The Washington times., 1910-09-01

left the saloon alone and that some OF
his party left before him and others
ter he took his departure
Pound Dead Near By
Harris was shot within three blocks of
the Hall summer garden
He Law IN a secluded spot. beside an
old boiler. an empty pistol holster at
his side. The bullet entered the rear of
the head. and vet until the head Of the
department assumed personal charge
and interest. the police we're content 10
SET aside all these facts and substitute
IN its place the theoretical proposition
Of self destruction
If the negro can be found during
who picked up Harris gun ana
pawned il, there is a possibility that
his admission viii show that the gun
lay at such a distance from the BODY
as 10 effectively dispose of the sup
position that Harris killed himself
Experts declare, in this connection.
that there is no possible way IN which
Harris could have wrought his own de-
StructiOn in the manner alleged
They attack the position IN which the
arm would nave been held the difficulty
Of pulling the trigger, and, above all.
the 1000 10 ] chance that Harris could
shoot himself and Yet not burn his
hair
\ revolver held close to the head, say
The experts. always SinEeS- These made
by Times reporters have proven that
board or piece Of paper Is scOrched from
pistol FIRE, even If SIX 70 eight inches
distant
F7rrow Scouts Suicide.
Lieut. w. Milton Farroyg. one Of the
experts who declares that it was a mat
ter OF physical impcssibiliTy for Harris
to have shot himself IN the manner de-
scribed, Is known throughout the sport
ing world as a crack rife and pistol
shot He has participated in a number
Of tournaments at the different ranges
II this country and has been the win
ner Of various records ana medals He
mas studied firearms FOR years and
Knows them intimately Yet he de
clares-
Il take no stock in this theory Of
the suicide Of Harris Is il reasona5 bic
20 suppose that a man would shoot him
self in -he back Of the head2 Why
should man Go that when q bullet
through the temple or mouth would have
presented less chance for Il MISS
But that Is not the prime reason up-
on which I base my assertion that II
could not have been suicide I know,
from a long DerSOnal experience. that
powder does burn No man can take
. -5S-caliber revolver. placing Il within
two or three inches CT an object fire
it. and leave q perfectly clean and pow
derless record behind him That gun
is going 20 burn or smut that object
''Suokeless powder II makes no diff
ference Try It. Figure how Close Har-
ris must Of necessity have held that FIVE
inch barrel pistol 10 the rear Of his
head Fire a gun loaded with smOkeless
pOWdeT-havilE The DISTANCE The same
and note the result
Bound To Be Marks.
THERE'S bound 20 be a teHtaIe powder
! burn If this mans hair was not sinEed.
as thu police admit 10 be tie case. then
It may I,e set down 20 a Certainty that
I the pistol was not within a few inches
/ OF the head It was fred from q dis
/ lance possibly several feet
J I have been reading the account Of
: the Harris tragedy in The Times and
| / was absolutely convinced from the
! start that suicide played no part in the
/ ending Of the life Of Harris. I have had
/ TOO much 10 DO with pistols and rifles.
/ have fred them too many thousands OF
| times. 10 take stock IN statement that
Z q pistol flash VIII not burn flesh or hair
/ at a distance Of from two 10 three
/ inches II would have burned this boys
( head had II been possible for him 20
! nave held the gun six inches from his
I head This latter feat is practically
/ impossible. Try Il yourself. bv point
] ing a lGng-barreled gun toward the rea7
[ Of the head just behind the right ear. ID
/ The bullet which ended the life OF
/ Harris entered Just below and behind
! the right ear ranging upward AT ar
/ angle OF perhaps - 10 50 degrees