The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-29
Under Bond on Charge
Preferred by Negro
Girl S Father.
DENIED GUILT IN
NOTE TO MOTHER
Railroad Man, Who Was Expect
ed to Appear Before Magistrate
To-Day, Blows Out, His
Brains After Writing
Long Letter to Young IL,
Woman.

Unable longer to stand tina disgrace
OF being charged with an attempted
capital crime on Hattie James. six
teen-year-old negro girl OF Henrico
county Harry Doggett twenty three
years old. committed suicide in his
home. SOFA West Clay Street, shortly
before noon yesterday BY shooting him
self in the right temple with 32-call-
bre revolver.
On table by his bed lay two fare
we'll notes-one to his mother. and
one to a young woman of South Laurel 4
Street. to whom he had been paying
some attention--with the Ink scarcely
dry. showing that hi: last act had
been carefully planned and considered.
Bitterly Denied Charge.
Both letters contained strong and
earnest protesta tions OF his innocence
of the serious onense with which he
was charged. and each stated that he &
had borne up against the aspersion
on his character until his fortitude
gave way.
Doggett lived with one of his broth
ers In second story flat. lie camo
home at the usual time, between i. and I
o'clock. yesterday morning and re-
tired to his room. Then nothing was
remarked as to his general appear
ance and there was no talk OF his
were evidently spent In writing the
two letters and iii preparing himself
for suicide Affew minutes before the
clock struck the noon hour others In
the house heard the sound of what
they took at first 10 be the explosion
Of punctured automobile tire In front
of the house. But a small boy dis
covered the meaning of the sound, and
gave the alarm.
sf Found by His Brothcrs tilR
Three OF the brothers, who were in
other rooms, one OF which adjoins the
room OF the dead man, rushed In and
found him lying on the bed. with n
gaping hole In his right temple and
blood streaming over the bed clothes. Il
By his right hand lay the revolver.
slight puff OF smoke curling up to- III
wards the ceiling Doggett lay on his
wounded side. the blood streaming over
the pillow. He was dead. death having
been instantaneous: but a member Of
the household ran out and telephoned
for the city ambulance, and DR.. Tur-3i
man responded. Patroman Pillow also
responded to the ALARM and at once
took possession until the arrival OF (
Coroner Taylor. DR.. thurman pro
nounced the man dead and also waited
for the coroner.
Clcnr Case OF Suicide.
DR.. Taylor, after a short eXanlina t
ton o. me mberS of the household. de- f
clored 1t to be case OF suicide. and
turned the body over to the family, u
with permission to have II prepared
for burial. lie read the farewell let
ter Doggett had written TO his mother.
and returned that also to the family,
that II might be forwarded to Mrs.
Doggett. g
The letter contained a heart-broken
outburst of feeling. a protestation OF
=, nf~o a,,I - =.
could no longer bear up against the
serious charge. lfF
IT call God as my witness that l an,
innocent" Dosgett wrote. 'and I am
going before His bar OF justice to
prove my innocence"
The letter was written on foolscap
paper and covered Ave sheets. II was
signed your heart broken son. Harry"
The letter to the young woman
whom none of the other k75E nbers OF Il
the family knows. was tied with
piece of string. and was placed under
his watch. 1t was forwarded to the
address given. This. too. was 4 decla- n
ration of the writer's innocence, and
n plaintive appeal that he be not
that they did not even know that he
had been paying attention to any one
Wound Near Right Eur.
When found. Doggett was partially .
undressed He was clothed In his
shirt. trousers and socks and was
lying on the coverlet The revolver
had contained full round of car n
tridges. The wound was Just in front
of the right ear, and the bullet pene-
trated to the base OF the brain. kill Il
ing him instantly.
poggett was born in Caroline county,
where his parents now 1--we. and had
been in Richmond about six years
EIe was employed as car inspector
by the Richmond. Fredericksburg and IF
Potomac Railroad. and worked at H
night. He worked as usual Saturday Il
night. and appeared. 1t was said. to
be in his usual frame OF mind when
he left to go to his labors He had 4
given no intimation that he contem-
plated suicide. though he had been
anxious to have the charge against II
him heard is soon a possible. He was 81
arrested on warrant sworn out by &
Henry James. the colored girls father.
on May 81 and was admitted TO ball KS
In the sum OF $1,000. with Henry Ford.
of Glen Allen. as his security HIS
Worried by Postponcmcnt. f$
The hearing had twice been post
poned on account OF the absence OF 4
his attorney. L o. Wendenburg, and II
this postponement IS said TO have
worried him considerabl bly,. Tho hear IS
ing was scheduled to have come up 4
this morning before MAGISTRATE T. J.E
Puryear, OF Henrico county
poggctt asserted his Innocence from
the beginning The Tienrico county
evidence James was to have introduced 3,
~ H. yxtf ,,.tyx