Evening journal., 1900-04-05
HIGGINS ALIBI
STOOD THE TEST
He Detailed 70 Ex Chief Ward,
of Milford. His Movements
on March p.
NOT A FLAW IN HIS STORY

NOT A FLAW IN HIS STORY
RELATED BEFORE WARD. CHIEF
OF POLICE DoLAN, ASSISTANT
CITY SOLICITOR CAHooN AND
DETECTIVE wITsIL-RELEAsE
TO BE RECOMMENDED.
Upon the recommendation Of AS
sistant City Solicitor Cahoon it is prob
bic that John Higgins will be released
from custody at the City Hall by Judge
Ball at tomorrow's session Of City
Court.
Higgins was arrested last Saturday on
the coast by Officers Pierce and Shields
on suspicion of being implicated with
John Roach in the robbery of Frank
II. Stewards grocery store, corner Of
Reed and Harrison streets. on the
might Of March 27.
DEFENSE AN ALIBI
Roach was caught red-handed by Of
| fcer Sewell Scott as he came out OF
the back window of the store, while
the second burglar escaped. In Civ
| ing his testimony before Judge Ball
OFFICER Scctt stated he had seen an
other man coming out of Stewards
! front gate on the night Of the robbery,
and was about to accost him when he
heard someone trying to force an en-
trance in the rear. Upon investigation
he saw Reach coming cut of window
and captured him.
When Higgins was arrested and
brought before the court on Saturday
morning last Officer Scott positively
identified him as the man he had seen
at the gate on the night in question.
and George Pierson. a brakeman On the
p, w. q B. railroad, swore positively
that he saw Higgins, in company with
Roach on Tuesday night, March 27
about l1.30 O'Clock, near Front and
I Harrison streets.
Notwithstanding this positive identi-
fcation, Higgins claimed that on the
night in question he. in company with
four other young men, spent the night
in the lookup at Milford. To prove this
assertion Higgins called John Harkins
land Harry Fisher, two men whom he
said were with him in the Milford Jail.
They corroborated his statement and
gave minute details of their actions on
the night of March q, and stated that
; they, in company with Higgins, had
been out Of town for a week.
\ Assistant City Solicitor Canocn en-
deavored to throw a doubt on the men S
( testimony by trying to get them to adj
, nit that il was the night OF Tuesday,
. March 20. that they were in Milford.
70 haf lffr hnu
ldespite the fact that Officer Pierce tes-
titled that he had seen Higgins and
Fisher in Wilmington frequently dur
ling the week, commencing March 26.
land that Detective Witsil stated that
he had seen part of Higgins gang board
,ling a freight train in Milford on March
! Higgins asked that ex-Chief CT Pc
/. lice Ward, of Milford. who allowed
them to sleep in the jail. be summoned
J in his behalf. Judge Ball granted the
request, and a summons was issued for
lOnicer Ward. It was not property
lsigned, however and he did no. appear
in court at the time set for a second
hearing of the case, although later he
icOnversed with Higgins over the tele-
phone, and was convinced he told the
truth.
Yesterday Court OFFICER Heal was
sent to Milford with another sub
poena, and Officer Ward arrived in
Wilmington this morning.
AUTHORITIES CONVINCED.
Higgins was brought from the cell:
% in the police station today and taker
elinto Chief DClans Office, where he wa.
. requested by that officer to detail his
= movements before Officer Ward on the
I might Of March 27 The prisoner wen
over the minutest incidents of tho
? might in question. stating how he haC
q called Ward as he was entering bar
Der shop and requested a nights lodg
ling for himself and companions. III
stated the hour at which they wer'
turned out the next day and wher'
. they cooked their breakfast.
!, Ex-Chief Ward never asked ques
= ltion. but after Higgins was returned e
his cell he told Chief Dolan that he re
= called the night in question, and wa
!, positive that it was March p, and add
, ed that no man who was not presen
lcould have described the circumstances
as many small incidents that had es
capped his memory were recalled b.
r Higgins. Mr.. Cahoon, who was pres
e ent, stated that he would recommen
# Higgins release to Judge Ball toner
y row.