Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-07-19
MURDER AT THE PEN
William Harrison Plunged a Knife
Into William Ellis.
INFLICTED FATAL WOUNDS
We Caught His Victim Around the Neck
aud Brutality Drove His
Weapon Home.

| Walla Walla, WASH. July IAN
| other terrible crime Is recorded at the
state penitentiary. 1t is a repetition of
the Hart-Reif tragedy.
At o'clock today William Harrison,
alias D. C. Benson. stabbed and killed
fellow convict by the name of WILL
lam Ellis. Both men worked at the
jute mill, where the killing occurred.
He lived about one hour. after which
post norton examination was made
by Doctors Taylor and Bingham. Their
| report was: Wound below and near
to the right nipple, extending through
the skin and muscular tissue by the
sixth rib into the plural cavity and pen
etrating the lung; wound below ex-
ternal to the right nipple, passing
through the muscular tissue between
the fifth and sixth ribs, through the
upper lobe of the lung into the lower
lobe. Another wound penetrated the
abdominal cavity, passing through the
left lobe of the liver into the stomach.
The contents of the stomach partially
escaped. Besides these there were other
cuts on the arm and body that were
not serious.
Ellis said before he died that Harri-
son did the cutting and that they had
trouble about a week ago. He was so
weak that he could hardly talk.
TOOK ONLY A MOMENT.
The only description of the killing
that the reporter could get today was
from Guard Henroid, who said the first
he noticed of the trouble was when
Harrison had Ellis around the neck
with his left arm bending him forward
ha
his fist. He was through in a flash,
and Harrison dropped behind a loom
and crawled about eight feet. When
he got from behind the looms. he got
up and threw up his hands at the point
of Henroids Winchester. Ellis walked
to the gate of the jute mill, where
Overseer Chimes started with him up
to the prison. No one knew of the cut
ting until Ellis fell when about half
way, up the hill. He was carried on a
stretcher to the hospital. Harrison
was Immediately locked in his cell. The
mills were shut down and Warden
Mosgrove ordered every man lined I'D
to be searched for the knife that Harri-
son used and which disappeared. This,
as far as can be learned, proved of no
avail. The doctors say that the knife
must have had four-inch blade
Knives are used in the jute mill to cut
| strings, etc, and one was picked UP
near the loom where Ellis was stabbed,
but there was no trace of blood upon it.
Guard Henroid says Harrison works
on the first loom in the first row from
the front gate of the mill and Ellis work
ed on the fourth loom in the second row.
When first noticed Harrison had Ellis
backed off about two looms from the
latter's station.
| HARRISON is DUMB.
At tonight's investigation, held at the
penitentiary. County Attorney Orms-
bee objected to reporters hearing any
evidence except that of Harrison, as
this evidence may be wanted in the
courts by the prosecution when the
case Is called. Harrison was brought
in and said he had nothing TO say.
well, can't you tell us something
about this trouble?" said the warden
Il told you, Mr.. Mosgrove, 1 had moth
ing to say at the present"
What reason have you for creating
this disturbance" asked Director Nye
Mr.. Nye, have said that have moth
| ing to say
| well, lock him up" said the director
and Harrison was imprisoned for some
| time to come.
Harrison was sent up from Tacoma
In 1889 for highway robbery for II years
He has been punished 81 times for dis
obedience and all his good time Is gone
His mother, Mrs. Benson, is in the city.
and has visited him often, taking him
small gifts
Ellis was sent up from Snohomish
IN September. 1892, for five years for
burglary. He was bricklayer by
trade. He has relatives in Lodi, Cal,
who were wired of his death, and asked
| about the disposition of the body.