Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-03-02
HARRIS CAPTURED

! "Herald" Man Interviews the Brute
! and Wis Victim. The Latter in
s"rls Condition.
| Orlando Harris, the upper Wynooche
Iancher for whom the officers of the law
have been looking for the past eight
months, was arrested in Lewis county,
about 40 miles east oil Chehalis, by Hugh
Temple last Friday and was brought to
the county JAIL at Mon.esano, on Satur-
days train. Harris had been cutting
shingle bolts for Il brother of his captor
| for over two months and had his thirteen
year old neice. dressed as :. boy, with
him. Nj. Temple was in Aberdeen Il few
weeks ago and learned of Harris crime
and that the county offered reward of
$3.50 for his capture. He at once sus-
pected the man who, with his boy (?)
was working for his brother in the isolated
woods of Lewis county. and on his return
watched the pair until convinced they
we're the people wanted by Chehalis
county authorities and arrested them. He
brought them to Chehalis by wagon and
there took the train for Montcsano. Har-
ris did not deny he was the party wanted
and made no resistance to the arrest He
was given into the charge Of Sheriff Huff
and placed in jail The girl, who is en-
ceinte, was taken to hotel where she
will he held as IL witness.
The crime with which Harris stands
charged was committed last June, when
he eloped with his neice, only thirteen
years of age. Harris and the girls par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. 4. Benner, were early
settlers in the upper Wynooche valley,
having settled there in the wilderness
nearly ten years ago. 1t appears that the
Benner family had suspected Harris OF
improper relations with their daughter
Daisy. notwithstanding hor tender age,
Tor some time, the 3 amer and Han rs
cabins being close BY and for a time be-
fore the elopement the relations between
the parties were naturally strained. Both
Harris and Daisy deny any improper con-
duct prior to the elopement and say none
was intended when they ran away. Be
this as it may, the child's present condi-
ton is sufficient to justify the conviction
OF the brute of rape, incest and abduc-
ton. and Harris may be thankful that
his criminal propensities were gwen rein
on the north side OF the Mason and Dixon
line, and, indeed, had his victim been a
popular child in thickly settled COM
munity even in this country it might
have been difficult for him to have Sc
cured shelter in a Jail.
Harris was taken before Justice Pascoe,
at Montesano, for preliminary exami-
nation on Monday and was held to answer
in the superior court, and in default OF
$4,000 bail was remanded to Jail. Shortly
after his examination HERALD repre-
sentative was accorded an interview with
the prisoner, by the courtesy Of Sheriff
Huff. Upon entering the Jail the HERALD
man found Harris just after hearty DIM
ner and, after little persuasion, quite
willing to talk over his case. He is
strong, hardy appearing man with light
hair, blue eyes and sandy chin whlsker,
So years Of age, although he might be
thought younger, of mild demeanor until
reused. when he shows evidences Of pug
nacity, but, on the whole, there is moth
ing in his appearance or manner to indi-
cate the depravity necessary for the
com mission OF such crime as he stands
charged with.
When questioned about his behavior
with Il girl he said that Daisy, who is
the second OF several children, was abused
by the rest of the family and made to
work at chopping and clearing and to
wait upon the others-in fact was a verb
table Cenderella-until the life became
home that he had always taken her part
at home so that she naturally came to
him in her trouble and that he took her
away that she might escape the abuses
inflicted upon her at home. He was EN-
phatc in the statement that he meant
her no harm at that time. nor, he said,
was any ofIense committed until after
they had been a number of weeks in the
woods together. He realizes that he is
in a bad scrape bu, does not seem fully
aware Of the enormity of the ofense. For
proper understanding of his tale of the
wanderings OF the couple through the for
ests OF the foot hills of the Olympic range
Of mountains, it is necessary to know
that the whole country Travelled by them
is an unsettled wilderness and that the
traveller must depend upon his rifle for
food and a compass for his course. Game
is plenty and Harris, being an old woods
man, talked as if the journey was mere
matter of course.
When the girl first left home it was at
once known that she went with Harris,
as he dropped out OF view at the same
time, and a great search was made for
tbao, THO o,tbor;t;oS xroro o,Ooo1ol