The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-31

These are the hopes that live and burn
To light MS till our work it done.
Presented to His ExceIlency Elias
Carr, Governor State of North Carolina,
with compliments from one who knows
what patience is.
Your humble servant.
w. f.. HARRIS.
November, 1895.
Harris history, SO far as it is known.
rs familiar to the readers of the News
and Observer. The story of how. when
first brought here. he was sent to the
State farm in Halifax county, and in
an alteration with guard. he
knocked down the guard with a pick.
and in return was shot in the breast.
has already been told in these columns.
Bat for this incident the story of his
life would probably have never been
known. The ball injured some Of the
muscles near the heart, and the physi-
clan SAID that he would die. He was
told that he was dying, and urged 10
make any statement he desired lie
then said that Harris was not his right
name. and when urged to give his true
name so that his family might be writ
ten concerning his death, he declared
that he never intended to reveal his
true name. He said that his family
stood high socially: that they were
wealthy, and that he had relatives who
held high office, and that he would die
unknown before he would bring dis
grace upon them by giving his true
name. and his family history
10. = u a
suffering. during which the convict
soul lowered between life and death.
he recovered BUT he was dis
abled forever from work and
Was brought here to the pen-
tentiary us nurse i'm the
hospital 1t was then that efforts
10 have him pardoned were begun.
The attorney who defended him when
on trial in Wilmington got up petit
ton for his pardon, procuring all the
signatures required by the Governor,
except that of Judge Meares who pre-
sided at the trial Last March Mr.. j.
G. j.. Harris, Of this city, was employed
TO assist in pressing the petition for
pardon. But Governor Carr declared
his intention not to issue the pardon
till he knew who he was pardoning.
Harris again refused to reveal his
identity, and he has never changed
his determination in the matter, de
claring that he would remain in the
penitentiary and serve out his term. or
die therein as the case might be, be-
fore he would disgrace his family by
an exposure of his name and personal
history. He has ON several occasions
ca Ta4 nc fn coz h1f
lows were his doom instead of the
penitentiary, his determination in this
matter would only be the stronger. as
the disgrace would be the create.
Verify, he is the greatest hero or the
greatest hypocrite that has ever been
inside those gloomy walls. Which,
Gov. Carr and the world would like to
know Probably the mystery will
never be solved
But when one comes 10 con-
slider the strange actions and strang-
er disappearance Of two OF Harris
mysterious friends, he is inclined to
believe him a valued member of some
organized band of criminals Edward
Warren Pittsburg, Pa. was the
name OF one of them, to whom
Harris Raleigh attorney addressed
letter in regard to the pardon. The
reply came promptly, promising to do
all in his power TO help get his friend
out of prison. Shortly afterward an
other letter on the same subject, writ
ten and mailed in Chicago, was receiv-
ed. And this was the last that has been
heard of Mr.. Warren. Harris says he
was travelling agent and through
him he expected help from a number
of influential men.
In the penitentiary with Harris was
another prisoner calling himself Mans
field, lie was convicted of horse-steal-
ing in Dayie county about the same
time Harris was sent up from New
Hanover. A warm friendship early
sprang up between the two men, In
December, 1894 Mansfield was pardon
ed. His right name was Geo Il. Scott.
and his home was Anchorage, Ky. lie
did not leave the city. as is usual III
such eases, but applied for work from
a number of men, making no secret OF
the fact that he was an eX-convict and
saying he wanted to stay here for
sometime to help Harris in securing
his nard0n To some parties he SAID