Evening star., 1909-09-11
DATE OF HARRIS TRIAL.
Shooting of William A. Thomp-
son Before Court.
WARRENTON, VA, TRAGEDY
Defendant to Be Arraigned Tuesday,
the 28th Instant.
SENTIMENT EQUALLY DIVIDED
Each of the Parties Involved in
Trouble Popular in the
Community.
EQUALLY DIVIDED
Special Dispatch To The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star:
WARRENTON, Va, September IA
trial. the approach of which Is viewed
with the keenest interest, not only by
Warrentonians but by persons all over
Fauouier county, is that of J. d. Harris.
who killed William A. Thompson here
April ~ last. The case has been set for
September -, and unless something un-
looked for occurs it will be taken up
here that day before Judge Edward S.
Turner Of the Fauquier county court.
The shooting of Thompson by Harris
was the result of a series of difficulties
between the two men. Thompson was
half owner of the Warrenton Virginian.
| a weekly newspaper, while Harris was a
school teacher and a candidate for the Of
fe of supervisor of schools for Fauquier
county. Thompson opposed his election.
In addition to their political difficulties
Thompson and Harris opposed each other
in other matters. The feeling between
them was SO great that some time prior
to the alteration that ended in Tho1np-
sons death the two men had INDUCED in
fist fight in which Thompson, who was
larger than Harris, had beaten the lat
| ter.
Cause of Shooting.
The immediate cause of the shooting
| was. according to eye witnesses who have
discussed the affair. an attack on Harris
by Thompson, preceded by threats made
an hour or so before. AS Thompson
came at Harris the latter. it is said, hav-
ing armed himself after hearing Thomp-
sons threats, opened fire The shooting
occurred on Main street in. front of the
post Office and directly across the street
| from the courthouse, in the late after
noon
Thompson did not die Immediately. and
| in an effort to save him a special train
was made UP and he was brought to
Washington. At Providence Hospital an
operation was performed but several
shots had perforated Thompson's intes-
| tines and he died without having recov-
cred consciousness. Harris was arrested.
but released on $4,000 bail, which was
furnished by several of the leading men
of Warrenton.
Sentiment is about equally divided here.
as both men have strong adherents.
Thompson was native of Fauquier ccun-
ty and had been identified with Warren
ton all his life. He was generally known
! as Willie" Thompson. and was a familiar
figure at Virginia horse shows and similar
gatherings.
Harris is North Carolinian and has
been in Warrenton only a few years.
During that time. however. he made
many friends. and when he was arrested
little time was lost by his friends in COM
ing to his support.
No Fear of Trouble.
Notwithstanding the strong feeling on
the part of the adherents of the two men
trouble at the trial is not anticipated.
Sufficient time has elapsed since the
killing of Thompson to allow everybody
to cool down. and the only expressions
one hears regarding the trial are those of
hope that politics and personal feeling
will be kept in the background and that
simple justice will. be allowed to take its
course. OF recent years there have been
several apparent n1iscarriages of justice
in Virginia. due for the most part to po-
litical influences. The local pride of the
and the sentiment of the best citizens OF
the town is strongly in favor Of making
the Harris trial an example of the law
| abiding spirit of this part of Virginia.
The prosecution will be conducted by
John. A. c. Keith. commemorative at
torney for Fauquier county. The most
recent big case that Mr.. Keith figured in
was the famous 'Strother-Bywater trial
at Culpeper. which he was assigned to
when Culpeper county was 50 stirred up
that the Fauquier law officers were called
upon to conduct the case.
While still young man Mr. Keith has
had a great deal of experience and is
considered one of the ablest prosecuting
attorneys in Virginia.
Attorneys for Defense.
For his defense Mr. Harris has engaged
State Senator George Latham Fletcher OF
Warrenton, Richard E. Byrd of Win
chester and Marshall Mccormick of
Berryville all prominent criminal lawyers.
The only trouble anticipated is In the
impaneling of jury. which will probably
take some time owing TO the fact that the
laws of Virginia governing the right of
counsel to challenge jurors are strict and
permit the throwing out of talesman
for slight reasons While this will cause
loss of time. perhaps. it is improbable
that any serious delay will result and no
one anticipates the necessity of a change