The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-16

Wrought up by its trio Of tragedies,
all Montgomery County, Nd. shuddered
with the fear Of a lynchlng yesterday.
and the mob spirit needed but a torch TO
set it afame The streets OF Rockville
hummed with vicious talk. Disaster was
In the air.
Had the mob unleashed its fully, It would
have found its quarry had escaped. A
quiet trip from town was made by Sherln
MuIican and his prisoner ollie Harris
now languishes behind the bars OF the
Baltimore City Jail.
The sheriff knew better than to delay
The Rockville Jail. an ancient and ram
shackle structure, would have given be-
for the determined mob almost as tissue
paper. Seeming trouble. sherln AIullicau
fastened to Washington and boarded the
o'clock train for Baltimore with Harris
and Deputy Sheriff Hewitt
The secret was kept well throughout
the day, and comparatively few persons
knew Of what had happened. An attack
on the jail was feared last night. and
the villagers Of Traviah were said to be
organizing 70 make a demonstration be-
fore the Old prison. The community
breathed easier when it learned Of Sheriff
Mullican's act.
Suspected OF Two Crimes.
The finger OF suspicion for two crimes
IS now pointed at ollie Harris. The as
sault upon Mrs. Clara Harris is laid at
his door. and also the CHASTITY crime
which came TO light Saturday-the slay-
ing OF Henson Poole in his lonely farm
house near Travilah.
a web Of circumstance IS already wind
ing itself about the man in connection
with the latter tragedy When was
Poole last seen alive? IN the company
Of Harris. Il Is said. Why was Harris
so anxious TO put his aunt. Mrs Clara
Harris, out Of the way2 Because she
OWNED her nephew had done violence 10
Poole. and possessed knowledge which
might prove his undoing Travilah is
busy piecing all it's evidence together
Sheriff Mulican would not admit he
suspected Harris of the Poole staying.
but 10 is commonly asserted he does.
His action IN taking the young man 10
the Baltimore jail leads to this con-
clusion.
Poole and Harris were apparently good
friends. They had not quarreled, so far
as IS known Tobvtown, little commu-
nlty Of negroes near the Poole homo. has
many tales Of wild nights at the farm
house In which the two men drank. gam
bied. and sang at the top Of their voices.
but Poole was rather solitary and was
not reckless I'm spending his money.
Harris was generally hard up for money
and borrowed from any one he could He
knew Poole was prosperous and owed
him large sums. IL is said. A drunken
brawl may have led TO the commission
Of the crime
Travlah. bent on fastening the crime
on Harris. points out that Henson Poole
and Mrs Clara Harris met foul play I'm
exactly the same manner Both were
struck on the right temple with a ham
NOR or blunt instrument. and then shot
Great Importance is attached 10 this
point.
VIII Solve the Mystery.
States Attorney Bowie F. Waters.
who was engaged yesterday in an attempt
TO solve the mystery, says the identity
OF the slayer Of Poole will soon be dis
closed. There is little doubt in his mind
as 70 the identity of the person. but he
says there might be more than one con-
nected with st.
"The sheriff has the affair well in
hand" said Mr. Waters and win soon
bring the offender 20 justice. I rely q
good deal upon the Investigation he made
yesterday morning on his trip 10 Penni-
heTs lock"
Throughout the countryside the feeling
runs high against ollie Harris. and sus.
picion has crystsllized into conviction
that he Is the perpetrator Of the two
crimes The sheriff is commended for his
prompt act in removing his prisoner tC
Baltimore. Nothing could have stayed
violence had ne replained in the old civil
war jail, which is RoCkvllles disgrace.
Even Ollie HARRIS revolted against con-
ditions I'm the prison. declaring anything
was preferable 90 confinement there Just
before reUtval TO Baltimore, he vented
his anger on the warden.
II cannot sleep In that Internal place
on account Of the Geas and vermin" he
said when they are not eating anc
gnawing me, they are disturbing my sleeI
with their footballs. They are big fel
lows
Warden Trail is so slow ne couldnt
catch a cold if he tried The food ht
gave me isn't fit for any human beins
to eat. The odors are sickening Their,
IS no ventilation. a fellow would di,
OF thirst before the warden could draw
him a cup Of water All I had 10 eat
was corn bread and fish three times
day"
Handcufed to Deputy.
When Harris emerged from the Jail h,
was handcuffed TO Deputy Sheriff Hew
tit. with Sheriff Mulican following clos,
behind Harris seemed nervous and ap
prehensive and looked around 10 see II
mob faced him. At each station wher,
the train stopped Harris peered anxious
Is out Of the window 10 see what wa!
doing After he left Montgomery COUNTY
be was more at ease and smoked cigars
Muddy Branch. the scene Of the Pool,
murder. was thronged with visitors ri
day. Many went out from washington
90 see the farmhouse. Sheriff Mullican
who was called to the village in tht
early morning. did not tarry long. II,
declared he knew the identity Of the per
petrator, and thought that more than on,
person was connected with the crime