The Washington herald., 1910-08-29
LEAVES
MYSTERY TANGLE
Continued from Page One.

one. which indicates Il was not received
from the wire
A ticket found in Harris pocket showed
that he had purchased two f7r a river
trip and used one Of them. What he
intended doing with the other is a
mystery
II is evident that he returned from his
boat ride and left the wharf in the direc-
ton Of his home about 100 o'clock. pass
ing into the lonely side street where his
body was found. Or. Thomas LAnyine
OF 437 Massachusetts avenue, examined
young Harris in March as 20 his physical
fitness for insurance in the Modern
WOodmen OF America. He says he formed
no opinion as 10 the young mans char
acter. He told tho police he saw Harris
standing In the crowd al the Seventh
street wharf about $50 o'clock Saturday
night. Or. LlnYille had just returned
from Marshall Hall He did not speak
TO Harris
More Letters Found.
Two mysterious letters. written by
young Harris last Sunday and Monday.
under a Baltimore heading were found
az his home late last night by Detective
Cox. Neither had been mailed. Both al
luded 20 his troubles with a young
woman in Baltimore. who. he said. was
an orphan. Apparently, Harris had in
tended making a clean breast OF an IN
fortunate love affair, The police refused
20 give out the wording OF these letters
until after the inquest. Their theory IS
that Harris made up his mind 10 weave
a romance about himself and that the
unmailed notes were a part OF his insane
scheme. At this time the Baltimore po-
lice were asked TO search for a young
woman that Harris referred 20.
Detectives Spratt. Springman. Hewlett.
and Grant. who are working on the
case with Detective Cox. all agreed that
the fact that he used one OF the tickets
for the river excursion OF the Woodmen
OF the World is established. a steamer
from Marshall Hall arrived at its dock
about 11l0 o'clock Saturday night
Il is supposed Harris brooded over his
imaginary troubles during the ride down
the river and back. and that he left the
steamer and took a short cut through
street. making for the Seventh street
cars. In the middle Of the dark square
he apparently made up his mind 10 end
things. drew his revolver. placed it Just
behind his right ear. and fired.
Theory il Borne Out.
The position OF the body and OF the
wound both bore out this theory. Each
OF the half dozen residents OF the neigh
borhood who were within hearing de-
clared positively there was only one shot
fired That he lay the revolver by his
side when the unknown negro found him
yesterday morning is the belief OF the
majority Of those who worked on the
case.
Harris was IN the employe OF his uncle.
who is a street contractor. He was earn
ing SIS week and his board. and had a
tidy little sum deposited I'm a savings
bank. Robert Bailey. q fellow-workman,
and apparently the only one who had
made friends with Harris said the boy
was reticent about his affairs He had
never heard az his love troubles, but he
knew Harris had been brooding consid-
erably during the last two weeks
He was slightly deaf and was very
sensitive about the ahllction. His rela-
tives believed this made him avoid COM
panionship with young men OF HIS own
age.
There were several pictures Of young
women IN Harris room One OF them
hts uncle believed was a Roanoke girl.
Harris was employed by the Norfolk and
Western Railroad in Roanoke two years
ago, and lost his position when the road
reduced it's force. He brought an excel
lent recommendation back with him, and
his associates here said he was a hard
worker.
Mr. Harris. the uncle, said last night
there was absolutely no truth In the
statement that his nephew was afraid of
discharged workmen.
Discharged Men Himself.
THAT is all foolishness." he said. q
discharged those men. and Norval had
nothing to do with it. and knew IT. The
men liked the boy. don't know why
he carried a pistol, but it was not be-
cause he thought any one had it in Tor
him.
Coroner hewitt said II was a clear case
Of suicide. He further said:
The coroner's jury will be sworn In to-
and unless something unfore-
seen comes up, the inquest viii be held at
once. The police. as far as 1 know, have
nothing TO show it was not a suicide.
That Will be the verdict Of the jury. IN |
less the detectives dig up some more evf-
ience tomorrow.
THE wound in Harris head could cas-
ly have been made by a pistol held in his
own hand. The bullet took the right
course for such theory. 1t seems to me
very probable that the negro who found
he body had the pistol
I'm addition, Harris clothing bore no
evidence OF a struggle. and his face and
body bore no bruises or cuts. It IS not
probable that any one could have taken |
Harris pistol out OF his pocket and shot
aim without fight ~