The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-01
SHOT THROUGH THE HEAD.
The Jealousy.of David Harris Leads Him
to Kill His Wife and Himself.
The Domestic Troubles of Quarrelsome and
Unhappy Man Who Married Five Times
End in Terrible Tragedy.

Harris shot his wife through the brain, and i'm
medately afterwards fired bullet through his
own brain. 1t was few minutes before 5
o'clock when the neghbors of the family were
startled by two pistol shots and heard woman
scream. A minute later Miss Harris, the eldest
daughter of the man who had fred the shots,
rushed out into the street and cried for help,
saying that her father had killed his wife and
himself Mrs. N. r. Jenkins, co usn of the
woman shot, and the nearest neighbor, and Mr..
Round who lives across the street. and was just
entering his gate, rushed into the house, but
they were too late to be of any service.
Sitting in her rockingham, in front
of the stove was Mrs Harris, the blood! stream
ing from bullet hole in the forehead, and
the floor beside her lay Harris, gasping for
breath, with the blood oozing from a bullet
wound in his forehead. Mrs Jenkins, an in
valid, and the mother Of the murdered woman,
was lying on bed in one corner of the room,
and near her was two.year-old boy of Harriss.
In the lap of Mrs. Harris was the Knitting on
which she was working when she was shot Her
head rested on the back of the high rocking
chair. She could not speak, but when Mrs.
jenkins asked the wounded woman if she knew
her she nodded.
The police were notified by Mr.. Rounds of the
tragedy, and Superintendent Travis and Captain
Campbell soon arrived, but there moth
ing they could do but place patrolmen
Hurt at the door to keep out the curious who
had begun to gather. Drs. Hodges, Cline ard
Naele were summoned. The ball entered the
forehead OF Mrs. Harris and passed downward,
coming out just below her left ear. Dr. Hodges
said 1t had passed through the brain, and was
sure to cause her death. The wound was
dressed, and the doctors informed the attend
ants that nothing could be done to relieve the
woman, except to give her an injection of NOR
phine; and when he had attended to that he
left her to die. The ball that entered the head
of Harris took somewhat different course. It
entered the center of the forehead and
ranged directly backward, lodging in the
skull at the back of the brain
The brain of the man was oozing from the
wound, and the physicians said it was unneces-
sary to dress the injury, and he was not re
moved from his position on the floor. He was
unconscious, and death was pronounced only
matter of few hours.
The tragedy is the sequel to the domestic diff
cultes which Mr.. and Mrs. Harris have had
since they were married, FIVE months ago. Harris
was employed as a laborer at Nordyke & Mar
mons foundry. The quarrels between himself
and wife have been frequent, and several times
he threatened to take her life. The father and
mother of Mrs. Harris, Mr.. and Mrs. Alfred
jenkins, lived in the house with them.
Mr. jenkins is millwright who
also works with Nordyke & Marmon.
~ ha IN
intend the putting in of some new machinery in
a mill, ard when he left Harris remarked to his
wife, in the presence of his daughter, that he
was going to settle things before the old man
returned" The same evening he accused his
wife with having had improper relations with
young man of this city, with whom she was
acquainted before she married him, and of whom
he had always been jealous. Mrs. Harris denied
the accusation. but he insisted that ne had evil
dence of her inHdelity and threatened to put
her and himself out of the way. On Saturday
evening, when he returned from work, he found
her at the residence of bis daughter, Mrs. Ella
Carter. He demanded an explanation, which
she refused to give. and he again re.
iterated his threat to kill her. Last
evening he returned from work at o'clock,
When he entered the house he said be had de-
cided to leave his home and go down near his
place of work to board Sitting down beside his
wife, he said: "Go up stairs and bring me down
my clothes. Jennie"
"Go and get them yourself" she replied, with
out looking up from her work.
Without saying word, Harris raised from his
chair. took in his hands his wifes hair, which
hrp hor hoo har aoI hao ~
and, taking from his hip pocket revolver,
placed 1t near her forehead and pulled the trig-
ger. He then placed the revolver against his
own head and fred His daughter rushed for
ward to grasp his arm after he had shot Mrs.
Harris, but did not reach him in time to prevent
the bloody work.
The life Of Harris has been stormy one. He
was raised in Daleville Delaware county, where
he lived until two or three years ago, when he
came to this city. He has been married five
times and has three wives living. from whom he
secured divorces. He has four children-two
DAUGHTERS grown and two small boys. Two of
his divorced wives live in Jennings county and
the third in Dalevile. His fourth wife was a
Miss Trussia Sharp. of Daleville, with whom he
lived but few months, and from whom he OBJ
tanned divorce about one year ago. Last June
he met Mrs. Jennie jenkins Wallace,
whose husband had died three months
previous. After two weeks courtship they
were married. They went to Lafayette, where
he had work, and the second week after the
marriage he accused her Of corresponding with
man in this city. He attempted to make her
acknowledge that the accusation was true and
having locked her in a room, was in the act of
checking her to death. when the hotel employees
interferred and saved her life. From there they
moved to Daieville, where they had further
trouble, and where, according to the statement of
his own daughter. he often threatened to kill his
wife and several times whipped her unmerci-
fully. A few weeks ago they returned to this
city,
About week after they were married Harris