The Portland daily press., 1882-11-17
JAMES w. HARRIS.
AN APPEAL FROM HIM TO THE
PUBLIC.
He Claims that He is a Victim.

Mr.. j. W. Harris who lately was found gull
ty of conspiracy, and sentenced to Portland
Jail sends the PRESS the following communi-
cation:
To the Editor Of the Press
Sir:-I have noticed a communication in
your paper from my friend Henry W. Bragg
OF Boston, in regard to cases in law and equity
instituted against him since he came to thi
city to assist me in procuring bail to answer to
charges preferred against me by Unit States
officers. Will you allow rue now the use of
your columns to make My statement which
shall be as brief and TO the point as possible;
as have been silent ever since my arrest, and
made no statements for publication, L think /
am entitled to be heard?
left Boston for Portland for the first time
in eight years on the 10th of September last
was arrested on the 18th and confined in jai
till next morning taken before commissioner
and discharged. Immediately re-arrested on
complaint Of publishing an advertisement in
the Rutland VT, Herald" (which by the way
didn't know existed) and placed under ST.
500 bonds. l telegraphed Mr.. Bragg to come
prepared with bonds for me. He came, the
bonds were fixed and accepted. 1 was then
Immediately re-arrested on another complaint
of publishing an advertisement in the "BaL-
gor Daily Commercial another newspaper
never before heard of, and placed under ST.
500 more bonds l Immediately asked my
bondsmen to surrender me and came back to
Jail, awaited the action of the grand Jury and
then found myself indicted for conspiracy in
connection with Henry NJ. Bragg, ct ais. /
was then placed under $1,000 bonds on the first
cases and $1,000 for the conspiracy Cease while
mo- iu1iotad and hald in G.AO0 After
an effort to get continuance of the cases, which
was refused us the trial was put down for an
early day in October, and we we're both tried
for conspiracy, three whole days being devoted
to the trial, and as result jury Brought me
in guilty and acquitted Bragg which fact the
public are familiar with. Now for an explana-
tion: II am guilty of a conspiracy Bragg is.
( The real facts are II any conspiracy existed or
exists, it exists only on the part OF the prose
cutting officers. never by word, act or deed
conspired with anyone directly or indirectly
to use the mails or post Office for any illegal
purposes 1 never advised, nor intimated by
word OF mouth or stroke OF pen that any busi-
ness could be done to defraud any person or
persons by use of the mails. 1 never wrote a
| line or dictated syllable with any one or pass
| ed single word in furtherance OF any such
| scheme or divice. In fact conspiracy, or any
act that could be construed into one, has been,
and is something am totally ignorant of. 1
\ never saw letter, envelope, or instrument in
| writing or printed relating to the business that
was done, or to be done through the post Office
| till produced in court. 1 did not even know the
address on letters coming to said post office box
| till charges were made against me, and furth-
ermore never knew what the business was
that was charged with illegally conducting
l never remembered Of being in the Portland
| post office previously. and certainly had not
| been in this city for eight years before Septem-
ber 18th. Now If am guilty OF conspiracy
| desire generous public to tell me where it ex-
lists and if going to post office box for another
| party is crime why not punish for that and
not on trumped up charge of conspiracy. If
my personal rights and liberties are to be as
| sailed By over jealous officers armed with the
| power to incarcel ate me, destroy well estab-
| Used business and put me to thousands OF dol
lars expense on Use allegations, what becomes
of the rights of American citizens, and the
| pursuit Of happiness, and where is persecution
| to end?
| Will you Mr.. Editor, allow my explana-
| ton to appear 10 your columns and if needs be
it shall appear in the form of an affidavit as all
| L have stated is true? / am serving out sem
tence of 80 days in Portland Jail on what has
| been called by my peers IL presume) conspi-
racy. Am guilty? Will generous public to
| whom appeal decide and give me their YER
| dict? II am to be thus deprived OF my liber-
| ty, NAV my statement and the facts connected
| with my experience be considered by an intel
| lgent people, and may all my friends as we'll
| as my enemies understand how justice is ad-
| ministered in the State OF Maine.
Very respectfully yours.
JAMES w. HARRIS.
| Mr.. Harris should remember that every OPP
portuDity was afforded him to bring forward
his witnesses on the occasion of his trial. The
case was heard by twelve disnterested men
who, after hearing all the evidence, decided
he was guilty.-ED.l