turned the rifle to his other stepdaughter's house and he was arrested
there shortly afterwards, After first denying his identity, he finall)
admitted that he was Wiggins and stated that he had killed her so that
no other man could have her, At his trial he claimed that the shbot-
ing was accidental, but the fact that two shots were’fired strongly
disputed this and he was convicted and sentenced to die, The convic-
tion and judgement were affirmed on appeal and on June 20, 1955, he
calmly went to his death in the gas chamber at the Mississippi State
Prison,
MISSISSIPPI PRESS, Pascagoula, Miss., 6-21-1955
80 SOUTHERN (2nd) 17 = Mississippi - Book and Magazine Excerpts,
turned the rifle to his other stepdaughter's house and he was arrested
there shortly afterwards. After first denying his identity, he finall|
admitted that he was Wiggins and stated that he had killed her so that
no other man could have her, At his trial he claimed that the shhot-
ing was accidental, but the fact that two shots were fired strongly
disputed this and he was convicted and sentenced to die, The convic=-
tion and judgement were affirmed on appeal and on June 20, 1955, he
calmly went to his death in the gas chamber at the Mississippi State
Prison,
PRESS, Pascagoula, Miss., 6-21-1955
o
(2nd) 17 Mississippi - Book and Magazine Excerpts,
MISSISSIPI
80. SOUTE
turned the rifle to his other ter's house and he w. ested|
there shortly afterwards. After fi nying his identity, he final1
admitted that he eed that he had killed
n
was Wiggins and st.
man could
judgement
to his
PI PRESS, Pascagoula, Miss., 6-21-1955
"N (2nd)"17 = Mississippi - Book and Magazine Excerpts,
WIGGINS, John E.
Wiggins, a 59-year-old white laundry and hospital worker, was a native
of Hickory, Ill, He moved to Long Island, N, Y., where he married a
woman who was the mother of two daughters and a son, After her death
he began having an affair with her daughter, Ruth Mack, who was 23
years his junior and they moved to Pasaagoula, Jackson Co,, Miss,,
where they lived together as man and wife for several months, She
then left him and moved into a boarding house with another man,
Wigeins made repeated efforts to persuade her to return to him and
on the day of his crime he went to her boarding. house and she agreed
to go to his apartment and discuss the matter, He later took her
back to the boarding house after she had told him that she would not
return to him and he then went to the home of his other stepdaughter
where he obtained a siggle shot, bolt action rifle, So armed, he
went back to the boarding house and demanded admittance, The land-
lady would not allow him to enter with the hifle and she told Ruth
that he was outside armed. Ruth said that she was not afraid of him
or the rifle and went outsidexto see him while the landlady and the
man with whom Ruth was living remained in the living room, In a few
minutes they heard two rifle shots and they rushed outside to find
her dead, One of the bullets having severed her spine, Wiggins re-
WIGGINS, John Fe
Wiggins, a 59-year-old white laundry and hospital worker, was a native
of Hickory, Ill, He moved to Long Island, N, Y,, where he mrried a
woman who was the mother of two daughters and a son, After her death
he began having an affair with her daughter, Ruth Mack, who was 23
years his junior and they moved to Pasaagoula, Jackson Co,, Misse,
where they Lived together as man and wife for several months, She
then left him and moved into a boarding house with another man,
Wiggins made repeated efforts to persuade her to return to him and
on the day of his crime he went to her boarding. house and she agreed
to go to his apartment and discuss the matter, He later took her
back to the boarding house after she had told him that she would not
return to him and he then went to the home of his other stepdaughter
where he obtained a siggle shot, bolt action rifle, So armed, he
went back to the boarding house and demanded admittance, The land-
lady would not allow him to enter with the hifle and she told Ruth
that he was outside armed. Ruth said that she was not afraid of him
or the rifle and went outsidexto see him while the landlady and the
man with whom Ruth was living remained in the living room, In a few
minutes they heard two rifle shots and they rushed outside to find
her dead, One of the bullets having severed her spine, Wiggins re-
GINS, John Fy
Wiggins, a 59-year-old white laundry and hospital worker, was a nativ
of Hickory, Il, He moved to Long Island, N, Y,, where he married a
0 was the mother of two daughters and a son, After her death
he began having an affair with her daughter, Ruth Mack, who was 23
years his junior and they moved to Pasaagoula, Jackson Co,, Miss.,
where they Lived together as man and wife for several months, . She
then left him and moved into a boarding house with another man,
Wiggins made repeated efforts to persuade her to return to him and
on the day of his crime he went to her boarding house and she agreed
to goto his apartment and discuss the matter, He later took her
back to the boarding house after she had told him that she would not
return to him and he then went to the home of his other stepdaughter
where he obtained a siggle shot, bolt action rifle, So armed, he
k to the boarding house and demanded admittance, The Land-
would not allow him to
that he was outside armed, Ruth said that she was not afraid of
or the rifle and went outsiderto see him while the landlady and the
man with vhom Ruth was Liv ving renained in'the living room, In a few
minutes they heard two rifle shots and they rushed outside to find
er dead, 6ne of the bullets hi severed her spine, Wiggins re-
vent,
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