The Johnson-Sims Feud: Romeo and Juliet, West Texas Style

9. Assassination and Retribution

127 Chapter 9 Assassination and Retribution “JUDGE CULLEN C. HIGGINS MURDERED SUNDAY NIGHT” Snyder Signal, March 22, 1918 Ada Sims McMeans took the remains of her husband back to Odessa for burial. The oldest daughter of Dave and Laura Belle Sims now was a widow, her husband killed in a shootout with Frank Hamer—who was married to Gladys Sims Hamer. The oldest son of Dave and Laura Belle earlier had been shot to death by Gladys and her brother Sidney. The losses of the Sims family were staggering. But while the family tried to cope with their latest loss, Gladys was vacationing in California and Sidney, out on bail, returned to his wife, Ruth, and three-year-old son, Weldon. Gladys was free from all charges in the death of Ed Sims, thanks to the legal skills of Judge Cullen Higgins . Judge Higgins had represented Gladys in her bitter divorce from Ed Sims and in custody arrangements for Trix and Beverly. Currently Judge Higgins was acting as a special prosecutor, preparing a murder case for the pending trial of Will Luman, who was free on bail. Soon Judge Higgins would represent Sidney Johnson in Baird, when the district court again would take up the homicide of Ed Sims. With his recent string of successes and obvious ability as an attorney, it seemed likely that Judge Higgins once more would work his legal magic and 128 Chapter 9 win acquittal for Sidney. For the Sims family, it was bad enough that Gladys Sims had gone free, but the prospect of exoneration for the shotgun-wielding Sidney was almost too much to bear. With astounding audacity, a decision was made to target Judge Higgins for assassination. The team of assassins who would stalk the judge was Will Luman, Si Bostick, and Bob Higdon. Luman, of course, could be expected to resent Special Prosecutor Higgins. And Luman was an expert gunman with little reservation about resorting to violence. Si Bostick, a cattle thief and lowlife, was willing to join an assassination team that included Will Luman, who had killed his father the previous year. Bob Higdon was thought to have been a tardy member of the attack team which unsuccessfully battled Frank Hamer in Sweetwater. Was this trio paid, or promised pay, to assassinate Judge Cullen Higgins? Although no proof exists, it seems inconceivable that three gunmen would risk the certain fury of the law without the incentive of monetary reward. The likelihood that Dave Sims provided money to avenge the death of his son is underscored by the fact that Sims later stood Higdon’s bond on the charge of murder.1 Whatever their motivation , Luman, Bostick, and Higdon armed themselves and hunted Cullen Higgins. A leading citizen of Snyder, Cullen was active in the Methodist Church and the Masonic Lodge. In 1916 he moved his wife and son into a new brick house. In his early forties, Cullen Higgins was handsome , popular, successful, and widely admired as a pillar of the law in West Texas. He never suspected that by March 1918 he was being stalked by a team of hired assassins. Judge Higgins was involved in several cases scheduled to be heard in a district court session at Clairemont, beginning on Monday, March 18, 1918. Sunday, March 17, was filled with church activities. On Sunday morning in Snyder, Higgins taught his boys’ Sunday School class at the Methodist Church, then attended worship services. After lunch at home, Higgins bade farewell to his wife and little boy before setting out for Clairemont, thirty-five miles to the northeast. The only church at Clairemont was holding a revival, and the devout Higgins participated in evening services. Assassination and Retribution 129 Jud�� C����� Hig��n�, ��� mos� �ra�i� �ic��� � ��� J��ns��-S�m� F�u�. C���e�� S�m�n�h� U��i��. 130 Chapter 9 M�r�h��� C����� Hig��n�, ���� ���l� � C����� �n� O����. M�r�h��� ���n� �i� �n���� c����� a� � l�� �nf�r����n� �fi���. C���e�� S�m�n�h� U��i��. Assassination and Retribution 131 C����� Hig��n� ����� ��i� h��� f�� �i� f����� �� 1917, �u� �� w��l� ���� �� i� ���� � �h�� ���� �ef��� �� wa� ��r���e�. P�ot� �� K�r�� O’Ne�� . 132 Chapter 9 After church Cullen spoke words of encouragement to a few young men who had been converted, then strolled to Clairemont’s...