MY KINFOLKS OF KY AND BEYOND
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
PAGE 8
Articles were found in the Kentucky Edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Kentucky Edition of the Cincinnati Post and the Kentucky Edition of the Cincinnati Times-Star regarding George Collett's murderous rampage. All of these articles were front page news and varied with the information given.
SUMMARY OF EVENTS
George owned and ran a roadhouse named Blue Heaven, which was raided two months prior to his bloody massacre. In the raid illicit whiskey and stolen goods were seized. George had threatened revenge on his wife's family for the raid. George had apparently gone to see his wife, Stella, who was living with her parents earlier in the day on January 8, 1935. He wanted Stella to sign a deed for property that they owned jointly so that he could sell it and leave Brodhead. It is believed that he became enraged with his in-laws (William and Lucy Helton) when they objected.
Collett had written a letter to Carlos and Howard (Stella's brothers) asking them to meet him that night at his home, which was the Blue Heaven roadhouse. Carlos and Howard met George. Carlos was wounded and Howard was killed.
George then proceeded to the Helton residence where he shot and killed Bill (his father-in-law) in the kitchen, shot and killed his wife, Stella, in her own bed, shot and killed Lucy (his mother-in-law) in her bed. Lona was also in the house. She was shot but managed to get her daughter Violet (who was 9) and escape. Violet was the only member in the household that wasn't shot that night. Lona died the next day at the Pennington General Hospital from her wounds.
After George massacred this family he proceeded to the residence of Julian and Helen Bordes. Their home was loacted in Lincoln Co., KY, just across the county line. Burgin Bordes, Julian and Helen's son, was a Kentucky State Trooper who had been involved in the raids. Burgin's parents were shot and killed in their home as "revenge" for Burgin being involved with the raids. George eventually ended up at a tourist cabin on Copper Creek where he wrote is "last wish and will" (as he titled the paper) and then committed suicide.
EXCERPTS FROM "LAST WISH AND WILL"
Wednesday, January 9, '35
My last wish and will, I want George Payne (who is believed to be a dentist at Brodhead, KY) to have these two guns and I want him to keep them as long as he lives. I want him to use the $100 I gave him to have my story written of this tragedy and to plant flowers on my grave.
All this was caused by people who had no hearts - this highway patrol - the Helton family. . . . I only wish I could meet with the so-called cop that shot and did so bad that it caused my poor wife, the one I love, to lose her mind - I know she wanted to see me.
They only wanted what I have made I gave them something else
May God help the officer that has been robbing me. They have taken everything but my life. Now I will take all blame for this - I never did a thing that I was accused of doing - I did not steal any part of those goods.
So farewell friends and farewell enemies. Let this be a warning to the world.
George M. Collett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill, Lucy, Lona, Stella, and Howard are buried in the family cemetery located on Brindle Ridge near Renfro Valley, Rockcastle Co., KY. Lucy's sister Gemina Helton Evans is the informant on their death certificates except for Lona's; her brother Modam is the informant on hers. Lona and her husband Bidge Jackson were divorced at the time and I don't know what happened to Violet.
To view their tomsbstone picture, click here. To view the death certificates for each person, click on each individual's name above.
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