A MADMAN'S REVENGE

NZ Truth, Issue 936, 3 November 1923, Page 5

A MADMAN'S REVENGE

"YOU HAVE SHOT M, Mr HIGGINS" Schoolmaster Pleads With Maniac fIRE BURNS DOWN WAIKINO SCHOOL WHILE HOUSEHOLBERS DISCUSS ITS REMOVAL

.•*;;;, (From "Truth's" Hamilton Rep.) In the following graphic article "Truth's" Hamilton representative describes the stirring scenes enacted within the four walls of the Waiklno schoofhouse when the murderer Higgihs ran amdk. The almost unbelievable story is unfolded with ail the , {ense realism of a movie drama, from the" minutes the merciless '■••;. madman stepped across the school threahold until ! he was marched" out by the' police with the blood of two deaid children' onhiß hands. A< destructive fire has wiped the little schpol building from the landscape, but nothing can blot out the vivid memory of; a tragedy whose roots sink into every Waikirto homo blAssed with an innocent cfoild. "I am here for revenge," said Higgihs, explaining his murderous intentions to the Waikino headmaster. And when the companions of the dead school ohildren appear m Court at' the trial of Higgins will they, * too, *ay; "We ar« here for reyence?" ,' '....,-... '.?

The violent tremor of anger which shook Waikino recently, on learning of the terrible tragedy which had been enacted at the local school house, has not yet subsided. One of the forms In which it manifested itielf was m a general demand that the school whar* tho killing took place and which stands m an Isolated spot on a far ridge nearly halt a mile from the town should be removed to a more suitable position. - The. residents had , previously, on more than; one occasion, Asked tnat this should be done, but their reqnests alwayfl fell on deaf ears; The reason that the school -was erected there m the first instance Was In order that the childrejv'alo4g the Waitewheta Valley, which district is also, served, should > merely have to climb to the top of t)(e ridge and not over it m order to receive their daily smattering of education. The fact df course, that the school occupied the particular Bite it did could not hav6 made any difference to events as they turned out, b# Either removing the murderous intentions of John Higgim oir altering the terrible fate which awaited the two innocent children who were bo foully done to death there. But ■ - ■-■■ ■-. '• ',■ '■ WHEN A POPTJIiACB IS ANGRY ■ it takes no carefully measured view of things, and' small grievances are .magnified into monsters. JlndignaN tion rises and a violent Insistence on having wrongs righted is displayed. And so it was with these people when the first excitement of the killing had passed. They declared with heat that the school bad ho right to be where it was and they decided to hold a public indignation mating to force Its removal. This meeting was called for last week, and thiire was a large attendance at the Victoria Hall, where the chair was taken by Mr. ■• Robert Shaw, School' Commissioner for the district. Whilst the discussion was m progress the meeting was startled by a resident pushing- wildly m with the information- that the school was on fire. The announcement brought the meeting io a Sudden termination and the hail I ', speedily emptied, while the householders made their way to the burning building. ; On reaching the sc»nq of the fire the building was completely wrapped , m flames and there was , doubtless satisfaction In thernearts of many who stood by and watched its timbers consumed by the flames and its embers die but that a building containing such terribly grim associations should have been so speedily and effectively re- ™ There is ll'ttle^doubt ihiiithe fire -was. THE WORK OP iNCENDIARISTS and there are few,' "if nny 1 of those who knew the plact* who will regret its destruction, which waa probably the best thing jthat could have happened to it under the circumstances, for m Ita aßhes are burled the scene of a tragedy which no one will desire to perpetuate. " '•■:■. The motive which prompted Higgins to enter upon his murderous task re'xnoined In doubt until a few days ago, when the wounded schoolmaster, Mr. Robert Theodore. Reid, who lies m the Waihi Hospital m a serious condition, made a statement to the police, m order to get the burden of the terrible, story, oft his mind. Reid looked, ill and wanted and experienced difficulty in 'speaking, and several/times^ broke down during his distressing narrative. He said that on the morning of the tragedy, the clashes had Just 'settled down, to work when his attention was arrested by the challenging bark of hig dbg. On looking through the window he saw the animal obstructing the path and, apparently not liking the look of Higglns, with canine instinct, , was en<Svavorlng. to prevent him entering the building. Mr. Reid then went to the door and spoke forcibly to the dog and Higgins entered. As he did mo he said: "I AM HERE FOR REVENGE." By the man's frown ' and the fierce glint m his eye Mr. Reid saw that something was wrong nnd he thereupon ushered the mun into his Htudy away from the gaze of the curiouaeyed children. Higgins then deliberately drew a revolver, and, lining it up us • though to . take aim, again declared with a snafi: "I am here "for revenge " Mr. Rotd sought to soothe him, but, growing more restive m his manner, Hlgffins declared: "They've persecuted me 'for nfteon years and one of my beasts 1:< lying dead: out m the paddock nov. I know it is that who has done it. I have no wish to hurt you. You nre one of the three men Jn this world whom I respect." Ho then BAld: "Get out. Go where you like. Qo and ring up the police if you liko and tell them what 1 am doing." •■■'•' Reid said he thought at first that Higgins Intended to shoot some horses belonging to the Rowlands family, which might at that moment be In the naddook. The master suggested that ft was .iot advisable for Biggins to take tho law into his own hands and offered to ring up tho police and stay with him until the whole matter was investigated. In reply Higgins cursed the police, mado a gesture with his revolver and remarked: "You must be very dense this morning not to know what I am after " " Reid then saw that the man was laboring undor some great mental agi» tation and that he MEANT DESPERATE MISCHIEF. Ho again tried to placato k HJgglns, who, howovcr, growing morq Excited, orooeoded: "Tho world has; mlsusod mo for fifteen years. I have done with it. I hnvo como hero to die. I am not afraid to ataiul before my Clod. Believing that he meant to tnke his revenco on tho pcoplo again«t whom ho had a grievance, by injuring tholr children Mr. Reid sturtod to plead with him for tho lives of tho youngsters, but without aval), although for v moment tie titrainoil look seemed to leave tho i m T C cr 'bran C dish.ng hi- revolver In lone hand, and taking out his watch IwlUi the other. Higgins continued: ■ «T\£ Blven then* more time than I InIk ittrinaT of mon round mo before I ■would have given any other man In I*M W °Reui. feeling very much upset Kboct your ion John and your wire r

