The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-04
HE TRIED TO KILL HIM.
4 CONVICT IN THE PENITENTLARY
ATTACKS A MANAGER.
mr Pleasant +. Reed Severely Wound'd
by Being Struck on the Head win an
Iron Pipe-His Condition.

The usual smooth tenor OF the routine
work at the State penitentlaty ,,tIo
broken yesterday afternoon ny lTP'
OF excitement, which was the l;nineuia.,
cause OF one Of the boldest attempts a.
murder In the annals OF crime III .i,a
city. That the attempt did not pl0sse
successful Is no fault OF George
Harris, one Of the most desperate wi,
victs now confined at the penitenuaIE'
lie did everything In his power TO &C
complish his purpose. and 1t was niue
short OF miracle that MIR. Pleasant H.
Reed was not instantly killed
Mr. Reed Is manager Of the pftrS-
rooms Of the tobacco factory at the
pcnitentiary For some time past IT was
discovered that some one had been steal-
ing tobacco, and after some tnyestIgd-
ton, suspicion pointed towards Harris
VINO Is a notorious thief He has been
filing the position OF engineer OF that
department. He was watched, ana u
was proven to the satisiactioh OF me
prison officers that he was the guilty
party. \ day or two since ne was gwen
a light punishment for the theit. ms ms
aroused the temper Of the man. VINO ue
termined TO wreak revenge, lie pIoouGid,
over the matter, and swore ne wouiu
get even with Manager keeu' e.
ne was heard to say with heaVy Odtn
that he would xii the manager AZ H'
first opportunity.
VICIOUS ATTACK.
Yesterday afternoon at 3l5 O'Clock
Mr. Reed was seated at MS desk, JUN Be,1s
attending 10 his duties. There "ete SUI
eight or ten hands at work III Wy 20
p9rtmcnt. where about eighty hdhds ~, or 'd,,
Usually employed. FOR SON =, tbat
these had been shifted elseWheis In
tjrrc Harris was one Of the hahds ~
tbr room While no one was susPeC,Ht,He
anything If the kind, the rascal uel -
rately picked up a piece o. roi I'd a
about fifteen inches long anu O nT "'iN mn
RE inches I'm diameter ana "dlhtu Wy
Inbind Nr Reed who had his back lu IN
"a and with the words, On you, 4 81 ~
kin vou" dealt the manager Ci.i,e,
blow on the back OF me an mTauW While Mr..
ped vas falling the convict slIuCh 81,
oral blows on the neck anG III VIZ I'm
and then rushed sdNaReS uP. and
making an effort 10, sel Oh ,,,itb further
foitoy up his cruel Work WIN IA INTO
i,'i,,ies Mr.. Reed was kho'Ned ''''0
a semi-consciOus CONDITION.
CAM To HIS AID.
4. this point two or three negro coz.
,,ir+s in the room rushed TO the Ild maj 80,
assistance. and one convict PC NJ Initial rp
piece Of scantling ana altdI Win the
,,nanon while several took hofd OF MN
and nulled him off the manager ,o,ro1
Harris was soon gotten unueE SoI.,l VI
and confined where he couid 90 no iu' -'i''
aWtea1time some Of the officers were IN
formed and Mr.. Reed was gwen eV vel,
possible attention. Ut heo.Se ~ 80 Z, US
summoned. and upon eXaHllhdttl1y IN. II Ill Ill
FOUND fhat there was heavy blo", Hedl.
On he right side Of Mr. Reeds neck ms
n little below and behind the efr- lne
force Of the blow had produced d la Gr
krot nearly as large as a man 5 hsL va
Tho hack Of the head was an ugly III uloV,
ana The unfortunate mans PACK anu
shoulders were badly bruised.
surFEnfD VERY MUCH.
Nv. Reed was taken TO his homo. No.
ooGe COST Broad street, and his WOUNDS
',.y,erl,, dressed His sufferings were
n.,it4 severe, though it Is not thoHRht
that his condition is necessarily dahSeI
oue, When / called at the house laSt
right he was III too much pam 70 Sc
me hui was feeling better than an houI
or so before. His sons thought II pes
that ne be kept perfectly quiet. Dr. BOSS
tb0ugh, that the unfortunate man es-
cane from death was miraculous. hap
the hIotv on the neck been dealt TWO
inches above the point il would have
proven fatal beyond a doubt
HARRIS 4 pFsPFBkTK MAN.
George ". Harris. the scoundrel who
d.,lt the blows, is a white man about
tb{rtv-6vp wears old He is a heavy man,
Weighing about one hundred and seventy
five pounds He is a rough looking specl-
men of humanity and has a repuisive
face. He was sentenced TO the Denlteh-
tiary for hOrse-stealing, being sentenGeh
bv the Hastings Court OF this city lie
was sentenced TO the penitenudry in
North Carolina last spring for similar
offence but escaped ia the summer IL
is also stated that the man has served a
term in the penitentiary a Albany y. y,
and also in the state prison OF Tennes-
see He is n VIGOROUSLY bad character.