Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-04-14
FAXED CONF ESS|ON
To DIE IN CHAIR
Roy Harris Admits He Lied About
EIWeII Murder.
WIFE FURNISHES HIS ALB
Man Declares He Wanted to End Life
for Remorse Over Wrongs to Wife,
but Tried to Avoid Bother
of Suicide.

Buffalo, N. Y, April 11.-Roy Har-
ris has broken down and confessed
that his story of the Elwell murder
is a lie. He says he "confessed'' in
order that he might be executed in the
electric chair and thus avoid the
bother of committing suicide
Mrs. Jessie Walters Harris, his wife,
backs Harris up in his latest admis-
sion. Just before he collapsed she
said:
+ HE loves me so much that his great
fear of death is overcome, and he is
trying every way to be found guilty of
a part in the Elwell murder, that he
may die in the chair He would soon
er die than bring further trouble on
me and his family. He hasn't nerve
enough to kill himself. He now sees
a way of letting the state dc it. He is
absolutely innocent and is taking this
method to die"
Gives AIibi for Husband.
To strengthen her statement that
her husband is guiItless of the Elwell
crime, Mrs. Harris, who is also known
as Mrs. Leonard, presented her de-
tailed alibi for him from the morning
Of the day before the crime was COM
mitted until the night of the day Ell
well was shot.
At first Harris denied his wife's
statement. He said, somewhat hotly:
II fear nothing but God. That's why
| want to see justice done. My wife is
inventing a mass of things. / do not
want to make her appear as speaking
untruthfully, for | care greatly for
her, but | can and will face those I
have named and will gladly 20
through the crime to convince the au
thOrities of my guilt"
'But if it means the chair for you,
will you accept without wavering?"
"Gladly. Of COURSE" he answered,
81 see a chance for me in turning
states evidence. But other mems
opinions matter nothing to me. And
stick to my story. And I again say the
picture l identified also bore the name
of the woman who was Mrs. Fair
child"
He was informed that his wife had
said: 81 am anxious to save this man
who calls himself Harris, but whom
in 1916 as Benny Leonard,
when he was a soldier in the Canadian
army. But if he is saved / will not go
back to him. Our marriage was
failure. have and will stick to him
through this, but my parents have for
hidden me to return"
Harris heard this ultimatum with
bowed head. For the first time since
he was lodged in cell at the Niagara
street station his spirits seemed to
droOp. He almost whispered.
81 would not ask her to take me
back"
Had Considered Suicide.
Under repeated questioning Harris,
before his final admission that his con-
fession was false. admitted that he
had preached the subject of suicide
He said:
Life is a constant gyp to me. I
always was gypped. My parents were
taken away from me. Them my rela-
tives trimmed me out of my share of
my fathers estate, which was some
thing less than million dollars, but
IA very big one. Pals double crossed
me. Friends proved untrue.
MY wife is a very sensitive girl. 1t
doesn't take much to hurt her. I
turned to anything, forgery, and even
to this hiring out for a murder job,
that | could have money to buy some
thing for her. Sometimes I thought
luck couldn't 60 on forever cheating
me and | would gamble, as | did with
the blood money for Elwell's death.