Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-09-24
John Harris, COlOred, the Victim OF
a Crime Sunday Morning.
TWO WOMEN WERE ALSO INJURED
House in which They we're Sleeping
Wrecked By the Explosi0n---Joh
Holland, Accused OF Deed.

mitted in this city was perpetrated
about / O'CLOCK Sunday morning,
when the frame house occupied by q
colored woman named Jnlia White.
and.situated ON Avery street, in the
rear of Eulalia street. just tacross the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad tracks. was
blown to pieces with dynamite. and
colored man named John Harris in
stantly killed, his companion, colored
woman named Katie Hi0ainbotham
for SMITH. fatally injured aud the
woman named White severity cut and
bruised.
The house which was demolished
was the property of colored woman
named Bell. and was rented and occu-
pied by the eolored woman named
Julia White. For some time past
there has been some question as to its
repute, and it is said that on Satur-
dsv the Higglnbotham woman went
there to make her home, having rented a
room from Julia White. One of the adj
colored man named Joseph Holland.
who has been employed at the quarries
of the Bessmeer Limestone Co. and
who is now in Jail here on charge
of having dynamited the place. the
motive being jealousy because his mis-.
tress preferred the society CT another
man.
The charge of dvanamite was evil
IDENTIFY placed under one conner of the
house directly under the room occu-
pied by Harris and the woman, this
being made easy by reason of the fact
that the house was raised foot or
two from the ground. The explosion
was a terrific one. and was heard in
nearly every section of the town. The
interior of the house was completely
Quilted The partitions, floors and
walls were demolished, being reduced
to splinters. and the furniture entirely
wrecked.
The explosion shook every house in
the thickly populated district and
brought the occupants to their windows
in stale of great alarm. Immedi-
ately after the dynamite let go. the
woman named White, who was Sc
verely ininred but able to escape from
the demolished building called for
help, and colored man named Sol.
Jackson. who lives in the adjoining
place. went to her assistance. and
with the aid of enc or two other
men, lifted the debris from the bodies
of Harris and the woman. who were
under the ruins. The woman was
taken out and carried to the house of
another colored woman named lad
Dyche, where DR.. Mccormack dressed
her injuries, which are Of probably
fatal nature.
AS so IN as the body of Harris was
reached it was seen that he was dead,
and he was allowed to remain where
found until Coroner Colston arrived
and viewed the scene. Later the re.
mains of Harris were removed to KoRle.
schatz's undertaking establishment
and prepared for burial. Harris was
killed instantly by the shock. There
was only one mark upon him, a cut
across the back of the head. The
Higginbotham woman Was also badly
shocked, and sustained internal in
jures which may result in her death.
POLICE AT WORK.
The members of the police force i'm.
mediately began an investigation
which resulted IN couple of hours
in the arrest of Holland, who was
taken into custody by officer Blake
and placed in Jail. Holland wa.
on the Higginbotham woman. who
came here three months ago from
Pittsburg, and it was aslo known that
he was jealous because she received
the attentions of other men. Holland
had an appointment with tue woman
on Saturday night, but when he went
to her place he found another man
there. He then went TO the home Of
the Dyene woman, who makes the
positive statement that Holland de.
elared his intention Of blowing al
the shack before the night was over.
BE was at the Dyche woman's house
three times during the night. and
seemed to be under the influence OF
liquor and in an evil mood.
One circumstance which strengthens