ADDITIONAL DETAILS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11658, 24 October 1923, Page 5

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

CHILDREN’S PATHETIC APPEAL TO HIGGINS.

“YOU WON’T SHOOT ME!” (Special to N.Z. “Times”). AUCKLAND, October 22. Although Mr R. T. Reid, the headmaster or the Waikino school, is not in a condition to make any formal statement in connection with the shooting affair at the schools (telegraphs tho special repdiger of the “Star”), ho has held some converse tion with his wife, who was admitted to his bedfiido at the Waihi Hospital, where be now lies with a wound in the throat. As far as the story can be pieced out,. .John Christopher Higgins, | when he entered tho headmaster’s j room, is alleged to have said that he Ihad coane to “wipe up” tho W-aito-wketa children. Higgins lives on a section at Waitewheta, which is situated between Waikino and Karangahake, and it is stated that he is not on very good terms noth the rest of the people living there. . Higgins said something about having been prosecuted a couple of years ago for not sending his children to school, but he did not seem sore about the fact; in fact, he seemed to regard being fined as a light way out of the difficulty, as he wanted the children at home to help him in his work. Seeing that Higgins meant trouble, Mr P.eid endeavoured to talk him into a better frame of mind. Although Higgins eaid he did not bear any dll'ill against Mr Reid it was obvious ihe had a grudge against someone. When Higgins took out his automatic pistol Air Reid endeavoured to get possession of it, and Higgins is understood to have answered, “Well, if you will have it, take it!” and it was then that he shot Mr Reid in the jaw and throat. WHAT AN ASSISTANT SAW. With the exception of Air Reid all the teachers at the Waikino School are women—Alias I. Grant (first assistant), Miss G. AI. C. Kendon (infant mietrhss), and Misses D. Hewitt, I. Bell, and E. Sutton (pupil teachers). Miss Kendon states that angry voices were heard in the headmaster’6 room, and then there was a sound of a shot. Higgins then came out of the room and entered the infants’ classroom, where he fired two shots. He then went to the classroom of the oLiner standards and fired a number of shots—most of the casualties being caused in that room. By this time the children were flocking out of the building. Some of the older ones got out of the windows, and the smaller ones were being helped out by the women teachers—who were •. ot attacked by the murderer, in fact, one of them brushed past him in the doorway, and he made no attempt to molest her. Miss Kendon said the women showed much bravery in the face of the awful tragedy that was being enacted before them, and Miss Bell was particularly cool and helpful in getting the children out of the building. I “YOU WON'T HURT ME.” Kelvyn McLean, who was shot dead, knew Higgins, and, according to what some of the other boys say, went up to him and said, “You won’t shoot me, I will you, Mr Higgins? You remember, I I used to help you to fill your firewood sacks.” Another hoy says that poor little McLean also said, “You won’t hurt me. Air Higgins, I want to see my mother?” Higgins fired point blank and killed the bov. Allan Stewart, the I other boy killed, was also shot at close I range while he was trying to get away. | The girl, Kathleen MoGarry, who was i badly hurt, was shot in the thigh as j she sat at her desk. Alexander Bustard wag shot in the abdomen and thigh. Raymond Shaw was shot in the ! hand while trying to get out of one of i the windows. HOW HIGGINS WAS TAKEN. After the children were shot, Biggins went back to the headmaster’s room (where Air Reid was still lying) and shut himself in. The Waihi police were on the scene fifteen minutes after getting word, and lost no time in getting into the school. Sergeant O’Grady haa a long parley with Higgins, trying to induce him to give himself up, but the murderer refused until the sergeant had broken in the top half of the door and so exposed Higgins to direct fire. At one time Higgins eaid to the sergeant, “I’ll tose you whether I fight to a finish or whether you come round to the window,” the point being that Higgins was shooting from the window at the angry crowd outside. After i Higgins gave up the police had great difficulty in keeping back the infuriated crowd. But for the police it is eaid that ho might have been lynched or shot in cold blood, the people were so incensed. When some of the crowd rushed into the room where Higgins had shut himself. Higgins was knocked down and one of the men kicked him in the face. Some of the civilians kept cool, and they helped the police to keep the rest of the crowd hack.