Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-20
ADMITS KILLING
WIFE To MARRY
STEP DAUGHTER
Confessions Show Higgins and
Girl Planned Murder to
Make 1t Appear Accident.
ASKED AID FROM OTHERS
Young Woman Writes to Uncle Urging
Him to Kill Her Mother After
Family Feud.

on the part alleged to have been play
ed by I5-year-old Julia Flake in the
killing OF her mother was thrown on
the case today by the relatives of the
girl, who charged Robert Higgins. her
stepfather, with a grave offense
against the girl. According to relatives
the girl was driven frantic by the lapse
OF time, which brought no solution to
her crushing problem, and pointed in
evitably to the day when the public
must of necessity know OF her plight.
/ Higgins was likewise desperate, for his
wife. too. was approaching accouche-
ment. In the confessions attributed to
them, Julia and Higgins admitted the
/ intimacy of their relations since last
May. To the desperation of her stu
alton relatives attribute the appar-
emily calIous appeal for the murder of
her mother, which appears in two
letters written by the girl.
The prosecution of the girl will not
be pushed too harshly because of her
age. States Attorney Wilson of Mer-
Ger county said. AS for Higgins
well, that's different" he added.
Aledo, ILL.,, Jan. 2O.-Robert Higgins
of North Henderson, member of
prominent Mercer county family, yes
terday confessed he murdered his
wife. The crime was committed, he
said, because he was in love with his
10 year old stepdaughter. Julia Flake,
and wanted to marry her.
The girls 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. 5. re-
suited in Mrs. Higgins being killed in
stantIy.
Before the coroner's jury Higgins
and the girl told a story which re-
suited in a verdict of a. cidental death
being returned. They convinced the
jurors shotgun had exploded while
Higgins was cleaning it.
Girl First to Confess.
On Sunday the girl, who is In the
custody of an aunt, Mrs. Charles
Franklin of Galesburg, confessed. Yes
terday Higgins, who is in jail here,
made written statement which con-
firms all the girl had said.
1t Las developed that there were in
existence two letters that compromised
the Girl. These tiers had been writ |
ten by ; er to her uncle. c. w. Ernst |
of Galesburg, and to her cousin, Marie !
Ernst. c. w. Ernst's daughter. These |
letters sought to have c. w. Ernst |
murder Mrs. Higgins.
The letters were written in October |
and November. Ernst, however, be- |
cause of enmity existing between him.
self and his sister. did not notify Mrs |
Higgins of the nature of the communi- |
cation. He contented himself with |
calling on Miss Flake secretly d ask
ing her IL she was crazy.
Letters Which Girl Wrote.
The letters were written By Miss |
Flake from North Henderson. The
first, addressed to her cousin Marie,
was as follows:
Dear Huney-I wonder is YOUR
father is still in the same mood of
killing mother. II he is, 1 wish he
would hurry up anG do ii, as / am
getting awful tired. l wish he would
try and come over here to WINDOWS
(neighbors OF the Higginses) a couple
OF days next week. OF course he would
have 20 do it when father and / were
away. He could 90 TO the house when
father is shucking corn and | am in
school. Tell him he could see me here
at recess. Your loving cousin.
JULIA"
The second letter. which was ad-
dressed to Ernst. said:
II wish you would try to come over
here. / am awful mad and have the
blues. II you do what want you 70 do
/ will pay you well. but not until / am
is. You can come and see me at the
at recess. Why did not
Marie answer my other letter? Your
loving niece. JULIA"
Letters Kept From Jury.
The explanation CT these letters is
that Ernst and his sister, Mrs. Hig-
gins, were not on good terms. Ernst
and other relatives had bitterly op-
posed the woman's marriage to Hig-
gins. This feud IS said to have been !
due TO disagreements over property
Ernst is said to have talked about kill ,
ing his sister. In fit of rage. and the :
Flake girl had overheard the threat.
Ernst did not show the letters to ,
the coroner's jury which Investigated ,
the death of Mrs. Higgins. but later he ,
called on States Attorney Boutelle of
Knox county and showed the missives ,
To- him. Boutelle referred Ernst to /,
States Attorney John NJ. Wilson of .
this city. North Henderson being in
his (Mercer) county
Mr.. Wilson made a preliminary In
Festigation and found that the Flake
girl had left North Henderson and had
gone TO Hermon TO make her home a
with a relative. A. J. Ernst. Having 4
made certain that Higgins was still in \
Iorth Henderson. Wilson went To Chi q
ago. where he obtained the services I,
y Detectives Hopper and Cochran OF I.
he Mcclure and White agency ;
Detectives Obtain Confession. I,
The detectives arrived at Galesburg