The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-09-26


will be charitable, to them all. TO
the world | say, Good bye Who
ever finds my body notify my dauph
ter, Mrs. 6. A. Gallop, 1872 Duke
street, Norfolk. Joshua Harrison"
On the back OF the note was writ
ten: . have in my pockets SO cents.
want my effects returned to Magoie
Gailop, OF 1872 Duke street. Norfolk"
Declaring the dead man was inno-
cent ofany crime and was uniustlv ac-
cused and convicted. and Senator s.
M. Beasley declaring he did not be-
ileve a word of the letter left by Har-
rlson, the tragedy will go down as
ore OF the most horrible and. per
hnps, unique that Norfolk has ever
had>happen in it's midst.
My husband was innocent. God
knows he was." said Mrs. Harrison,
as she was helped aboard the train
to harrisburg, N. c., this morning
to which place the body of Harrison
was sent for burial. "My father was
not guilty of the crime of kidnapping
Kenneth Beasley," said Mrs. Gallop,
who also accompanied the body of
Harrison to harrisburg He was
asleep at his home the night the boy
disappeared. -
81 don't believe it," said Senator
Beasley. referring to the statement
OF Harrison declaring his innocence.
Il am convinced that he was guilty
and ninety-nine out of every hundred
persons in Currituck, where Harrison
was known, are ofthe same opinion.
Senator Beasley, who is here on d
visit, was apparentlyyery much affec-
ted by the death OF Harrison; not
that he regretted the end of the aged
mans life, but because he believes he
carried to the grave with him the
secret of his little boy 8 whereabouts,
ii he is alive, or the manner of his
death if he is dead. "The suicide has
carried the secret to the grave with
him." declared Mr.. Beasley, as he
turned away his head to wipe a tear
drop from his eye >~He has been
tried for murder BEFORE" continued
Mr.. Beasley, land he should have
been tried for murder in connection
the with disappearance OF my little
son, for as true as stand here believe
he murdered my boy. The character
OF the man and the threat he made
agaist me leave no room for doubt
about this in my mind"
"There are two things | want to
correct" he said. ''It has been stated
that L had Harrison arrested for the
illicit sale of whiskey and that he and ]
LEere opposing candidates for the
| Legislature. / never had Mr.. Har.
rison arrested for anything before my
little boy disappeared, and Harrison
| was never candidate for the Legis-
lature. We we're not the same pOlit
ical party, as am a Democrat and
he was a Republican; and although he
made threats against me | never had
any feeling against him until l was
convinced that he had kidnapped my
boy"
When asked why Harrison should
threaten him, Senator Beasley re-
piled:
"a fight was on in Currituck coun-
ty against the illicit sale of liquor,
which Harrison was engaged in. -Four
days before the election in 1904 |
met Harrison in the road. He stop.
ped me and, raising his hand to hea-
ven, he declared that ii the sale oi
his wines was interfered with that
somebody would be sorry for it and
that he would have his revenge if it
was the last act of his life. The
church people of my county had
| mo fo hovn
passed by the Legislature that would
put a stop to the illicit sale of liquor,
and it was on this account that Har-
rison had the feeling against me.
While | knew his business was con-
Eliminating the young men of Curri-
tuck county, Harrison lived more
than five miles from me and he did
me no harm personally.
"After his threat there is no room
for doubt that lie killed my son; and,
though | have followed many clues
and investigated them thoroughly, l
have never felt that would find the
little fellow alive. AS long as Har-
rison lived l hoped that some day
would hear what disposition had
been made of him; but now that he
has killed himself l feel that the Sc
cret is buried.
81 had offered to waive all prose:
cution against Harrison if he would
produce my little boy or tell where he
could be found alive; but he was not
the kind of man to take advanagt
of that opportunity and preferred te
fight it out. The testimony was con
elusive against him. The people o
Currituck thought SO at the time
and their Judgment is confirmed b.,
the Supreme Court, which refused
Harrison a new trial after goins
over the entire evidence"