Biggins replied : "They must look' after themselves." ■ . *r \ ' " : Higgins's intentions might be gauged by the fact that m addition to the revolver and a plentiful supply of ammunition, he was also armed With a ; large pig knife and with several sticks of explosive, to which were attached caps and fuses, and when he saw that the school master . J WAS TRYING TO /MHLAY ; HJM he suddenly consulted his f atiih and, Jumping to the study dodiy cried, ,8.8 he kept Reid covered: "Toil are having them sneaked out while you keep me 'here."' ' ■ ' ■' ■ v ; " - .'\ .'../: . ■ Mr. Reid then once more approached him and bfgan to plead fo£ the Jives of the little ones a,n(lspraa\iean-< ing somewhat towards ithe jmaniac j when the latter said: "YOU will have it; then take it," and with that he J pulled the trigger and the bullet from | the ' revolver parsed through the dfehool master's Jaw and neck; and, clawing wildly at the air, he crumpled and fell to the floor, the rush of blood from j the wound filling his mouth' and nostrils. 'He tried to call out, but could not articulate, a»d,,»hl9 brain reeling, he ' gradually cank , into unconscious* ness. ■•.■■•'■ • ..' ■■. '■■'. ■■ ■ ' {'■" ": /' • . - He must have revived somewhat .shortly afterwards for he heard Hig'gins tramping round the class rooms apparently looking for and shooting at the children. As. consciousness came and went he heard the> ■ ■.■<*• v • , \ k SOUND OP CHILDREN'S YOICBS through the study window, and about the same time ftlgglns's voice somewhere near the babk door. Reid tried to move towards the window and found his right arm paralysed. Struggling alongj he managed to pull himself lip to the ventilator and saw Miss Kendon, one of the teachers,' standing near the school gate surrounded by a crowd of climbing children, and encouraging one little boy. to run. Reid waved his hand to the children to run, when great jets of blood again surged into his mouth and he collapsed, to the floor again. Some time later^ he didn't know how long, he heard a boy groaning. He could also hear Higgins, under the 'school, talking to himself. He tried to crawl to the boy, but found he could not move. He than heard Higgins slowly ascend the btairs. A boy's voice said: "You have shot me, Mr. Higgins." Higgins answered m a quiet voice: "Have I,- my boy?" Reid heard a couple of steps taken, a boy's shriek of fear, and then a shot rang out. There was a spasmodic cry, ; and >he know that the , boy had again been shot. Higgins then went round thf> class rooms, talking to himself and looking for children m hiding. Tho master 1 heard him say: "There are none left." It was a horrible moment for Reid when lie heard Higgins approach tho study, and h6 lay perfectly still as the murderer walked up to him. He felt the maniac bend down and examine him, and then hoard Higgins say: "HE'S DONE FOR." This human fiend then ,U»f t they study for a time, but returned whispering and talking to himself and it seenied to the master, who was feigning death, that Higgins threw some papers into the bottom of the. library cupboard and. then tried to Jamb , hint inifcet foremost. Suddenly' the. murderer stopped m his work and stood quietly over him for a while. Theri, grabbing him by the ahouhjer, he- dragged him across the floor. Reid heard him. moving furniture about the room and shortly afterwardß there' was a 4 toad yell from outside, as the infuriated battery men arrived oh the scene. Reid then again lapßed into unconßciousness. There seems to be little doubt, therefore, from the above narrative that Higgins's original fiendish intention was to dynamite the school or m some way massacre the whole of the scholars — the children of the people whom he imagined had been 'persecuting him, and against whom he bore his dastardly grudge. Hlggins, during . a conversation m the Waihi lock-up with the police, ad* mitted having an argument with Mr 'Reid , ■ -'iV /'.-■'.. ■'":'.■■ " '"■ BEFORE SHOOTINC* HIM. V but said he did not know what the nrgument was about; He went on to siiy that he had a feeling that he must do something, but didn't know why he went tj the school. 'Asked as to why he shot the children, he replied: "I must have been crazy; I ani sorry for tHo families on whom I have brought grlof, but am not Borry for myself." Accused also informed the police that ho. was aware that a charge of murder would ba brought against him and' said that, he waa m the habit of carrying a revolver about with him when anything was troubling him He admitted hiding the fact from the police that ho had an automatic pistol and. touching upon tho gelignite and fuses, said ho had been carrying these about -with him for some days prior to going to the school, but gave no reason for bo doing. Higgins will to kept m custody until tho police have completed their chain Of evidence against him and the woundod are well enough to give evidence m Court. :.-■-■■■