The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-01-28
HER LOVE FOR
HER STEPFATHER
Led Girl To Plan Murder
Of Mother.
KILLING DONE 50 ClEvtRLY
Coroner Was Deceived and
Il Rendered Verdict Of Ac.
cidental Death.
TELI-TALE LETTERS REVEAL 1T

Galesburg, ILL.,, Jan. 21.-Robert
Higgins confessed here that he muir
dered his wife at New Henderson,
ILL.,. January 5, so he would be free
to marry his stepdaughter, Julia
Flake, ID years old.
He was ARRESTED after the girl
told States Attorney John NJ. Will
son, of Mercer county. of her infat-
uation for Higgins and that she i'm
portuned him to dispose of her
mother, who, she said, was the only
obstacle between her and happiness.
The Prosecutor hesitated to be-
lieve the girls story of the extraor-
binary pact she entered into with
her stepfather, but she told how
they had schemed for hours devising
plan which would make Mrs. Hig-'
gins death appear accidental. She
said she was in the next room when
Higgins fired the shotgun which
brought instant death to her moth
er.
She told how Higgins raved and
struggled with neighbors for pos
session of the gun, saying he would
end his life. Then, when the ex-
element subdued somewhat, she
said they explained that Higgins had
been cleaning the gun, and it had
been accidentally discharged.
Their story was 50 convincing that
the Coroner's jury returned YER
dict of accidental death Later G.
w. Ernst, a maternal uncle of the
girl, took two letters written by
Julia Flake-one to herself and one
to his daughter-to States Attorney
Wilson. In these letters the girl Of
fered part of legacy of $1,000 she
is to receive when she becomes Of
age provided they would help her
to kill her mother. Mr.. Wilson
thought the letters were written in
a fit of anger. but he investigated.
Saturday he called in States At
torney A. ]. Boutelle, of Knox coun-
ty. and Sunday they went to see,
Julia, who was at the home of an
other uncle, A. J. Ernst, at Hermon.
They were astounded by her story.
Higgins, who is 26 years old, and
several years the junior of the wom-
an he killed, was found Monday at
New Henderson. He was question
ed for several hours and made many
contradictions. Enroute to the
county. Jail at Aledo. in an automo-
bile, he broke down.
81 can't stand 1t any longer" he
moaned. "I'll tell everything"
The journey was interrupted at
Alexis, where Higgins was taken
into a bank Office and signed type
written confession.
He gave what he said were all the
details of the murder plot, and as
. serted his infatuation for his step
daughter was the cause of 1t all. He
said that Mrs. Higgins became sus-
picious of his relations with her
daughter and they planned to get
rid % her.
The girl. who is at the home of
an aunt here, became hysterical on
learning that Higgins confession.
Turns Against Stepfather.
Galesburg. H., Jan. 22.-Robert
Higgins in jail at Aledo, ILL.,, to-day
expressed his determination to fight
for his freedom despite his confess
sion of numbering his wife. He said
his conscience was clear, and he
would establish his innocence. He
said he did not know there was a
shell in the gun when he pulled the
trigger.
Higgins attorneys are said to have
advised their client to plead guilty.
and rest on the courts mercy, but
are now considering an insanity
plea.
Julia to-day turned upon her step
father, and said he tempted her. and
she would go on the witness stand
and send him to the gallows. II
as her fifteenth birthday. For the
I'm time she seemed to realize the
brmity of her crime In plotting
NE mothers death.