The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-06-15
MURDERED THE BABY TO
HIDE DAUGHTERS SHAME
Mrs. ID. K. Harris of This CITY Con-
fesses to AwfnI Crime In Spo-
kane-Under Arrest.

Mrs. D. r. Harris of Mob Hill is under
arrest in Spokane. having confessed TO
the authorities that she murdered the
illegitimate child of her daughter. Miss
Pearl Harris. baby boy three DAYS old.
Mrs. Harris is the wife of d. r. Harris.
formerly of the real estate firm of Tu
ner & Harris, whom Barnes & Son
bought out few months ago. lie lives
on ten acre tract on Mob Hill. pur.
chased from r. r. Davis for $4,000. Tie
had no animation of the terrible crime
committed by his wife until the arrival
of the Spokesman Review here Sunday
afternoon. which contained an account
of her arrest and stated she was sus.
pected of killing the baby. He left for
Spokane on tine night train and at this
writing has not returned Before going
he admitted to Sheriff Grant that a
child was born to his daughter last
Thursday night and that his wife went
to Spokane to place it with the Home
Finding association in the hope of COW
ering up tn daughters disgrace. She is
about 20 years of age and the night be.
fore the child was born attended dance
at the armory. accompanied by her faith
er and mother. Mr. Harris was almost
crazed with grief when he left here and
his friends express much sympathy for
him. He did not bclive at that time that
his wife had murdered the baby, but
Mondays Review contained her con-
fession. According to that paper she
charges Clarence Grant, now i'm Wala
Walla, and John st. Clair. who left
here last November. with having kent
company with her daughter. The fol.
lowing facts in connection with the trag-
edy are CLEANED from the accounts pub.
lished by the Spokesman Review on
Sunday and Monday
Mrs. Harris came to Spokane Satur-
day morning with the babe. She rode
in the Pullamn and attracted the at
tention of the trainmcn through an
pearing to he dazed or partially out of
her head. At the Northern Pacific pas.
senger station the trainmen turned her
over to the depot master with an ac-
count of her actions. She remained
about the passenger station for some
time. and finally left with the infant in
her arms.
Saturday night the woman returned
to the passenger station without the in
FAINT. Some man, not yet identified,
bought her ticket for Yakima. and then
disappeared. Believing the woman to be
out of her head and fearing she had lost
her baby. the station men notified the
police of the womans condition
Policeman Fitzharris investigated.
and to him Mrs Harris declared she
had left the baby with people who would
adopt it. The woman appeared to be
out of her head, and call was sent in
for the patrol wagon in which she was
removed to the police station. At the
police station Captain McPhee question
ed her rigidly and was shocked to hear
her statement that she was walking up
on the hill, somewhere back of the depot
where she accidentally let the boy fall.
its head striking a rock The woman
said she saw the skull was crushed, and
knowing tneinfant was dead left it
where it had fallen.
"She was unable to describe the spot
but requested that she be permitted TO
go out alone in the morning and find it..
From the meager description given the
police were not able to locate the dead
body. In answer to further question
ing Mrs. Harris gave her residence az
Yakima, where. she said. her husband
lived and where he worked as pros
pector. She declared the baby belonged
TO her daughter. but would give no de-
tails of how she happened to bring the
infant to Spokane.
"All through the questioning Mrs
Harris remained in a dazed condition.
and only answering questions after per-
sistent repetition. She was finally lock