The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-30
Former Member of Tennessee Len
islature Is in Jail for Mis-
treating Hec-
HYPN0TISM is RESPONSIBLE.
Girl Says He Took Her Around
the Country Giving Shows
Remarkable Story to Be
Told in Court.
REPCBLIC SPECIAL.

REPrBILC SPECIAL.
Lexington. Ky. July ea-Vannie Carnp-
beH. the l5-year-old orphan girl. who. on
saturday had her guardian. Joseph Hair
us OF knoxville, Tenn. arrested here for
, assault ard battery. related her sad expe-
rlehee this afternoon at the ChiIdren's
Rome. with tears streaming down her
cheeks She is an unusually pretty and in
teiiiScnt girl and, while somewhat timid,
she is composed and firm in her resolutions.
L would not have had Uncle Joe put in
jail for the world she said. '.if I could
have found some way out of it. At Rich
mond he drew knife from his pocket and
opening it. attempted to cut my throat.
seized his arm and took the knife from
his hand He said to me that he was glad
had disarmed him and told me to throw
the knife away. for he knew he would have
Killed me had I not prevented him.
1t mas not been a year ago when we all
hved happily together. Uncle Joe and his
wife. my Aunt Mary. lived on a quiet little
street In Knoxville. He had served a long
time as member Of the Legislature and
mad made money i attended the girls
high School. and was in the seventh grade
Uncle Joe was curious on the subject of
hypnotism. He found a teacher and took
me with him to Atlanta. where in a hotel
there We studied under Professor Price
until We became expert.
Professor Leon.
We returned to Knoxville. and there met
Professor Leon. who swore out the war
rant for me yesterday. I was a fine hvp-
motto subject. well as a mind reader
Uncle Joe took to using morphine. and he
gradually developed n vicious temper. He
never struck Aunt Mary, but he otter beat
me, and would drag ME across the floor by
the hair.
Il put up with IT all. and we concluded
to go out on the road giving hypnotic
shows. About this time. Aunt Nary's
mother. who lived at Somerset died, and
she went to remain with her father and
brothers, and keep house while We were
out We stopped there two weeks ago
Uncle Joe had gotten infatuated with
ME that l feared him. But We concluded to
go to Richmond, where Professor Leon
wanted me 10 put on the burial Scene. While
l was in the grave. Uncle Joe was con-
stantly drunk or crazy from morphine.
When We started home Saturday. he ere
ated a scene at the hotel. He was jealous
of me. and would not allow me out of his
sight with men.
Upon arriving here he was wild He
threw me down on the floor and was about
to kill me, when the men interfered and
advised ME to have him arrested am 50
sorry. He raised me. and has always been
good to me. He has educated me, and owe
everything to him. L had some property LETT
me by my mother. The money Uncle Joe
has spent but the little farm at M.ntons-
Vile is still mine.
Il will have to appear against Uncle Joe
in court tomorrow, and | hope they will
send him to a sanitarium. for IL he can
get to me l fear he will Kill me-"
Harris Dependent.
Harris remained in Jail all day. He was
in a Respondent mood ard looked continual
~ In one direction, with his eyes fixed on no
particular oil Ject.
They have her under their power. She
is hypnotized, poor child he. muttered
every now and then, and he would start
as if TO break out of his cell.
In an interview he said:
1T was all a miserable mistake. | am
not a criminal. and cannot understand why
am locked in a prison cell. They have
the child completely under their power, and
will ruin her. She is my child. / have
raised her She loved me. but she is hypno-
tized and will swear what they tell her to.
We were doing well until We met with
those men. They have hypnptized her and
taken her from me. / don't know why
let her go to Richmond. but when Leon
wrote me 30 come and bring her. / could
not resist. He has US both in his power"
Judge Bullock will hear the case to-mer-
row. 1t Is the most remarkable which has
come under his notice. and there Is much ,
over the affair. Harris denies
being infatuated with the girl. His wife Is
at the home of her father. AL Richardson,
a wealthy farmer Of Pulaski County. |
LEON MAKES A STATEMENT.
Professor Leon said: II have no influence
over the girl or Harris Harris was so
furious at times that We had to give him