Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-09-24
SUICIDE VERDICT
NOT ACCEPTABLE
Lodge Insists On further Inquiry
Into Harris Death.
COR0NER'S SECOND VERDICT

I
sues Second Statement Without
Holding An Inquest or Having the
Facts to Prove That Harris Killed
HimseIf-Acts Like a Man Not Fa.
riIisr With Duties Required Of II s
Office.
Washington, Sept. fs-"This com
mittee is not satisfied with the re.ter.
ated declaration of the coroner that
Noryal T. Harris. one CT our fellow
Woodmeu. killed himself. Our indie
pendent investigation will proceed,
and we will insist thai the authorl-
ties prove their contentious
The spokesman for the special COM
mittee named by the Washington
Camp, Modern Woodmen of America,
o investigate the murder or suicide of
/ Harris, at one time a resident Of Mar
tinsburg, which occurred three weeks
ago, made the above statement after
learning that the coroner had again
given out an opinion that Harris was
self slain, and that an inquest was I'M
necessary
The Woodmen will insist tina, an in
quest is necessary. 1t is their conten-
ton that the second investigati ion
made by the police has failed to clear
up the real mystery of the case, just
as did the first cursory inquisitiou
The circumstances surrounding the
death of Harris might indicate most
foul murder as we'll as self-desruc-
ton say those who have taken a fra
ternaI Interest in the untimely end of
the young street Inspector.
| Following the filing of the report of
the detectives assigned to the reopen
ed investigation of the case, members
OF the Woodmen's special committee
met to discuss the apparent willing.
ness of the authorities to once more
abandon the probe that should lead
either % definite proof that Harris
killed himself or was killed by an un-
known midnight assassin.
| The committee voted to insist that
/ their demand for an inquest should be
given consideration. Whatever the in
quest may reveal the Order of Wood
men will accept as final
/ Major Sylvester submitted to Cor
oher hewitt detailed report of the
detectives who have been inYestigat-
ing u Harris death. Major Sylves-
ter wrote that the police department
would continue it's investigation if the
coroner so desired.
/ "This department will be very glad
to do anything further in the prem
ises." wrote the superintendent of po-
lice,
After reading over the report of
Detectives Weldon and Burlingame,
( the Coroner advised the chief of po-
lice that he still adhered 10 the belief
that Norval T. Harris committed sui
eide and that he did not appreciate
how the case could be more thorough
| ly investigated if brought to the atten-
ton of the corouer'S jury. Therefore,
indicated Coroner hewitt, the original
certificate OF suicide. issued without
the for-nality OF an inquest, will
stand.
Two local camps of the Modern
Woodmen of America already have ex-
pressed disapproval Of the suicide GER
t,ficate and from one of them the Cor
oner has received a request that he
summon a jury to hear the conflicting
evidence in the case and to settle, for
once and all, the mooted question OF
how Harris died.
The report now filed by the police
tells Of interviews had with various
relatives Of Harris; Of the young
mans love affairs: Of his alleged
trouble" with woman, and of the
letters found among Harris effects
which the investigators still insist
the now dead man wrote to himself
Handwriting experts, Ii is declared
bear out the latter theory, although
lthe letters are in three distinct hand
writings, plainly in evidence to the un
trained eye of the layman
Further investigation by the Mod
ern Woodmen probably will be along
the following lines:
fed Harris slew himself because OF a
woman, the woman herself has never
been found.
That no one has been found who
will swear positively that the CUR
pawned By a negro the day following
the tragedy was in reality The gun o.
Harris.
That the police have located mons
nor have the frequent visits to Balti
more and the gay times" there beer
explained.
That 1t is unnatural to assume tina
Harris. returning from a boat excur
! sion. would seek the lonely spot a
Ninth and / streets southwest 10 Kill
himself; that he would not have sho
himself from the rear; that powde
burns must of necessity result /
Harris held a weopon so close to hi
head.
That the presumption OF the hand