WAIKINO TRAGEDY.

Northern Advocate, 27 February 1924, Page 5

WAIKINO TRAGEDY.

WAS HIGGINS SANE?

The sentence of death passed on Christopher Higgins for the shocking murder of school children at Waikino has given rise to a good deal of controversy, and the opinion is widely expressed that the prisoner was insane and not responsible for his actions. The following letter on the subject, from Mr H. R. McGarry, father of one of the children who was shot in the leg, but luckily not killed, to the Auckland "Star," is important, not only because the writer has deeply suffered and might well have cherished bitter feelings against the condemned man, but also because he had known Higgins for a long time, anu was aware of his delusions. The letter is as follows:— Sir, —Having seen in the "Star" that coujnsel has petitioned for a commutation of sentence passed on John Christopher-Biggins, as father of one of the children shot in the school, I think it is my duty to state that the verdict of the jury was very unjust. I have known the man for nine years and seen him in a few of his delusions. One of them was that there was a gang (going round killing his horses. Another was that they stole his wood and kept his. dog barking all night. I talk ed the matter out with him a few times, as Mr Reid nearly changed his purpose at the school. Also people avoided him over those delusions, and j used to say he should be locked up. Ever since he came out of the hospital in Octoher, 1023, in my opinion lie has never boon the same, as it took him a long time to get back his strength. He used to visit my house a lot, and my children were v£ry fond of him, as he was a very nice, kind man when not affected by those delusions, but when in t'lem the man did not knpw what he did, and it was proved at -.he school he shot the children of the peoplo he liked best. 1 notice in your paper that the seven doctors pronounce him insane. Suffice it to say, people have seen him in those mad fits; I have for years. If th jury knew the man as I know him they could never have convicted him, as the crime alon s speaks for itself— it was the crime of a madman. Pardon me if I am intruding In any way, but I think it my duty to my fellow-man and, as I have mentioned before, the verdict was very unjust in my opinion.