Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-01-28
confession IS
REPUD 0 Il BY
ROBERT Higgins

Aledo, ILL.,, Jan. 27.-ln reply to
Robert Higgins Republication Of his
confession that; he killed his wife
of q rear to chear the way to mar
riage with Ills 4epdaughter, Julia
Flake, came the gifltk decision today
that. she would take the, stand against
him and tell all. to ayenge her moth.
er. Today was her fifteenth birth.
sHe tsimiilpt Bdf me; not him. Sic
is said to have declared. "He caused
my downfall. Notbtng shah stand
In the path Of Justice. + will go. on
the stand and send him to the gal
lows" as "
Almost ut the same time Higgins
in his cell laughed as he denied his
preyions confession TO the autllori.
ties. 81 .
II .a.gred to Tie. stiolry, that tire girl
had told In order To- save her. he
said = made mo. statement. myself.
can easily. spfoteiyyf Innocence =
"a letter, written ny Julia Flake to
relatives a year ago, shortly after Hig
gins became the schild's second faith.
er, was found today and throws con-
siderable light upon the feelings en-
tertained by tile, two at that time. 1t
is apparent that Higgins was much
taken with his stepdaughter but that
she did not approve OF him and lie
knew it.
The girl had regained her compo-
sure. She was quoted as saying to q
friend that she M dbeen a fool. blind
by an infatuation that Higgins had
helped to skindle.. Now that she rea-
lized tho terrible things that she had
done she hated himsand will do all in
her power to atone for the death Of
Of her mother. She was said to be
determined to leave nothing in the
way of justice.
She hesitated each time she was
forced to- mention Higgins name, re-
ferring to the prisoner only as che"
and "aim.",
higgins refused To- comment on the
sudden determination Of hts step,
daughter to testifysagainst nam. He
received the. neeNs of, the girls de
nuneiation while IN his celfgsins the
Alelo county jail, sssmakin no out.
ward signs OF emotion. .wss &
with the s~aggger Ufn mar already
acquitted Higgins sboastfully defied
the state in, thesrepndiation %. his con
fession..a He attributed; his previous
confession Of having shot. his, wife
dead d moment after he had kissed
her "full; upon tho moutn."" to the
trlcksofS q GRAINED ssdetectlve.
Twenty-four hours before he was
remorsefuIs cringfng and apparently
suffering from terror. 1;
AS Poiles Are. staggered.
The sudden change: OF this strang
eSt $Sot prisoners followed a; visit O
his father. ss IT. staggered the police
handling. the case. T0sthem It was &
baffling circumstances. IT meant .tha1
the confession this man has made will
60 for naught. They must now g
ont and prove that he committed thu
crime. !. s$
Good morning. he said, when {
visitor greeted him after his father
visit. tits 4 fine day, isn't it, I SCI
you've got the, girls picture in tn,
paper. You could have had mi o
me Il i had known. you wanted it. In
not Ashamed of this thing. My con
science Is as clear, as It ever was. ]
WON'T hes ,any,,ss trouble, TO prove Il thu
! am innocent"
what about this confession tina
you have made| he was asked. Thu
man smiled broadly and arising stroll,
about lhsscell.
.'t'm Going 10 Fight.
II did it to protect the girl" h,
finally answered. THAT Chicago de
tectiye was q smooth one. He pu
UP a talk that I'd be saving Julis
IL I'd. admit the murder. sNlOwsl know
NM AALs - 81 80 49,. H.