HIGGINS DISCUSSES CRIME.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 251, 20 October 1923, Page 7

HIGGINS DISCUSSES CRIME.

" HE MUST HAVE BEEN CRAZY.' SORRY FOR GRIEVING FA3HLIES. TALKS ABOUT PERSECUTION. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WAIHI, this day. Since his arrest Higgins has discussed tlte circumstances leading up to the tragedy in a calm and rational manner. He said that he did not know why he went to the school, but had a feeling that he must do something-. He had an argument with the headmaster (Mr. Reid) before shooting him, but what it was about he could not remember. He told Reid that he (Higgins) had been persecuted at his farm by certain people. He must have been crazy to do what he had done. He fully realised, however, that he would be charged with murder, and was sorry for those families to whom he had brought grief, but was not sorry for himself. He said he had carried gelignite in It is pocket some days, and also carried the revolver when he was troubled in his mind about something. Higgins is a powerfully built man. and expresses himself well. He is suffering from a severe wound on the bridge of the nose, and is under medical treatment in the cells. HIGGINS AN EX-CANADIAN. POWERFULLY-BUILT -MAX. (Bγ Telegraph.—Press Association.) WAIHI, this day. stands six foot in height, and is powerfully built. Ho was. a Canadian | backwoodsman. Ho unif to Wnikino 20 years ago and built a Canadian loj:----cal)in in t'>e bu=h in the neighbourhood of Waikino. . .___...