Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-11-11

frequently, ana tflat on the OCCdslOl VI
such visits Huggins would take the
to the picture show or else
where, leaving Zimmerman IN the
house with his wife, or remain at nome
with the children and allow thinner
man and his wife to go off together. AT
the iail last Tuesday Bud watson, n
brother in law of Mrs. Higgins, pinned
her down to a number of accusing facts
and circumstances, and among other
questions asked this: Did you not,
when your last child was born, tell
Higgins that you hoped it would have
blue eyes and black hair like thinner
man. She did not deny it.
In speculating about the killing dur
ing Monday and Tuesday, people who
We're more or less acquainted with all
three of the principals and their rela-
tions, advanced different theories as to
the killing. Some advanced the theory
that after the conversation between
Zimmerman and Higgins in the store,
testified to by the little boy, HugginS
went home and was killed as he was
sitting by the fire pulling off his shoes;
that he was carried from the house
and thrown into the ditch by the road
side; that this theory was borne out
by the fact that when found one shoe
was partly unlaced. Those holding to
this theory are divided in opinion as
to whether the shootingrwas done by
Zimmerman or Mrs. Higgins. Others
have suggested that after leaving the
store Zimmerman met Mrs. Huggins in
the woods by the roadside, and when
Pink Huggins came there they shot
him. But the most common theory
seems TO be that the shooting occurred
at the spot where the body fell; after
a struggle between Higgins and Zim-
norman.
The statement that the automatic
pistol with which the shooting was
done, was the property of Higgins, is
probably incorrect. People acquainted
with the parties say they never knew
Higgins to own a pistol and did not
think he had one. Others say that
Zimmerman owned an automatic pis-
tol of this description and they are sat
isfied that this pistol was his.
There had been good deal Of walk
ing around the body when Sheriff
Quinn arrived on the scene; but from
the marks on the ground and in the
dltchbank he thought he could see ey-
dences of struggle. There were some
marks which seemed TO indicate where
the dead mans feet had dug into the
ground around. The dead mans watch
was lying within few yards and the
pistol was by his side. Also in his dy-
ing struggles the dead man had vom-
tied and the vomit was under his face.
While that last circumstance does not
prove that the killing was done there,
it seems to leave no reasonable doubt
that it was here that death occurred.
The .25-calibre automatic pistol, with
Al, at,A fy,d
seven cartridges. Several people have
testified that they heard three shots at
about IL 80 o'clock Sunday night, and
a distressed exclamation, .Oh, Lordy!'
or some thing like that. There were
two bullet holes in the murdered mans
body-one in the shoulder and the
other in the heart. There were three
undischarged cartridges in the pistol
one in the chamber and the other two
in the magazine. Somebody picked up
another undischarged cartridge on the
road between the small bridge and the
spot at which the body was found, and
gave it to Sheriff Quinn. So far as. is
known none of the elected shells have
been found, though careful search
has been made around the spot on
which the body lay.
During the early investigation around
the body, also there was found small
black button. A small boy remarked 1T
first; but Sheriff Quinn saw 1t before
the boy picked it up off the ground
A careful examination of the dead
mans clothing failed to show any place
for the button or any buttons Identical
with this one. Keenly alive, however
to the possible subsequent Importance
OF the seemingly most insignificant
clue, Sheriff Quinn slipped the button
into his vest pocket.
On receiving telephone message on
Tuesday afternoon from the Sheriff OF
Cleveland county at Shelby, that Zim-
norman had been arrested, Sherln
Quinn got into his Ford Immediately
and started for Shelby, taking with
him Chief Stee'e and Constable john
son. He was back in Yorkville with
his prisoner at. 7.30 Zimmerman made
no objection TO coming back without
requisition; but he was not disposed 10
talk.
when did you leave York;" asked
the sheriff.
Yesterday morning" replied Zim-
norman, and then he amended with, L
left Rock Hill yesterday morning"
He showed q decided limp in his
right leg, which he said was the result
of u sprained ankle. The sheriff ask
ed:
when did that happen?"
Yesterday" he replied.
How did you do it?" the sheriff ask
ed.
Zimmerman by this time had caught
himself, and claiming that the sheriff
was trying to "cross him up said he
did not care to talk, that he would
make a statement at the proper time.
"All right" said the sheriff. you do
not have to talk"
In the meantime Sheriff QUINN had
been making n careful inspection OF
Zimmermans clothing and finding the
top button of his vest missing, he took
from his pocket the button that had
been picked up from near the spot
where the body of Higgins lay. 1t was
the identical missing button.
Zimmerman did not do any more
talking
Pink Higgins and his wife are "step"
brother and sister, the children of Mr..
and Mrs. John Ferguson Of the Can
non mill. John Ferguson is the father
of Mrs. Higgins and Mrs. Ferguson is
the mother of Pink Higgins. They
were brought together by the mar
riage of their parents, one OF whom
had lost n previous wife and the other
n previous husband. The marriage OF
the children had come about through
this association. Mrs. Huggins gave
her age as 80. Her husbands age Is
given at 80, and Albert Zimmerman is
a 1bOut o.