The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-09-24
Too Smart for Police.
(Rv the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated PTeSS.)
Norfolk. Va, Sept. he
could be a~pprehended by the local po-
lice at the request of North Carolina
authorities, Joshua Harrison, of Cur
rituck county, put a bullet in his
brain late this afternoon at the Glad
stone Hotel, east Main street. He
is dying at the st. Vincent Hospital
and attending physicians declare that
there is NJ hope Of
Harrison was convicted Of bduct-
ing Kenneth BeaSley, Il son of State
Senator S. NJ. Beasley, of Currituck.
The alleged act was committed in
1905. The child was lever found.
Harrison was given twenty years in
prison. He was denied a new trial.
This afternoon the Norfolk police
were notified that he had come to the
city and were asked to Immediately
locate, arrest and disarm him, as he
had threatened to commit suicide. He
has a married daughter residing here,
whom Mrs. Harrison is visiting.
Detectives located Harrison at the
Gladstone Hotel. a bell boy was sent
UP with the request tina he come to
the telephone. He ~laughted, declaring
that the police could not trap him 80
easily. He closed and locked his room
door. Before the boy could get back
to the officers the report Of a pistol
was heard. The bullet entered the
oaio A1 Liz ~ L LII
Harrison left no statement of any
kind.
Harrison's Crime.
Joshua Harrison was convicted at
last March term of the Superior court
for ~Pasquotank county, held in Eliza
beth City, the case having been re-
moved from Currituck on defendants
allesatlon OF ~unfavorable public SEN
timent. Harrison was charged with
kldnannjno Kannoth tho 40 x-a,,
old son of State Senator S. M. Beasley,
of Currituck county.
On the 18th of February, 1905,
Kenneth Beasley disappeared from
school near MS nome, aud mis- aren't
have not seen him since that day. it
was supposed at first that the boy had
to a swamp near the
school. and. acting upon that theory,
hundreds of people searched the
swamp and al the surrounding
were sent for, and they we're put on
the scent, but the effort was fruitless.
1t was not until week after the boy
disappeared that the search was aban-
doned.
Then a clue developed. A mar was
seen near the school the day Ken
meth was lost, in a buggy with a boy
whom he was trying to keep con-
cealed. The man was identified as
Joshua Harrison. From this a chain
II ADMINISTRATORS WAS CONSTRUCTED. and
When 1t was complete it encircled
Joshua Harrison. When the trial took
place the jury was thoroughly salts
tied of his guilt. The verdict of
guilty n the sentence of twenty
years in the State prison met with
public approval in the locality where
the circumstances were we'll known.
The defense was an attempt to prove
an alibi, which was not established
to the satisfaction of the jury.
Harrison was defended on his trial
by a notable array of counsel, includ-
ing two former governors of North
Carollna-Thomas J. Jarvis and
CHARLES B. Aycock. He was ably rep
resented in the Supreme Court, where
ms appeal was argued at this term.
Inc decision, adverse to Harrison, was
announced Tuesday of this week.
nounced Tuesday of this week and in
1t the Supreme Court expressed its
Delef to the guilt of Harrison, saying
all circumstances pointed to him.
The supposed motive for the kid
mapping was the open hostility of
Beasley to illicit whiskey business, in
which,, It is alleged, that Harrison was
engaged. Harrison was revengeful
and vindictive. and it was reported