The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1904-09-09

TO Circuit Court.-Confessi of
Gregory.
Charged with violating the grave OF
Ed Pitts by removing his body from
the Searcy cemetery to his barn, where
1t was afterwards burned, DR. Richard
G. Lightle was found guilty at his
trial before Justice of the Peace w
b. Harlan. at Searcy, September 3.
at six months in the White county
jail and to pay fine of s. 900. An
appeal was taken and the bond fixed
at The amount OF the fine, which was
made. The deIense offered no testi-
mony, and the star witness for the
state was Walter Gregory. who told
in detail OF the grave robbery. Grave
robbery is only a misdemeanor in
Arkansas. This disposes of the
charges OF conspiracy against DR..
Lightle until the White County
grand jury begins its investigation of
the charges of arson and conspiracy.
on which Dr. Lishtle has been bound
over
The trial of ex Mayor John V.
Roberts. of Searcy. will be held at
Judsonia on a change of venue Sep
tember % The charge against him
is also grave robbery.
The evidence of Gregory was the
sensation of the trial. He turned
states evidence and told the story Of
the robbery of Ed Pitts grave and
the substitution of the body for that
OF DR.. Lightle, who had planned to
leave the state in order that life in
surance amounting to $4,000 might
be collected on the representation
that the body of Pitts was that of
Lightle Gregory implicated both
Roberts and Lishtle.
The case was called at O'Clock,
at II o'clock the jury was completed.
II was composed principally of far
mers residing near Scarcy. and was
as follows. j. y Norwood Carroll
James, { B. Hooks. CASTOR Quick,
,Iohn Parker, Tom Carter, W. A.
Holston. K A Warmer, A. c. Smith,
S c. Knichles, NJ. S. Doyle and John
Weeks
Dr. Liehtle entered a plea of not
guilty" and the trial was begun
The following Witnesses were exam
ined: S NJ. Powell, of Little Rock,
state agent for the Metropolitan Life
Insurance Co; Henry a. Janson, OF
New York. representing the Mutual
Life Co r. c Bright and Mrs. Ed
Pitts. widow OF the man whose body
was taken from the grave.
Walter Gregory was the next wit
ness. He said that he had known
DIR. I.ightIe for the past twelve years.
He knew Ed PITTS. who died in April
of this year and was buried at the
cemetery He attended the burial.
and so did Dr. Lightle DR. Lighue.
John Roberts and witness had a
scheme CA foot to secure a body and
burn it in Dr. Lightle's Office. DR..
Lightle told witness to come to his
Office The doctor told him he had
$21 600 life insurance, and they could
collect il John Roberts and DR.
Lightle said they would try to get
body from Little Rock This was
two or three weeks before he (Pitts)
died Witness told about the three
going 10 the grave of Ed Pitts. and
how they saw Dandrige Neeley and
KAY seener They had Roberts
buggy and spade, and got one spade
from Dr. Lightle The witness
aftar tbay- the
grave Of Ed Pitts, and the three took
II time about delying into the grave.
The coffin was not removed, but Wit
ness and Or Lightle got the body
and wrapped il up in quit and set
the corpse up in a buggy and Dr.
Iightle drove the buggy TO his resi-
dence and witness and Roberts
walked They reached Dr Lightle's
residence and found the doctor there.
and the corpse was in the buggy A
new grave was already dug in DR..
Lightle's barn. and the body was re-
buried
They took mp the body of Ed Pitts
on Tuesday night. after he was buried
on sunday. Witness had conyer-
sation with Kay Deener next day on
the street. and Deener asked witness
what they were doing in the ceme-
tery last night, and if they were
burying corpse or taking one.
Witness reported this to the doc
tor, who said he would see Deener.
DR.. Lightle told witness how he was
going to leave his watch, thermom-
eter and keys on Pitts body. and how
he was going TO walk to Bald Knob
and would wear false whiskers and
mustache He saw the doctor put
them on, and the defendant asked II