Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-06-21
NEARLY SIXTEEN YEARS.

Uuullu1 UlA ul1li hAAi'p'
HIGGS BARELY ESCAPES THE
GALLONS.
THE SLAYER or kIfE FOUND GULLY VI
MURDER IN THE SECOND DFGREE-nls
TERM OF IMPRISONMENT II THE STATE
PEN FIXED AT FIFTEEN YEARS AND
ELEVEN nONTHs-A TRIAL or MUCH IN
rERKsT-THE JURY AND TESTIMONY
HIGGs CHUCKLRs OVER TIKI VERDICT
Of TO RICHMOND.
The trial of Edward Higgs foI the muir
der of Alexander Kite on Massanutten
mountain east of New Market on April
2gth last began in the county court on
Thursday morning of last week Long
before the hour for the commencement OF
the trial the spacious court room was
we'll filled, thus showing the interest
manifested. The attendance on each
session was very large and the interest
yisibly increased as the trial neared the
end. After some business continued from
the previous day had been disposed Of the
II iggs case was called The accused en-
tered the court room with an officer and
every eye was turned toward him. lie
came across the room with careless but
firm step and took a seat assigned HIM
behind his counsel He took no notice OF
those around him and in reply TO the
question of guilty or not guilty replied,
"Not guilty A" A glance at the prisoner
and his general appearance may not be
ont of the way, lie is Of medium height
and stoutly built. He is OF fair com
plexion and has light hair and mustache
During the trial he wore pair of light
ants. drab soersucker coat and a white
shirt. He seemed very restless and kept
almost constantly glancing about the
room.
The work of selecting the jury took
some little time. At length twelve jury
men we secured and sworn. They were
Messrs. Isaac T. HOTEL foreman,
s. II. Lonas, Isaac J. Foltz, Joseph
Hutchinson, Thos w. Artz, Abraham
Beydler. Osceola Clover, W. G. Ritter,
d. NJ. CODY, Jacob +. Rau, j. W.
Hickman and Jacob H. Miller
The indictment was then read after
which court adjourned until 1880 p. IN.
WILLIAM MOULToN.
William Moulton was the first witness
examined for the Commonwealth. His
testimony was az follows live near
New Market and know both llggs and
Kite. was at Sprecher's Springs on the
day in question. | went down there
because ! knew Mr. Good was at work
and had nothing else to do Mr.. Kite
came up the road with a knife in his hand
and after bidding them the time of day
sat down on a log and began cutting
stick. He said to Higgs 81 want that
handkerchief you took from my daughter"
Higgs replied "Your daughter has a
handkerchief of mine, and when she gives
it up she can have hers" Kite then said ::
"If you don't return the handkerchief be
tween this and Sunday you will have
some sore bones" Riggs asked odd
you come up for fuss - Kite answered,
"No." Hggs grabbed mp a club then and
ran at Kite, who grabbed down as If get
a rock, but got a club, and just as he raised,
/ Higgs struck him across the shoulders.
Kite ran and Hggs followed HIM for
twenty steps and as Kite turned his head
to look back Higgs struck him over the
right eye on the forehead Higgs knock
ed K lite down and jumped on him and hit
| him twice in the face with his fist. Kite
asked 10 be let up, saying he would net
bother him any more. He let him up.
Higgs then walked up the road about
fifteen steps and picked up rock. Mrs.
Good told him not to throw the stone,
but Higgs said he would She then told
him TO drop the rock and come mp TO her.
Kite was washing his head. Higgs
went on up on the bank where Mrs Good
was and Kite walked away. Sprecher i
Spring is in Shenandoah county. saw
Kite again the same day about p. M AT
the top Of the mountain. He was lying
on a bed at William Graysous. Kite died
April 10Th, 1883, at -:l5 p. III. ! stayed
with him until he died When this aiiau
happened those parties there had come
from the side of the mountain peeling
bark. The spring was twenty-five steps
lower than the pike a path lead
from the pike 10 the spring Wner
Kite sat down he was facing the noun
tain and back to the pike. Higgs wa
further up the mountain.
on cross examination no contradiction
ISAAC NJ lloyd.