The Caption at the top reads:
On Friday night July (should say January) 11, 1935, one of the worst murders in Kentucky history took place in Boyle and Rockcastle Counties. Bill and Lucy Helton’s daughter had married George Collett, who had returned from service in World War One. He set up a roadhouse called The Blue Moon and Bill Helton, it is said reported him to law for activities unlawful; he became angry, killed Bill and his wife Lucy, the Father and Mother of his wife, Stella; Stella’s sister Iona and Brother Howard... shot and wounded another brother Buddy Helton... a State Trooper and a family that were only friends to the Helton’s. The Heltons are buried in a common grave on Brindle Ridge family Cemetery only a few miles North of Renfro Valley.... Lucy, Bill’s wife and Mother of Lona, Stell and Howard, was a daughter of Carlo B Helton and Elizabeth Farmer Helton. Her brothers and sisters were: Jonas, Gemima, Carter, Susie, Ella, Chloe, Laura, Morgan and William (Billy) Helton: by Farmer Helton,
son of Jonas Helton.

Stanford Newspaper Printed January 1935
Pineville Sun, Pineville, Kentucky

The Stanford Kentucky Tragedy
Stanford, Kentucky Friday, January 11, 1935. One of the most horrible tragedies to descend upon this section of Kentucky, was revealed on a Tuesday morning, over 50 years ago, when it was discovered that six people had been shot to death and two had been wounded by a crazed gunman, who then took his own life. George Collett, who operated the road house, "Blue Heaven", between Crab Orchard and Brodhead, Kentucky in Rockcastle County, shot to death his wife, Stella, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Helton; his brother-in-law, Howard Helton; Mr. and Mrs. Julian Bordes, who were prominent citizens of Lincoln County, and neighbors of the Helton's. George Collett also wounded his sister-in-law, Mrs. Iona Helton Jackson, who was put in a London Hospital in critical condition; her brother, Carlos Helton, who was wounded in the left shoulder after the gruesome slaughter.
After the killing, Collett returned to a cabin at a tourist camp run by Herbert Moberly, near Brodhead. While there, he locked himself in the cabin and shot himself through the head with the same gun; a 44 special, that he had used in the slayings. Before killing himself, he wrote a letter which was his last will and wish; it was later found in his coat pocket.
Carlos Helton, who was the first person Collett shot and wounded, reported in an interview, that Collett had written them a letter, Monday, asking that he and Howard Helton come to the Blue Heaven to pick him up and transfer them to their home; they complied with his wish. As they were returning home late Tuesday night, Collett told the boys he had something for them hidden up on the hillside; they got out of the car followed him into the woods about one hundred yards from the road. Collett, at this time offered them cigarettes and after lighting the third cigarette, he dropped the match and grabbed his gun and fired at Carlos and badly wounded Howard.
Collett later made his way to the home of his wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Helton, in the Copper Creek section near Crab Orchard and about two miles from where he had done his previous killings. While at their home, he had seen Mr. Helton in the kitchen door and shot him through the head. He then went to the front door; stalked into the room where Mrs. Helton and her daughter, Mrs. Jackson were sitting up with his wife, who had been very ill; shot Mrs. Helton and turned and shot his wife as she lay in bed. Later he critically wounded the daughter, Mrs. Jackson who tried to make an escape from the fury of the gunman.
After the murders at the Helton's, Collett walked about three miles to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bordes. Upon arriving at their home, Collett called Bordes to the door and killed him instantly. He then entered the Bordes home; reloaded his pistol and killed Mrs. Bordes as she slept in bed. He then went to a tourist camp at Brodhead and engaged a cabin from Herbert Moberly, the manager.
About four o'clock the following Wednesday morning, telling Moberly that he was very tired and wanted to rest, Collett asked Moberly for some writing paper. About an hour or so later, Moberly said he heard a pistol shot! Because of this he later went to Collett's cabin, but found all doors and windows locked. So he tried to enter the cabin and while doing so, Sheriff Sherman Anderson of Lincoln County and officials from Rockcastle County arrived on the scene in search of Collett.
Upon entering the cabin, they found Collett in a pool of blood on the bed with a pistol shot through his head. Also while searching his room and clothing, they found a note written in pencil and evidently hastlily written during the early morning hours. The note had a few requests which were to give the pistols he always carried as well as used the night before, to his friend, Dr. George Payne. Dr. Payne was also to be given $100 at Collett's request to plant flowers on his grave.
Collett blamed the tragedy on the Helton family and officials.
