her
arms folded across her breast. There
was a book lying beside her, and
her feet were locked together.
Asked about the frequent quarrels.
Riggin said: Yes, we have quar-
relied several times. but always made
up all right, and have lived happily
since we took our troubles to Sails
bury"
He claimed that there had been no
quarrel last Saturday. but said Mrs.
/ Riggin had threatened to commit sui
eide several times since they had
been married. but that she had never
attempted TO do such a thing. He
said that MS. Riggin sent $4,000 in
| Sweden certificates to the widow of
her brother in Sweden last Monday,
saying that it was to educate the
orphan children of her brother.
Medical Examination.
AS soon as Mr. English found Mrs
| Riggin, he summoned DR. James fran
Sharptown, who made an examine
ton and pronounced death due to in
ternal spasmodic conditions. There
we're no marks on the body TO show
that any foul play had been done.
As soon as the death Of Mrs. Rig
gin became known in Sharptown,
Justice of the Peace Cooper sum
moned a coroner's jury.of which Wal
ter Mann was made foreman. They
examined the body and a arge num-
Der of witnesses, and adjourned until
last night. Dr. Dick, of the PENN
sula General Hospital, Salisbury. was
summoned to hold a post mortem ex-
animation.
Mr. Riggin is 76 years of age and
has lived in Sharptown district all
his life. Mrs. Riggin was a member
of the Methodist EDisconal Church of
Sharptown. She was much loved
and respected She had recently
made a will, in which she stipulated
as is the Swedish custom, that il
should be read at her grave, and that
Waldy Gravenor Walter Mann and
the residing minister of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church at the time OF
her death should be the executors
The contents Of the will have not
been made public.
Up to this time there has been no
arrests made.