The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-06-26


sntil within the last few weeks,
done thrifty banking business
in that place his bank being known as the
"Bapk of Commerce" During the last few
months letters and circulars have been ad-
dressed to banks all over the north, repre-
sentng that, owing to the severe drouth the
people of Williamson county were ii dire
distress, suffering for the actual neCe:saries Of
life, and asking moneyed contributions for
their relief. These letters were written upon
letter heads Of the Bank Of Commerce, and
those shown the reporter, which the officer
alleges he captured on the person of Harris,
have his signature and the officer further
AYERS that the postmaster and citizens of
Georgetown recognized the signature as thai,
of Jane, Il. Harris, aud the body of
the letter as that Of his father IT, I. Harris.
The following, shown the reporter, is given as
a specimen of the wording of these written
letters, which are on the letter heads Of the
bank. 1t reads as follows:
Jas. It. Harris prop'r. Your business solicited.
Bank Of Commerce
GEoRGErowN, TEXAS, April 2, 1852
Messrs. Adams Il IlollenbecG, Auburn, CALI
fornla.
GENrs-hlany families are without homes
and provisions on account OF the drou.h. II
is duty imposed upon me to ask you for
the small sum of 500 or more if You are
willing to assist those needing assistance.
Whatever amount you may civ, Will be
thankfully received, and you will assist
worth cause. Awaiting your early reply, l
am, Yours truly,
JAMES T. HARRIS,
Treasurer.
These letters or circulars we're distributed
wide spread over the North and Northwest
and met with more or less response from
charitably inclined banks and individuals.
One Of these circulars WAS sen, to n bank in
Leadville, Colorado, which responded to the
call, and later, persons residing there having
friends in Williamson county, nearing of the
alleged distress wrote to learn the
facts, when the matter was exploded
Other letters fast followed, q number Of them
being addressed to the mayor Of Georgetown.
and the county Judge of Williamson county,
making inquiries in regard to the matter
James Z. Harris WAS called upon by a num-
Der of citizens for an explanation Of the
affair, and he denied it in toto. The newspa-
pers in Michigan and other states published
the circular, When Harris sent out the follow
ing printed on postal cards, addressing them
to banks sill over the north
BANK OF CoMMsRCE, GE0RG ETowN,
Texas May Is, 1880.
One J. Y. Harris, pretending to be the
treasurer of the Bank of Commerce, has ma
laciously misrepresented this bank. No call
is made tor assistance. Our county is IN q
prosperous condition and prospects for crops
never better.
JAMES T. HARRIS,
Proprietor.
Written with pen on the bottom 0: the
card was the following: PLEASE send me
any Of the letters or circulars you have re-
ceived"
The officer expressed it as his belief that
Harris used the letter "Y' instead Of
1T" to assume that he WA: innocent
and smother suspicion that he asked those o
whom he sent the printed postal.cari u
warning, to send back what circulars they
had received to him, in order TO destroy them
to prevent their being used as eviGenCe against
him The officer stated further ~ tne re-
porter, that when the citizens asked Harris in
regard TO the circulars alleged 70 have been
written by him, that he partially aclln0wl-
edged his guilt, saving tina: bis
father was tie cause Of Il,
in the meantime, the pOstotiic2 department
at Washington had notified Colonel \. p.
Foster. speciSl agest OF the 9os.pIice Ge-
partmeut, who in turn notified Spaeia, Ageat
Smith to take cJgniGance Of tle matter.
About one week ago Harris suddenly closed
out his business, Leaving Georgetown AND
going to Hearne, Officer Smith f',.oNiag
him. From that Place he wen. TO D n!sou,
which place be reached last Wednesday,. BE
went from there to Belle Plain. then %
Whtewright back to Belle Plain. from
there to Bonham and on to White Rock ana
from there to Gainesville, where this officer
arrested him and brought him to this city
and lodged him in jail us already stated.
THE PRISONERS STATEMENT
The reporter called at the county jai. to
see Harris and get his version Of the affair.
He was found in the lower north cell, in
which was confined some seven or eight other
prisoners, most Of them being engaged in
game Of cards. Harris, who is frather good
personal appearance, was neatly dressed and
was pacing WIG uOOA VI u'o VA
with his hands clasped behind
him looking down at the floor sadly and
meditatively, MS though his thoughts were Of
a distressful nature. When the reporter
made known the character of his call,
namely, TO get his version Of the case, he
frightened up and appeared very, willing to
talk. In answer to questions asked By the
reporter he stated that he was utterly ig-
no rant of the charges preferred against him,
and that he would soon be vindicated, What
he wanted was speedy trial; that was all he
asked. He had been resident of Willam-
son county for the past twenty years-waere
he went when a mere child. He and his
father had had been engaged in
the mercantile business under the firm name
of Harris & Son, and some seven months ago
he bad gone into the banking business, in
which he was very successful. Soon after he
had engaged in this branch of business some
time in last February, some enemy OF his,
unknown to him, circulated the report on
the frontier with which section he did a
large trade, that he had failed for $4,000.
He felt the effects of this and had hardly re.
stored confidence among the people OF
that section when about the first OF
April similar report was circulated to his
great damage to the effect that he had failed
for $27 900. These false rumors he was sat
is6ed were circulated by some one who
wished to iujure him in his business. He at
tributed his present condition to some unre-
lentng enemy who was pursueing him with
q vengeance. Just before closing the bank