The Washington herald., 1910-09-18

ably under the influence Of liquor.
The testimony OF Rockwell and Bailey,
that Of Mildred Anderson and Rosie
Summer, TWO girls who hal known the
unfortunate young man for years
and that OF every relative interviewed
In the matter. all was 10 the effect that
while the young man may have INDUCED
20 a slight extent it was so little that
upon the papers made out upon his be-
coming a member Of the Woodmen he
was characterized as total abstainer.
The feature Of the testimony Of people
seen on THIS point was furnished by Har-
~ Chick and his mother. Mrs, Virginia
Dickerson. They occupy the house at III
l street southwest This house, the de-
tectives pointed out specifically in their
report, is diagonally across the street
from where the body was found Upon
ing the shot Chick went 10 the front
window OF the upper moor. opened the
blinds. and leaned out To seek the cause
of the disturbance. His mother Joined
him Immediately. and their combined tes-
timony was TO the effect that there was
absolutely no one in the street, that there
was no disturbance, and that only one
shot was fred.
In respect 10 this statement, attention
must be called 10 the fact that there are
two street lamps al Eighth and I streets
southwest. one on the northwest, and one
on the southeast corner. In addition there
is lamp on the north side OF I street,
midway between EignJh and Water
streets. II is thus apparent that had
there been any person or persons beside
Harris on the street. they would have
been seen by Chick and his mother
The testimony Of the two uncles and
aunt of the young man brought out the
fact that Harris had attempted HIS life
upon at least two previous occasions.
This clearly shows a dsordered state OF
mind extending over a period OF time be-
tween December. 1905, and the date Of his
death.
Tried Suicide Before.
On December q. 1908. young Harris
occupied apartments in the Melton. az
New York avenue. directly across the
hall from those occupied by his uncle,
Robert Harris. On that night the family
was aroused by the odor OF gas pouring
from Harris room. Breaking in the
door. they found the young man uncon-
scious He was taken 10 the Homeopathic
Hospital. and after treatment was re-
turned home. He was I'll for about a
week.
In the month OF January 1909 he again
attempted TO end his life by shooting
With him on this occasion was a young
man at present employed in a depart
ment store. and, by force. he prevented
him from accomplishing his purpose
After a careful survey OF the facts set
forth in the interviews. il was the deduc-
ton Of Detectives Weldon and BuIlin-
game. first that Harris was not in Halls
saloon at the time stated. The boat on
which he returned from the excursion
locked AT II o'clock II is fully twenty
minutes walk from the dock 10 the spot
where the body was found, and by the
testimony OF Chick. his mother. the
negro hostler in the stable. and by An
drew ]. Kimmel. the fatal shot was fired
within a few minutes OF ll.30 o'clock.
No Trace OF Liquor.
II was also found by the testimony of
Deputy Coroner White and that Of the
morgue master that there was no trace
of alcohol In the young mans stomach.
Considerable attention was paid by the
detectives 10 the fact that a number of
letters and pictures Of various women
were found in the mans rooms. In re-
spect 10 the pictures, seven in number,
FIVE were positively identified. Three were
Of Mrs. Mabel O'Hara, a sister living in
New York Cny one was of a cousin,
Mildred Anderson. second was of Rosa
Summer. a young girl acquaintance, and
thu third Of another cousin, Mrs. Buff
tington.
The letters, together with a large num-
Der of daily reports filed by the young
man, were submitted 10 a handwriting
expert, who decided that letters purport-
ing to have been mailed 10 Harris from
women IN Pittsburg and Baltimore were
in his own handwriting. They were evil
IDENTIFY. the expert stated. the product OF
a disordered mind II was also learned
that Richard Bailey. an uncle OF the man
on his mothers side, had. during a state
of temporary mental arrangement. COM
mitted suicide about TWO years ago in
Orange County.
The contention was made at the time
OF the young mans death that It would
have been impossible for him to fire
the shot that caused his death with
out leaving powder stains and SINCE
ing the hair. In this connection II is
pointed out by the detectives that the
Emergency Hospital at this time Is
treating a case OF a young man whl
attempted suicide about a week ago a
his home in Maryland.
This man was seen 10 press the
revolver TO the back Of his head and
fire the shot BY the testimony OF the
surgeon who attended him at his home
and by that OF the hospital stan. there
was not the slightest evidence Of burned
hair or powder stains, showing conclu-
slvely that such a result is not always
certain,