Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-20

and on Sunday. after an all day ses
sion in the courthouse, Wilson sue
ceeded in getting a confession from
| her.
This confession was taken down by
a stenographer, but Mr. Wilson has de
clined to give out the details. 1t has
been ascertained. however, that they
are, in effect, as follows:
Higgins intimacy with his STEP
daughter began last June. Mrs. Hig-
gins learned of it soon after. She ac-
cused her husband and the girl, but
both insisted they were innocent. Mrs.
Higgins suspicious were not lulled.
Higgins and the girl continued their
relations. Some time last September
Higgins sent a note to the teacher of
the school the girl was attending in
North Henderson. He signed his
wife's name. In this letter he asked
that Julia be excused for the day.
When the girl arrived home she found
no one but her stepfather there. Mrs.
Higgins was visiting a neighbor.
A few days after this Mrs. Higgins met
Julia's teacher. The teacher mention
ed the fact of Julia's being excused.
Mrs. Higgins denied having written
the note. That day the Higginses went
to visit the father. who is a wealthy
farmer residing near. North Hender-
son. There Mrs. Higgins, in the pres
ence of Higgins father and mother and
other relatives, accused her husband
and her daughter of improper rela-
tons.
Higgins mother took her sons part
and a terrific family row followed. In
the midst of it Higgins got up and
walked out of the house. Mrs. Higgins
and Julia started for home later in the
evening. On the way they met Hig-
gins. Some words between him and
his wife followed. but they finally
agreed 20 some sort of an armistice
and Higgins got into the buggy with
his wife and they drove home to-
gethe-.
Soon after this Higgins and Julia
began to plan Mrs. Higgins death. The
first move was the writing of the let
ters to Ernst Ernst replied to the
second letter. reprimanding his niece.
Later he went secretly to North Hen
derson and met the girl at the Win
doms' place. There he asked the girl
If she was crazy and told her to go
home and behave herself He inquired
particularly if her mother was abusing
her. He was able to get no satisfac-
tory answer.
Man and Girl Plan Crime.
Ernst does not appear to have sus-
pected the real situation in the Hig-
gins household. When Julia told Hig-
gins her uncle had refused to partici-
-
ing to the girl, said:
well, If he won't kill her, will"
He began discussing ways and means
with the girl. she says. 1t was decided
that he would shoot her in such a
manner that her death would seem ac-
cidental. They fixed on Sunday, Jan.
4, as the day for the crime. 1t was
planned that Higgins should shoot his
wife while ostensibly oiling his shot |
gun. When the day arrived. Higgins |
got the gun down and pretended to be
oiling it. His wife stopped him. She |
him that it was Sunday, also |
that he had on his best clothes. Hig- |
gins was compelled to abandon the at
tempt for that day. He put away the
gun and he and his wife and daugh-
ter went to church together.
Girl Sees Mother Slain.
That night Higgins put a note into |
Julia's hand which announced that he
proposed to kill his wife the next day.
Monday morning after breakfast Hig-
gins went to the postoffice and got the
mail. There were two letters for him.
self and a newspaper. He handed the
paper to his wife and got down the
gun, saying he was going to clean it.
Mrs. Higgins took a seat at the side
Of the room. while Higgins drew a chair
Up TO the stove in the middle of the
-oom.
The girl Julia watched the events
rom the doorway leading into the
Iitchen. Mrs. Higgins began reading
he newspaper. but paused suddenly to
lsk her husband what the word thug"
meant. Higgins gave her a definition.
Mrs. Higgins then took up the paper
md began to read aloud. She held the
PAPER up to her face so that she was
Unable TO see Higgins. In the midst of
Ter reading Higgins aimed the gun at
Ter side and fired. The charge took
fleet just below the woman's heart.
she uttered just one word, "O!" and,
ell over dead.
Julia's story is to the effect that
leither she nor Higgins was excited.
81 knew it was coming" she explain
d. Il was prepared for it."
Call Doctor and Coroner.
Higgins stopped over the woman and
made sure she was dead. Julia ran
ut OF the house and called a doctor.
Higgins went to a telephone and sum-
noned the coroner Neighbors came
INNING in, but Mrs. Higgins was be-
ond aid. 8
The girl and Higgins began playing ,
he parts they considered suitable for +;
he occasion. Higgins pretended to be +,
d a frenzy. He talked about killing :
imself. He loudly demanded of his !
eighbors that they give him the :
un so that he could kill himself !,
he girl wept. She shed so many
aars that that fact is recalled by