The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1906-06-20
MRS. E. {. HARRIS
COMMITS SUICIDE
SHOOTS HERSELF WHILE TEN
PORARILY INSANE-OROUND
LESS RUr1ORS DENIED.

p. m. lrter1nent was MADE IN NlVer-
| view cemetery. The funeral was con-
Quoted by Hamilton lodges, Order of
the Eastern Star and Rebekah's, the
deceased having been an active mem
Der in good standing of both lodges
at the time of her death. A large con-
course of sorrowing friends followed
the remains to the last resting place.
Emma Chrisman Harris was born at
Paris, Ill.,, and was about so years of
age. She came to Montana about Is
years ago and about year after the
death of her sister, the wife of the late
DR.. J.B. Harris, she was united in mar
riage with that gentleman and which
| was her second marriage. She had
| no children and her only near relatives
were sister, Mrs. W. r. Ward of
New York City. Mrs. Fred Cooley,
a very dear friend from girhood, came
up from Victor and remained at her
friends bedside constantly until the
end came. Mrs. Harris was a mem
Der of the o. E. S., the Rebekah's and
the Episcopal church and was highly
respected by wide circle of friends.
Since the death Of her husband, about
/ twelve years ago she had resided in
Hamilton, following the avocation of
dressmaker and mad acquired enough
property by her needlwork to place
her in mfortable circumstances.
Mrs. Harris, while temporarily de-
| ranged, committed suicide by shoot
ing herself in the breast with 38
caliber revolver. The bullet entered
her left breast, about an inch below
the heart aud passed entirely through
the body, lodging between the under
wear and corsets. She fingered from
O'Clock p. IN. Friday until 2:10 a. IN.
Sunday, suffering great agony except
when under the influence of opiates.
| Doctors McGrath of this city and
Buckley of Missoula did everything in
| their power to save her but their
efforts were unavailing. She fought
for death all the time, frequently beg
glng he physicians and others in at
tendance to administer chlorotortn
or allow her to recline in such posi-
ton that she would bleed to death.
Mrs. Harris resided in rooms in one
of her residences, the major part of
which was rented and occupied by
Prof. J. V. Owens and family. She
had acted so very strangely of late
and seemed possessed of such various
hallucinations that the Professor and
Mrs. Owens were greatly concerned
about her, fearing some overt act.
About O'Clock Friday a shot was
heard in her rooms. Mr.. and Mrs.
Owens hastened to her door which was
locked. Constable E. e. Stockman
happened to be passing and respond
ing to their call, picked up an AK and
broke in the door. Mrs. Harris was
have killed my sister, revolver by
her side. She had evidently made her
plans very deliberately, having & fast
ened the windows and locked the door
nephew was lying on the dresser.
Among those who arrived a few
! minutes after the tragedy was X. w
Nicol. He remained until II O'Clock
that night. Referring to the sensa
tional reports that have spread abou
the community and were given publ
cation by certain outside papers to tn
effect that Mrs. Harris had confesse,
that she had killed her sister, the lat
Mrs. Harris and her infant, Mr.. Nico
| emphatically declares that there is alb
solutely nothing to it, Mrs. Harris, h,
| says, was, manifestly, completely un
balanced mentally and talked in al
incoherent and rambling manner a
times. She had been a believer il
spiritualism and mental telepathy ant
seemed to believe that the shot tina
: had pierced her own bosom had ais
killed her sister in New York. T
show how utterly groundless the rum
ors are Mr.. Nicol and Mrs. Cooley RI
called that the first Mrs. Harris ha
| long been treated for Bright's diseas
| by some of the leading physicians c
Helena and was finally brought
| Hamilton on a cot, dying few day
after her arrival. During her Hines
her sister Emma was her constan
attendant and a most devoted nurse
AS for the baby, it was still Dor
and hence could not have been poison
ed.
II During lucid interval Mrs. Harri
sent for Attorney Henry L. Myers an
had him draw up will. She dispose