New-York tribune., 1921-04-11
All Bunk He Says, When
Trapped in Crilling by
Wife'sStatementReg
ing His Birthday Socks
Mrs. Fairchild' and
Jerry Only Dream
Devised Narrative to End
His Troubles by Being
Put to Death, He Asserts
From, q StoG Correspondent

BUFFALO, April 10.--Roy Harris,
who had built up a colossal fiction in
an effort to convince the police that he
WAS implicated in the murder of Jo-
seph Bovine Elwell, the New York
sportsman, to-day made sweeping re-
pudiation Of his Confession"
Wearied and worn from the constant
grilling to which he had been SUBJ
jected since his arrest last Wednesday.
Harris declared that his confession was
not only sheer fabrication, but that
the gallery of characters which he in
troduced to give color of truth to
his tale were mere children of his
imagination. The chauffeur Jerry"
big "Bill Duncan" his alleged col
league in the murder, and the mysteri-
Gus "Mrs. Fairchild" never existed. he
said.
He told District Attorney Guy p.
Moore and Detective Sergeant Oswald
the motive for his weird story was the
hope that he would be sent to the
electric chair "to end all his troubles. -,
He knew he could not 90 back to Can
ada because of his check forgeries
there. He was in disgrace with his
family, he said; he had caused endless
mlseries to his wife and child, and
even at the moment Of his arrest last
Wednesday was in desperate straits.
II he did not succeed in his purpose
to be executed by the state as a result
OF the false confession, he declared he
hoped to obtain at least long term in
prison.
Wifc's Story Substantiated
This admission served to substan tiate
the theory of Harris's wife, who in
sists on calling herself Mrs. Jessie
Walters Leonard, under which name she
had been married to Harris in 1916 in
Canada. She maintained from the first
that her husbands story was fabrica-
tion.
Immediately after Harris retracted
his confession" and admitted he knew
nothing about and had no connection
whatever with the Elwell murder a
telegram waE sent to former Governor
Charles S. Whitman, in care of the
train dispatcher at Albany informing
him of the new turn in the case and
leaving it to his judgment as to
whether it would be necessary for him
to come to Buffalo. Captain Arthur
Carey, of the Homicide Bureau, New
York Police Department, also was on
his way to this city when Harris made
his retraction and was informed Of the
development Immediately upon his ar
rival.
Ex-Governor Whitman and Captain
Carey arrived here tonight and inn
mediately began an examination of
low y
said earlier in the day about his story
being a fraud.
After two and half hours examina-
ton of Harris Mr.. Whitman declared
his confession Of participation in the
Elwell murder pure fabrication.
II say this" added Mr. Whitman,
"rot only on the basis of his own state
r'ent, but on the ground that he doesn't
even know the facts surrounding the
murder. don't believe he knows where
the Elwell house was"
Mr.. Whitman said he would remain
here over tomorrow TO examine Harris
on some other events.
$50 far as the Eiwell case is CON
ccrned," concluded Mr.. Whitman, "the
New York police are through with
him"
1t is possible that Harris will shortly
be released, as it is declared that the
authorities at st. GATHERINGS, Ont,
Canada, no longer want him on the
forgery charges.
Detective Breaks Confession
There was a rumor current in GER
tain quarters that Harris had again
changed his story and, after meal
and rest from the continuous grilling
was ready to reassume the post of an
accomplice in the Elwell Staying. This
report, however, has not been con-
firmed or denied officially.
All Harris would say in the hearing
of reporters was remark he let fall