, 1892-08-15
A DOUBLE TRAGEDY.
Henry Harris Kills His Daughter
and Himself.

Sunday Morning Horror in the
City of Tacoma what Caused
the Awful IButchery--A Tell Tale
Letter TO HIs wife.
TACOMA, Aug. 15.-Henry Harris, Ger
man-Prussian Jew, aged 54, killed his
daughter, Eta, aged % years, yesterday
morning and then killed himself Etta's
conduct seems to have driven her father
to the verge of insanity. Saturday night
he told some friends he would kill her and
himself. For months he has threatened to
do this. While the church bells we're ring
ing Sunday morning Harris went to Etta's
room, No. 10, at the Cleveland house, cor
ner E and Thirteenth streets. She was
attired in a nightgown covered by black
dress. She was reading a newspaper and
admitted her father. Angry words follow
ed. -Four pistol shots and Eta ran scream
ing to the corner of the room, where a shot
struck her in the small of the back. The
three previous bullets, from a 3S caliber
Colts revolver, had taken effect in the
left and right sides and in the left arm.
She fell down doubled up on the floor.
Her screams were silenced. Harris then
stabbed himself four times over the heart
with spring back four-inch-bladed hunt
ing knife, similar to the one used
by Dave Scale in stabbing Officer
Cudihee. Two of the wounds were directly
on the nipple and the others two inches
each side of it. This done Harris again
turned to his daughter. Her body was
convulsing in death struggle. He thought
possibly her wounds were not fatal and
ef a hhad her tVyion in fha 1off ofI do a
again in the right arm-pit. He left the
knife sticking in her body and ran out of
the room and into the street. Blood trick |
led from his clothes, leaving a crimson |
trail across K street to the opposite gutter, |
where he fell dead
His last words we're;
"I've got her dead to rights this time"
This utterance was made just as he stag |
gered out of his daughters room. Harris |
was a member of st. Johns lodge, f. and |
A. M, of Seattle and lodge of the Unit |
Workmen. Since he came here
twelve years ago, he has moved about at |
intervals between this city, Seattle, Spokane |
and San Francisco. He kept a
tailor shop for while on
Ninth street, near Pacific avenue in Tacoma.
He left letters behind telling how to |
bury him and bidding good bye to his I
friends and wife. In the letter to the lat
ter he says;
Dear Wife: 1t will be a surprise to you |
to hear of my sudden departure from this
world to a better land where there is no
more trouble and sorrow for me. My dear .
Lena, since my dear Eta left my home .
my life was not worth living. / have tried /
all in my power and begged (her) to come
home and make my life happy for me, and .
she refused all my prayers. 1 could .
not live without her. If she was
married l would be happy and contented. |
rather be dead and in my grave than see |
her living life as she is now. She has had |
all the chance Of g loving. child, good |
mother and true father. l cannot live a |
life which is worse than death to me- and |
which destroys my happiness. So 1 made |
up my mind to kill us both, that you, dear |
Lena, shall have no trouble. 1t is very |
hard to leave this world 50 full Of pleasure |
but it is better than to live living death |
The secret will be buried with me and /
will not say anything about it; therefore |
dear Lena, don't worry about it, as it is the |
will Of God. God knows that you are an .
angel of woman, and you deserve a bet
ter path. You will get an insurance Of |
$1,000 from the Workmen. If you like to |
live in Spokane, you can do it; If not you |
can take you loving son, Sigmund, and go
to your friends and relations in San Fran
cisco and live in peace. Be careful of the |
money and interest and don't lose it, If /
you leave Spokane sell everything except |
the piano, which belongs TO dear Sigmund. |
My watch, chain, lOcket, tokens and ring
you can do what you like with. Should /
Eta die with me give her diamond ring
and watch to her brother, Sigmund Henry .
Harris, and the charm clasp to yourself |
That's all my dear Lena, may God bless
you and keep you in good health. Think |
of me in your prayers as a man who loves /
you from the bottom of his heart. have |
nothing more to say. Don't come down .
here when | am gone; only let me be
buried-nothing more. l remain, your
heart-broken husband, HENRY HARRIS.
stamped envelope, unsealed, addressed D |
MRS. HENRY HARRIS,
,414 West Third Street.
Spokane,
Washington.
SEATTLE, August 15.-Etta Harris left /
the employ of Attorney p. p. Carroll /
about seven months ago. Three months |
ago, accompanied by her father, she called /
on an attorney in this city and told her |
story. She said that a year and a half ago |
she met man named Benton, and he pro- |
posed and was accepted. Then he seduced |
her under promise Of marriage. Matters
ran along for year, and she began to press
him to keep his word, but he declined and |
she attempted to shoot him, but was dis |
armed. The father was wild and wanted |
Benton arrested on a criminal charge, but |
cooler counsel prevailed, and a scandal was
avoided. Benton also has a brother living |
in this city.
rEa ECuauHEC mains