Charlevoix county herald., 1907-03-23
MICHIGAN
EVENTS NOTED
THE STORY WHICH CONVICTED
HIGGINS MAY LEAD TO
PARDON.
LADD MURDER RECALLED
Evidence Laid Before the Pardon
Board by Prisoners Brother In En-
fort to Secure Full Pardon.
Story of a Story.

His unusual literary tastes and abil.
tiles may yet release John M. Higgins
from Jackson state prison, where he
has served nearly 10 years OF a life
sentence for the murder of Lafayette
Ladd in Adrian, April II, 1897. One OF
the most compelling pleas for the re-
lease of a man convicted of murder
was made for Higgins in Lansing Tues
day by his brother, James c. Higgins.
of Detroit.
If Higgins is finally pardoned it will
be for no other reason than that he
wrote a story entitled "a Life for
Life" In Jackson state prison in 1893,
while he was serving a term for bur-
glary, the very story that helped con-
Wet him.
Perhaps it was the first time in the
history Of Jurisprudence that a man
was ever convicted of murder because
he wrote the story of murder. but
the fact remains that at the arrest of
Higgins the manuscript was found in
his pocket, and at the trial the pros
ecuting attorney read 1t with such
force and emphasis that as the jury
listened and looked at the prisoner
sitting quietly in his chair, each man
heard as if full and written confess
sion was being made. Throughout the
trial the story was insisted on as prov
ing Higgins guilt; 1t was even admit
ted as evidence. Higgins swore that he
had written the story four years prev
ious, but no one believed him. He also
said that he was not in Adrian at the
time of the murder, but no one be-
lieved him. He also said that he got
his revolver from travelling doctor,
but no one believed him. His literary
ability sentenced him to prison for
life.
When Higgins brother appeared be-
fore the pardon board all these points
were dealt with. The records of Michi-
gan's state prison were produced to
show that Higgins did write the story
some four years previous to the MUIR
der and that therefore it could not
have been description of the Laid
murder-a theory ON which the prose
cutiOn rested. It was a strange mo.
ment when the records of the prison
were produced in an effort to release
man from the same prison. 1t came
about this way: For years there has
been a literary society among the con-
victs, and like all well organized So
cieties it has a secretary whose duty
| 1t is to record in a record-book the
minutes OF the meeting. The book
contains the handwriting of many
men who have served successfully as
secretaries, some of them now free
| and living upright lives. In course Of
time it came John Higgins turn to
keep the record. Higgins was in Jail
on 10-year sentence for burglary
and his talent for writing made him
| one of the leaders of the literary club
After he had beep elected secretary
| the prisoner who was relinquishing
| the task wrote: John Hig. you can
| have this book now" Thereafter for a
while the record was kept in Higgins
hand, later it was turned over to an
| other secretary, the writing of all APP
| pearing in regular form. It was the
| order that once every so often the
members must produce some original
writing. One day in his cell Higgins
read that paper was offering $50 for
the best story dealing with crime that
should be submitted to its editors.
| Higgins wrote with pencil on manila
| paper "A Life for a Life" intending TO
submit it to the contest. He kept It,
however, and read it at the next meet
| ing of the literary society. Then, as
he made up the record of that even
ing'S gathering he recorded along
with the rest Of the program in his
book, John M. Higgins original Story,
"A Life for a Life" That was Deem
Der Is, 1893, over three years before
Lafayette Ladd was murdered-April
II, 1897. This prison book was pro-
duced by the brother to vindicate Hig-
gins. Little did he think when making
that innocent little entry that perhaps
it might one day restore him to free
| dom.
The book has been found, the travel.
ing doctor from WHOM. Higgins got
the revolver and now it looks as if
the convict told the truth. His brother
asks not for a parole but full par
don.