A Filicidal Father Found Out by Forensics

Sydney Smith

What started as an ordinary summer day in June 1913 for two Scottish farmers ended in a gruesome discovery as they were walking along a quarry right outside of Edinburgh. Floating in the water were two small bodies that were so water-logged that the men couldn't tell if they were human. The bodies were tied together, and it soon became the task of forensics pioneer Sydney Smith to determine who they were and how they met their horrible fate.

At the time of the discovery, Sydney Smith was working as an assistant to Professor Harvey Littlejohn at Edinburgh University. He was able to identify the bodies as belonging to two young boys. Using specimens taken from the bodies, Smith was also able to determine that the bodies contained adipocere, body fat that is hard and white. When exposed to water, it takes several months for adipocere to form in a human body. Based on the levels of adipocere that Smith found, he determined that the boys' bodies had been placed in the quarry at least 18 months before their discovery.

While the presence of adipocere helped Smith determine how long the bodies had been in the water, it also preserved the boys' stomachs. Smith could tell that they had eaten a meal of peas, barley, potatoes, and leeks at least an hour before their deaths. Based on the time of year that these vegetables grow, Smith determined that the boys had died in late 1911. He also noticed that one of the boys was wearing a shirt from the Dysart poorhouse.

Using the forensic evidence gathered by Sydney Smith, police were able to identify the boys as the sons of a local widower, Patrick Higgins. In 1910, Higgins, known around town as a drunk, had placed his sons in the care of the Dysart poorhouse. Authorities jailed Higgins for failing to pay the poorhouse fees. After serving his time in jail, Higgins removed the boys from the poorhouse, but police were unable to find anyone who had seen them since November 1911.

At his trial in September 1913, Patrick Higgins entered a plea of temporary insanity. After the jury rejected his defense and found him guilty, the court sentenced Higgins to death by hanging. Authorities carried out his execution on October 2, 1913.

Sydney Smith would go on to have a 40-year career in the field of forensic science. Throughout his career, he would help identify the victims of murderer Buck Ruxton. He also aided in the investigations of Australia's infamous Shark Arm case and the Falkirk Cat Burglar case. In 2008, the University of Edinburgh returned the specimens used in the Higgins case to the boys' relatives so they could receive a proper burial.

Related Reading:

The Science behind Murder: The Sydney Smith Collection

Sydney Smith - The Scientific Detective

Murdered boys' final remains laid to rest