St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-17
KILLED IN HIS HOME.
James R. Harris Is Shot to
Death by a Couple Of
Burglars,
He Grapples With Them While
Demanding Money in His
Bedroom.
The First Ball Strikes His Left
Hand, and the Second
the Lungs.
A Reward Of Five Hundred
Dollars offered by Mayor
EuStis.

JdlheS H. HILLS, VI IAC Otaul-iIdl 10
Lubricating company, was murdered in
his residence, 627 Fifteenth avenue
southeast, yesterday morning. Shortly
after 2 o'clock a. III. Mrs. Harris was
awakened by the light from bull'S-eye
lantern flashed in her face. Near the
foot of the bed she saw, in the dense
shadow made by the lantern light. two
men standing close together peering at
the faces of the sleepers. At the mo-
ment she opened her eyes one of the
men said, 1--WE want money"
The lower portions of the intruders'
faces were covered by handkerchiefs,
and Mrs. Harris thought she recognized
in the forms those of her two youngest
sons. She laughed at the demand for
money and answered, 1--WE have no
money, boys, but how you frightened
me. Is it time to get up?"
Recognized as Burglars.
While she was speaking the light was
turned from her face and she caught
better glimpse of the men. Then the
light was turned on her again. In the
short space of time between the Two
flashes it had dawhvd upon her that the
forms of the men standing near the foot
of the bed were not thoS,' OF her sons
who were playing a practical joke on
their parents, but belonged to men who
were there tor no good. She lay there
for a moment paralyZed with fear, for
into the stream Of light she saw thrust
two murderouS- looking revOlverS. and
the second of the men muttered in viii
famous accents that If she didn't get up
and give them money they would shoot.
1t was then that Mr.. Harris, who up to
this time had been sleeping soundly,
was awakened by the intense light
which fell from time to time on his face.
He at once
Sprung From the Bed
and grappled with the men. He caught
one man as he stoud on the threshold
of the bedroom door, which leads into
the dining room, and as he clinched the
man fired, the ball taking effect IN Mr..
Harris left hand. The burglar mast
have been still on the bedroom side of
the threshold and Mr.. Harris must have
been on the side of the dining room,
struggling to pull the man from the
bedroom into the dining room. for the
ball from the first shot passed COM
pletely through the hand and buried
itself in the ceiling of the dining room
near the center. Mr.. Harris was pow
erful man, and he had succeeded in
forcing both burglars toward the
kitchen, which led directly from the
dining room, when a second shot from
the revolver in the hands of the burglar
nearest the kitchen took effect IN Mr..
Harris right breast, about two inches
from the nipple, the ball
Penetrating the Lung.
The men were then able to tear them
selves from the grasp of the wounded
man. and, crossing the dining room, they
tore open a side door and escaped. At
the first shot Mrs, Harris exclaimed,
"Are you shot?" Mr.. Harris answered,
mo, l think not" But as he spoke the
second shot was fired, and the burglars
fled. Mrs. Harris had gotten out of bed
after the first shot, and had followed
the struggling men into the dining
room. AS soon as the second shot had
taken effect Mr.. Harris, followed by
his wife, staggered towards the hall
way. The other occupants of the house
were aroused by this time and the alarm
was given. Neighbors called in Drs.
Alger, Leonard and Dunsmoor, but in
spite of their efforts Mr.. Harris died be-
tween and s O'Clock. he was con-
scious at intervals until death came.
The house in which the tragedy took
place is two-story frame dwelling
fronting on Fifteenth avenue southeast.
1t stands on the north side of the street
next to an unfenced vacant lot which
runs from the house to Seventh street
The burglars effected an entrance
through the pantry window which faces
this lot. The window is only about three
feet abOye the ground. and by
Removing a Screen
which Mr.. Harris himself had put III the
evening before, the entrance to the
was an easy matter, for the win
dow had been left open during the
night. From the pantry the burglars
passed through the kitchen, thence into
the dining room and into the bedroom
where the shooting occurred. They
we're III this sleeping apartment long
enough to secure Mr.. Harris coat and
vest, which lay on chair. These they
IL, En- Il In f.rrlnt h ic
both garments were found by
vacant house on Fourteenth avenue
southeast, between Seventh street and
the Great Northern tracks. A pocket
book, containing about $4,000 in I'M
paid notes, was in the coat, and
there was a gold watch, present
from his daughter. in the vest.
The majority OF the notes were found
scattered about the kitchen and along
the track of the murderers. And it was
these which led to the discovery Of Mr..
Harris coat and vest. Some of
The Notes Are Gone,
as is also the watch, but as far as
learned the men secured no cash. The
youngest Harris boy is in the habit of
getting up about O'Clock every morn
lllR lOI DdpCk lOuhS1 oitt WllOlI NIL
Harris saw the two men in the room
she thought it was this young son and
boy. She thought the boys
were trying to play trick on her. and
when one of them asked for money she
said she had no money.
The moment Mr.. Harris awakened he
realized the situation. and without mo-
ment's hesitation he sprang for the men.
He was gradually getting the better of
them when the fatal shot was fired.
Even after he had received his death
wound he fought on, and succeeded in
forcing the men into the kitchen and
closed the door upon them. This door
was despatched with blood, as were the
doorposts Of the bedroom entrance.
Mrs. Harris turned to follow him as he
staggered towards the front hall. He
managed to reach the foot of the stair
case and fell. AS soon as the boys came
d0,,u thav tNinIynd him nm anA cturtad RI