La Junta tribune., 1911-07-08

the Santa fe and Missouri Pacific
were searched. but without avail
Manager Kinca aid ON Wednesday
morning at 1 O'Clock had been re-
qucsted by Sheriff Potter TO instruct
each one Of the telephone operators
In his jurisdiction to notify every
farmer In the Arkansas Valley having
telephone TO be on the lookout for
the murderer. and II strange negro
was seen anywhere to Immediately
notify the nearest town. With this
precaution II would have been almost
an impCssibility for Harris to escape.
Harris was captured about 1880
O'Clock Thursday morning in the par
sonage Of the negro church. which
IL only about three blocks distant
from where the crime was committed.
Everett Lane. Earl Bennett and
Shorty HaDford comprised the cap
turing party. and will be entitled To
the $500 reward offered by the city
and county for the capture Of Har-
ris. dead or alive. They had been In
the vicinity OF the church most OF
the night and had noticed nothing
suspicious. but at the dawn OF day
cav footprints In the soft mud lead
ing to 4 parsonage window. where
screen had been torn off, and could
hear some one snoring inside. They
called to Harris TO surrender. and
demanded that h. throw his gun out
Of the window aud come out OF the
door with his hands up. He obeyed
and was hustled into an automobile
and brought TO La Juuta. arriving
shortly after 5 o'clock.
Harris was In Jail In La Junta be
fore many people In Rocky Ford
knew that he had been captured.
Within an hour after the arrival OF
oiarris In the county seat there were
probably one hundred people around
the jail. which Included several auto
mobile loads from Rocky Ford. One
man from Rocky Ford made de
mand upon Sheriff Potter that the
prisoner be turned over to mob.
and vigorously insisted that the PEG
pie OF tina, city were entitled to
.yr.ak their own vengeance upon the
negro. Sheriff Potter just as vigor-
ously denied that the people OF Rocky
Ford were entitled to anything now
that the prisoner was In jail and
warned them that II would be use
less TO make any attempt to mob
the Jail as he would go to the es-
IRENE limit In protecting his pris-
oner.
At Rocky Ford. Thursday morning.
when the train from Denver arrived.
there were 500 people on the plat
form. aud II vas expected that eN-
eryone OF them would come down to
the county seat aud attemp, to
lynch Harris. Mayor Coifman made
an eloquent appeal TO the people not
to bring disgrace upon Rocky Ford
and otoro county and TO let the Law
take its course. and IL had the ef-
feet that was hoped for as not
single man boarded the train. and
when II arrived In La Junts even
the small gath,rin at the Jail had
dispersed.
There were many sensational re-
ports In the daily newspapers to
the effect that hundreds OF men and
women were surEing through the
streets OF La Junta. with several
ropes In evidence. and the people
bent on mobbing Harris. Governor
Shafroth Was probably influenced by
these sensational reports 10 order
out the militia aud our local com.
pany was under orders at the ar.
mory. but the most exciting thing
they were called upon to do during
the day MAS to lin. up In front OF
the armory and have their piotur.
taken
The people OF Rocky Ford have
been promised AN early trial OF the
murderer and speedy justice. but II
l. not probable that the case can
come up for trial before the regu.
lar October term.
Navajo MitsicrSrv Ntaita Ia Jurtz