The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-07-15
DEATH PACT
CHARGED IN
HIGGINSNCASE
ACCUSED FAILED TO Depart
AS LUCY DID HERS,
CLAIM.
TRIAL BEING SPEEDED AS FOURTH
WEEK OF TRIAL DRAWS TO CLOSE


Testimony which was the most sem
sational so far brought out in the trial
OF Forrest Higgins for the death of
Lucy Wittum, was produced Saturday
when Joseph Sheridan, state trooper.
swore that he had been In the same
cell with Higgins for four days and had
been told by Higgins that he and Lucy
had had death pact but that he had
failed to live up to his part of the
agreement after seeing Lucy meet her
death.
The star witness of the prosecution
took the stand Saturday morning and
occupied the greater part of day with
his story of the four days he spent in
the cell with Higgins and the story
told him by the accused. He says he
was put with Higgins on April 16 under
the pretex of having been locked nm
for "a big crime" and that on the 18th
Higgins, after asking why he was
locked up, told the story of his own
imprisonment snd gave the trooper q
detailed account of the events of the
night of Lucy Wittums death.
Then Sheridan swore, Higgins told
him how he and Lucy met in Dufield
on the night before the death, and Lucy
told him of her condition. They then
made plans to elope on Wednesday
night.
On the fatal, night Sheridan swore.
Higgins said he left Duffield at 9:3o
o'clock, went up the railroad track
across the fields past the WittumIhome,
and to the Higgins farm. From there
he went down into the woods and
whistled twice. Lucy answered and
soon appeared.
Higgins told Sheridan, the trooper
testified, that they talked for a few
minutes about her condition. and then
Forrest told Lucy, Lets settle all
arguments right here" meaning q sui.
eide pact. Lucy swallowed her share
of the acid Sheridan test fed HIGGINS
had told him, and fell into the youths
arms
Becoming frightened and excited,
Higgins laid the girl down and went
home When commenting on the death.
Sheridan testified. Higgins told him.
''She beat me to it,"
Monday the attorneys for the defense
gave Sheridan severe cross examine
tion with the result that he was found
to be out on bail for the death of A
bartender whom he shot while state
trooper. The shooting took place dur
ing a raid on saloon, according In
Sheridan. He has been tried once but
the jury disagreed and he is now await.
idg another trial.
The memory OF the trooper was found
to be exceedingly hazy on many of the
events OF his past and the attorneys for
the defense broke up his story In spots.
His recollection of the time he enlisted
in the army, when he was discharged.
what he did afterwards and where, was
not of the best.
| The law on suicide pacts was brought
ont Monday, showing that one who
aids or urges another to kill himself is
guilty of first degree murder, even IL he
has no active hand in the desth. Ac.
cording to the testimony of Sheridan.
Higgins would be guilty of murder, IL
the law is strictly construed.
The events of the past week have
been decidedly more interesting than
those of any preceding period dur
ing the trial Friday Mrs. Wittum
testified concerning the family life of
Lucy, her health, and how Higgins had
been considered by Lucy's family.
Mrs. Wittum's testimony was interest
ing In that she swore positively that
there had never been any m ,rk on
Lucy's forehead similar to the ons
found after her death.
Saturday, in addition to the testi-
roony of Sheridan, 1t was brought out
that the boots worn by higgins the
night of the death of Lucy bad been
sent to the state chemist, who had
returned them saying that the marks
thereon were not those of carbolic acid
The white marks on the toots had been
one otfhe strong points of the prosecu.
tion In the early part OF the case. tend
Ing to prove that there had been a
struggle,
Little was done Monday besides the
cross-examination OF Sheridan but Tuss-
day Drs. Fair and Rowley took the
stand again, and testified that there
were absolutely no marks of violence on
Lucv's body and that the mark on hsr
LConAi..aa -.