Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-20
GIRL PLOTS DEATH
Of 0Nl|hO|A[R
FIFTEEN YEAR OLD ILLINOIS
MISS SOUGHT TO HIDE RELA.
r.ohs WITH srEPFArHER.
MERCER COUNTY FARMER
-
IN JAIL. GIRL GUARDED
Confessions Secured Admitting Con-
spiraey to XIII Woman and Have
Death Appear a. Aceidsnta'-oessn.
srate 15-Ysar. Old Girl Attempts to
Hire Relative TO siay Mother.

Aledo. ILL.,, Jan. 2o.-Rubert Higgins.
-of~North Henderson,, member OF a
prominent Mercer county family, last
night confessed he murdered his wafe'
The crime was committed. he said. be-
cause he was In love with his 15-year-
old stepdaushter. Julia Flake. and
wanted to marry her.
The girrs mother was aware OF the
couples intimacy and had denounced
them in the presence Of the mans
relatives. The man and the girl then
conspired to put the woman out OF the
way. They tried once and failed. The
second attempt, made on Jan. s, re-
suited in Mrs. Higgins being killed in
stantly.
Before the coroners Jury Higgins
and the girl told 4 story which resulted
in q verdict Of accidental death being
returned. They convinced the jurors
shotgun had explode while Higgins was
cleaning It.
Reason For Murder Revealed.
Galesburg. ILL.,. Jan. eo.-NeW4 hsnt
on the part alleged to have been PLAYED
by 15-year-old Julia Flake in the kill
Ing, Of her mother was thrown on the
case today by relatives OF the girl. who
charged Robert Higgins.t her step
father, with a grave offSase against the
girl.
According to these relatives the girl
was driven frantic by the lapse OF time
which brought no solution to her
crushing problem and pointed to tho
necessity Of the day. when the public
must know Of her plight.
Higgins likswas was desperate. Tor
biz wife, stooks1RR approachtng ac-
courhe ement. In thA confesA;sns attri-
butsd to.thsan, Julia apd ytiggtns nd
mitted the intimacy of fsthDirs relations
since last May.
TO the desperation of her situation
the relatives attrib0te the apparent
callous appeal for murder Of her moth
er. which appears in two letters said
to have been written by :he girl. Pros
ecution Of the girl will not be pushed
too harshly because Of her youth.
States Attorney Wilson, Of Mercer
county, said today.
"As for Higgins-it Is different" he
added.
The alleged conspiracy terminating
in the murder Of Mrs. Higgins. Jan. 8.
the arrest Of Higgins and his step
daughter and their confessions disclos"
ing the infatuation Of the two forms
the only topic Of conversation in Mer-
Ger and neighboring counties. where
Higgins and his family were we'll
known.
The attitude Of the girl to- her moth
er. as shown in letters which she wrote.
is beyond the comprehension of the
county officials. c. w. Ernst, Of Gales
burg, a brother Of Mrs. Higgins, and
on bad terms with her, was offered pay
to kill Mrs. Higgins. This was In
letter written by the girl last November
from North Henderson, home Of the
Higgins family.
Last October, knowing Of the differ
ences between Ernst and his sister.
Julia, it was alleged, wrote to Ernst's
Marie saying:
Il wonder II your father Is still OF
the same notion of killing mother. II
he is wish he would hurry and do it.
as am getting awful tired"
Ernst saw Julia and asked her II
she was crazy. He told her to go home
and behave herself, and after the sup
posed accidental killing Of Mrs. Hig-
gins he gave the letters to the county
Higgins Is in Jail at Aledo. and his
step daughter. while in the same city.
Is under surveillance at the home Of
her uncle, Gust Flake. She was taken
there last night and at that time was
hysterical.
4 Garrscht Made U. 8. Attorney.
Washington, Jan. 20.-President Will
son today nominated Francis e. Gar
recht to be United States attorney for