The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-21

A discovery Of such s starting nature
that II promises 20 render worthless
practically All Of the evidence collected
by Detective SerEeants Weedon and
Buriingame. in their Investigation Of
the causes that led Up TO the death OF
Norval z Harris, has been made bv
The Times.
with the reports Of the two detective
seFgeants completed and submitted u
Coroner J Ramsay Nevirt. and win
tne Coroner accepting these reports as
confirmation OF his first decision. tba+
Harris had committed suicide The
Times today has located an frno--s7-
witness. whose statements. corrobors+a5
oy another witness completely shafra-
the theory along which the police work
ed N their - estiEation Of the death
Ihis witness makes the positive dec
iaration that the body Of Norvzr T
Harms was not lying dead on 1 street
oet"een Eighth and Ninth streets
southwest al 11-30 o'clock on the -f---
OF august =. the night on which Har-
us according TO the theory OF +ba NJ
lice, stretched himself on the gr,,,.,,5
ana shot himself in the back Of the
head
This witness makes the sJ5ftfor.r
positive declaration that NorvaI T. H.
ms was not lying dead in strear o7a
hour later, or at 12;s0 o'clock. on ne
morning OF August .
Basis Of Police Probe
The police have based theis entire m
'estiSatlon on the conclusion that Ffar-
rs was shot at about 1870 O'Clock. am
me major portion Of their report IS
used 10 show that no one could hars
murdered him. as no one was ses7 nm
ming about the scene Of death or run.
ninS from the place at that hour
And the strange. the remarkable.
declaration must be made that the inn
portant information possessed bv this
witness has been known TO The Of
hcers and detectives of the MstrGDol5tar
Police Department since the very be-
SinninS OF the special invests tSation that
was ordered by Ma ior sylvester rfs
Police Chief. after The Times had nro-
tested the snap judgment taken bS- The
police and the Coroner in deCIarfu- thar
11arTlS-oeSplte the many Circumstance
lLat permitted the suspicion OF q posi-
bic mUrdeT-nad committed suicide
coroner hewitt yesterday enphat ticaITv
refused 70 consider a formal demand
made by an authorized reDreSentatfvr
OF the brother and sister Of NorvaI T.
Harris Tor N inquest that might posi-
bly, remove Ire stigma Of suicide from
the name OF the dead hoy. whose BODY
with a pistol wound IN the head. was
found lying in / street. between eighth .
and Ninth streets southwest on the
Of August IS.
Woodmen Are Determined.
On September 10. the special commit
tee appointed by the Washington Camp
OF the WoOdmen Of America. sent to
the Coroner a formal request that an
inquest be held
The WOOdmen, Il must be said. stand
liable 10 pay $1,000 insurance benefit
to the sister Of Harris should the Ger
tificate OF suicide be set aside but in
spite Of tbs t:le Washington Camp, not
satisfied that Harris put an end 10 his
life. is determined to have the mystery
solved
Up TO yesterday the WOodmen had
received no answer from the Coroner .
The action of that Official IN returning
the report Of Detectives Weldon and
to the head CT the Police
Department with TIE announcement that
he had closed the case and would not
change his decision has aroused the
WoOdHen and they have turned TO the
District Comruissi oners for recognition
c commissioner Rudolph gave to The
Times late yesterday afternoon a copy
Il O--z-A-