The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1921-10-20
HARRIS DIED AT
1890 A. M. TODAY
IN STATE PRISON
HE MADE NO STATEMENT
Walked Calmly and Deliber-
ately to his. Death. Two
Shocks were Required to
Kill Him. Asked Hi. Spir-
itual Advisor Thank People
Who Tried to Save H.mi

Raleigh, Oct. 2O.-J. T. Harris for
mer Rirdgecrest merchant and broth
er in law of the late Judge Jeter c..
Pritchard was electrocuted in the
the state prison at 1890 today for
the killing of F. w. Monnish u phil
Ianthropist of Tuscaloosa, Ala, at
Ridgecrest September 3Oth. 1920
Harris left no statement Two
shocks were necessary to cause his
death He walked to the death chair
without a tremOr and calmly watch
ed the attendants as they fastened
| the electric harness to his body. He
, waived the other prisoners who were
| in their cells convicted of murder
farewell as he passed by them.
| To his spiritual adviser Rev. o. B.
Mitchell of the Baptist church of
Cameron he said that he was prepar-
ed to go, and that he had nothing to
say He told the minister that he
slept well during the night and ate a
hearty breakfast Harris was 55 years
of age
| Raleigh, Oct 9-Governor Nor
rison closed the door on Tom Harris
last night and in sweeping denial of
all the statements of Judge Frank
Carter said he would have no contro-
Sersy further
Visitors to the Office Yesterday saw
the futility of further appeal. Desper-
ate efforts were made last night. A
thousand kilograms imploring mercy
were received. it was said. but the
governor regarded this as natural and
does not marvel at it. The executive
mind may be described in sentence:
He believes Ef rris is sane and that
the murder was an assassination
His final statement says he saw Miss
Bessie Harris yesterday He evidently
was not impressed with her story
conveyed to him in Judge Carriers
final letter This is what he says:
''It is untrue that the Baptists in
North Carolina have made any
threats against me, in the event
commute the sentence of Harris.
1T is untrue that Mr.. J. E. SwaiI
made an effort to influence me il
, the matter
''It is untrue that 1 have a conting
ent fee in any lawsuit pending befor'
Mr. J. E. Swain or elsewhere.
, ''In the case of the Hardaway Con
struction company versus one of Mr.
Dukes power companies, I was pait
fully for all did for Mr.. Hardaway
= and I stated in open court a few
days before I was sworn in as cover
nor that my connection with that lit
> igatiOn or any other ended with m
. Inauguration as governor.
"The murder of Mr.. Monnish wa
an assassination.
There can be no possible contrC
lversy that the crime was murder il
the first degree, if the perpetrato
had mental responsibility.
s'The jury and the court tried thi
. question. They convicted the prison
u er. He has been here in the peniter
u tiary for some time No man claim
II he is now insane Since his trial h
'e has been sane.
"The verdict of the jury seems
me to have been the only possibl
one.
''The Supreme court refused ne
d. trial.
IN 'I gave the able attorneys who rel
IN resented Mr.. Harris as courteo'
1e hearing as I. have manners to Civ
ar but did notify them that with n
BY the Presumption was that the cou
as had done the right thing.
y. "I heard Mrs. Harris and b.
Continued on Page 81