Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Way, Myron Cole March 22, 1934
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Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com June 16, 2016, 12:32 pm

Ionia County News - Thursday, March 22, 1934

MYRON WAY KILLED BY GUN THRUST THROUGH BEDROOM WINDOW BY HIS MURDERER

Clarence Higgins Arrested as Suspect When Officers Find Freshly Discharged Gun 
In His Home; Victim's Wife Also Wounded

SHOOTING OCCURRED ABOUT 2:00 A.M. TODAY

Clarence Higgins, 41-year -old Portland township man, is being held in jail 
here on suspicion of being the murderer, who, in the early morning hours, 
thrust a gun through the bedroom window of the home of Myron Way, 73, and fired 
two shots, the first killing the aged farmer instantly and the second seriously 
wounding his wife, Eva, 56.

Higgins was arrested about 6:30 a.m. by Sheriff Herbert Ross and Deputies 
Robert Kelley, Leslie Murphy and Jay Clark. The officers entered his home, a 
short distance north of the scene of the killing, and found the suspect 
building the morning fires. Search of the home revealed a double barreled 10-
gage shotgun that showed evidence of having been recently fired.

                      Suspect Is Calm
Huggins did not resist arrest and exhibited unusual composure even when taken 
to the bedroom where his neighbor lay dead with a gaping wound through his 
heart.

Questioned briefly by officers, Higgins denied any knowledge of this crime. It 
is reported, claiming he went to bed at eight o'clock last night. Officers are 
quoted as saying that his wife stated the suspect was not in bed at midnight.

                      Discover Clue
Discovery of a particularly important clue was made in the yard of the Way home 
this morning when Floyd Wainright found an empty 10-gauge shotgun shell. This 
together with the gun found in Higgins' home has been taken to Lansing to be 
checked up by ballistic experts of the State Police Department.

According to a brief statement by Mrs. Way, who is being cared for in the home 
of a neighbor,, the shooting occurred about two a.m. She is reported as saying 
her husband and herself were awakened when the bedroom window at the head of 
their bed crashed in and a moment later a shot was fired.

The husband partly arose in bed at the shot and gasped: "My God, I am shot." At 
that instant the second shot was fired ant the charge grazed the right hip of 
Mrs. Way, tearing an ugly wound in the flesh. 

                     Wife Tells Neighbor
Mrs. Way, fearful of further shooting, remained in the darkened house for about 
an hour and then struggled down the road for nearly an half-mile to the home of 
George Brower where she related the gruesome story. Word was phoned to Deputy 
Clark in Portland who first notified the Ionia Sheriff and then proceeded to 
the scene.

Neighborhood gossip concerning trouble between Higgins and Way and veiled 
intimations of an alleged clandestine love affair between Higgins and Mrs. Way 
led officers to make the arrest.

Mrs. Way stated that, while she sat in the darkened house following the 
shooting, she saw the intruder waking about the yard but did not recognize him. 

Higgins is the father of three children.

By strange coincidence, a twin brother of Way, was slain by a minister in Texas 
several years ago. 

Additional Comments:
born: 25 Sept. 1860 - Danby - son of Nathan L. Way & Sarah (Muttart)
Portland cemetery #WMD 310 (no stone) 

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/w/way32786nob.txt

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