The summer before, Collett's room was raided by officers and some $2,000 worth of stolen merchandise was reported stored there. However, officials were unable to apprehend Collett even though he was being hunted by both Rockcastle County officials and the State Police.
It was thought the slaying of Mr. and Mrs. Bordes was due to revenge against their son, Burgin, a State Patrolman who had taken part in the hunt on the theft charges.
On the night of the tragedy, Rockcastle County officials, who were unaware of what was taking place down in Copper Creek were searching for Collett to serve several old warrants on him. It was thought that Collett had quarrelled with his wife's parents over some property and was upset because they also refused to let him see his wife, Stella, who had been sick at her parent's home.
After Carlos was shot, he managed to run to a nearby home of Pat Head, who rendered assistance. Also after the slaying at the Helton home, Mrs. Jackson, although seriously wounded, managed to get to her little nine year old daughter, Violet who was in an adjoining room; she was also the only person in the house not shot by Collett. After getting her daughter, Mrs. Jackson ran barefooted in her night clothes to get help. Mrs. Howard Helton and Mrs. Cfliese were the first to arrive on the horrible scene.
Funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. Bordes were held at their home in Crab Orchard, the following Thursday afternoon at one o'clock. Reverend Walter Harvey, Pastor of the Wayneburg Baptist Church and former Pastor of the Crab Orchard Baptist Church officiated.
They were survived by a daughter, Miss Evon Bordes, who was a sophomore at Transylvania College, and three sons, Weber Bordes, a former Crab Orchard Postmaster; Burgin Bordes, a former State Policeman and Jimmy Bordes a former Manager of a Woolworth Store in Columbus, Indiana.
Funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. William Helton; their son, Howard and daughter Stella Collett were held the following Friday. They were survived by five sons; Matthew, Carlos, Mordom, Ephraim and King Helton and a daughter, Mrs. Denny of Brodhead. Four of the sons Matthew, Modom, Ephraim and King were away from home at the time of the killings.
Funeral services for George Collett, who was an ex-serviceman were held at Harman's Lick, Garrard County.
George Collet's last will and wish was as follows: (a) I want George Payne to have my two gun's and I want him to keep them as long as he lives; (b) he can also use the $100 I gave him to have a story of the tragedy written; (c) also I would like him to plant flowers on my grave; this my friend was brought on by people who had no heart, the highway patrols and the Helton family. I only wish I could have met with the so-called police who shot and caused so much hurt; in fact it caused my wife, the only one who I love, to loose her mind and then her family refused me the priviledge of seeing her even though she called for me and yearned to see me.
They only wanted what I have made; however, I gave them something else. God please help the officers who have been robbing me; they have taken away everything but my life. Now I will take all blame for this as there is nobody concerned about this but me. God keep all those that have befriended me in my hours of trouble. I never did the things for which I am accused. I have always paid for the things I accumulated both large and small. So farewell to all my friends and enemies; my enemies are responsible for this tragedy. So help me God and let this be a warning to the world. I can't leave my note that's why I have done this. I only hope that Stella and I can be together where the law will be fair to one and all.
The same for all the officers of this county. Will you be so kind as to try to find the ones who robbed my home after Stella was driven to the point of craziness? Do this for you own good and for God's sake.
Judge Sandusky, please investigate the situation surrounding my wife and I before this crime. You will find that we were treated with the utmost hatred by the State Police and the other officers. Because of them my life was constantly at stake. In fact the police told my wife that they would kill me, and to prove that they would, they more than killed her as you will find.

A Horrible Tragedy

The killing of six people and the wounding of two, as well as the suicide of George Collett, Rockcastle County's road house owner over 50 years ago, was the worse thing that has occured in this section of Kentucky in years. An undesirable citizen and his home, the Blue Heaven, bore a highly unsavory reputation. Some four or five months previous, his home was raided and whiskey, guns and stolen merchandise were found in a closet in the roof. Collett eluded the police for many years. If he had been arrested at the time of the raid, he might have suffered time in a penitentiary instead of dying as a murdered by means of suicide. Also six people might have been alive and two people might not have had to suffer to the extent they did because of delayed justice.
Will Kentucky ever learn how dangerous delayed justice in the law is? It seems not. Submitted by: Judge Farmer Helton

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