The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-11
HE HILL  HIGGINS CASE
Full Text of Coroner Phel- ans Finding Absolving
 Hill.

SeOEEe w. H1Bg1nSs WnlIe naa1e, Fl xAara old. late or the town of Danbury nShns Gn the 18th day of April. A D., 1915 died q sudden, violent. unkfmely death. at No. 50 White street, in the town of Danbury. having made inn mediate inquiry concerning his death, do hereby certify that said George W Higgins died in panbury on the 2Tth day of April, A D.. 1915, from hemorrhage from the seyering of the common carotid artery
 Upon investigation 1t was shown that the deceased who had been on a periodical spree for some days. met one Joseph B. Hill. of Bedding, Conn, store or saloon of Abraham Vogel on Ivez street, Dans1ury. on the date named. Both went into the saloon and psrtook Of six or seven g1asses of beer each during the afternoon and evening oe that day. It was also by passerby. one Hoffman. in having his hand in the pocket of HilI, about ' 70 D.. m, of the day named, in the vicinity of the street door of such saloon and that when chfded by Ioff- man for attempted theft, the deceased Invited Hill into the saloon for an other drink Thereafter, according. to the es1dence of Hill, the latter and deceased repaired to the latterss room about II D. m-, at No 50 White street for the purpose Of spending the night there This room was one of two ad- Joining rooms in the rear of the build ing, with a door opening from one to the other rented by the deceased and one William Valley jointly for five dollars per rfonth- Each room, poor ly furnished. contained a single cot bed There was a heating stove in one of the rooms. It appeared from the testimony Of Valley that the de- ceased and Hill were in the room named, and that he, Valley. felt obliged to and did leave the said ad- Joining room to seek the confort oI sleep elsewhere. He did this because of the boistercus and indecent Ian- g7zage of Hill and the deceased. and the vile names and dangerous bodily. threatenings each made to the other After Valley left the rooms the testi- nlony of Hills shows that the latter after light sIumber on the cot as signed him by the deceased became aware Of the deceased lying on the cot. with him and of his feeHngl the hand of the deceased in his (HilIss) pocket, then containing about seventy cents in silver and other coin At this F5Il1 demanded to know what the de- ceased meant and at once grasped the arm Of the deceased, when a struggle began that resulted in the breaking down to the floor of the head part of the cot; that the strug@
 
 of the room, each calling the other meanwhile vile names, and each threatening to kin the others that the deceased attempted but failed to push a walking cane belonging to Hill, down the throat of the latter; that each was alternately on top of the other on the floor holding each otf- CTS h4nds. arms or throat at success sive intervals; that Hill, aged seventy six in the belief that the deceased. aged forfy-seven. was endeavoring to kill him, upon failing to obtain re sponse to his loud cal1ings of Help police, etc. in desperation tp pro- tect his life, drew with his then pin toned right arm, pocket knife from his trousers pocket; opened it's blade with his teeth and plunged such blade into the neck of the deceased, while the latter lay on the floor struggling for mastery with Hill. and thus sever ed or SO cut the common carotid artery that the deceased died within the hour. Hills testimony further showed that he at once left, the room and notified the police what happen ed between himself and the deceased in manner form and substantially as above
 Tt was also shown by the testimony of one Anna Squiress tenant at No. 5 5O5 White street; William Valley, Will liam Pugsley, George Howard, to- gether with Police OfHcers Henry and Turner of the Danbury police depart ment. that each heard some or most of the struggle and appeals of Hill for help and police, as well as Hills cries ana sereamings of distress
 They further testified that such struggling appeals and cries were continued at intervals for a period Nari ousfy estimated at from five to Thirty minutes. as deterni ned mainly by the proximity Of each to the. scene of action.
 There was TO testimony heard de- rogatory to the generally fair reputa- ton of the deceased. except as to drinking to excess at times, as show efng hlTn to De violent, quarreIsome. or given to thieyery or any similar testi- reputation of Hill, or that either had any aa1avyfu1 designs upon the person < rT pro3crty of the ether when they { First met at Nogefs saloon. I am req eonably convinced from the testimony however that the deceased in his state of intoxication and because of it, 5probably assumed Hill to have money on his person, and attempted to help himself to it in part or whole as stat ed By Hoffman and Hill, and that the attempt to do so in the room Of the sdeceased contaminated in the quarrel and homicide. I am also reasonably kconVinced from the testim ony that there was a prolonged and desperate Struggle between both men in said Foon1, and that Hill from his appeals Band cries for help as shown. fully be Elieved, and had a right to believe his life was in danger at the hands of the Sdeceased, and thateto save fl he had a lawful right to kill the deceased to sprotect hiInse1f from death or great bodily injury
 s4 I. f.stherefore, find the deceased came to his death at the time, place and from the cause shown by said Joseph Hill in defense of his proper person from death or great bodily injury at fine hands of the deceased. In ac- scordance with the statute the body Of said deceased was delivered to his Friends for burial at Danbu1y
 Dated at Bridgeport, this 9th day of sAfays D.. 1915.
 JOHN J. PHEI4AN.
 Coroner.