New-York tribune., 1921-04-11

replied Harris IT don't know any
thing about the Elwell murder and had
no connection with it whatever. 1t
was all big lie The people, Dun
can, Jerry and Mrs. Fairchild. never
existed. 1t was all bunk"
"Well, why did you tell this terrible
fiction, Harris?" asked District At
torncy Moore.
well, | wanted to go to the chair.
caused my wife and child and family
no end of trouble. They wanted me
for forgery in Canada. couldn't go
back there. My wife threatened to
leave me and l had brought disgrace
upon everybody who had any conncc-
tion with me. wanted to die and
end it all as way Of freeing them
and ridding them of me. If they
were not going to send me to the chair
knew that | would at least get "a
long term in prison.
Wednesday night and one of the de-
tcctives mentioned New York and Ell
we'll to me, | Immediately jumped at
it as my opportunity. That's all there
is to it,"
Harris pulled at his fingers and
fdgeted in his chair, and two or three
times lump rose to his throat.
Statement Prepared for Whitman
His full statement was taken down
in the presence Of his wife and Oswald
and the District Attorney, and will be
ready for former Governor Whitman
when the latter comes to Buffalo to-
morrow. He explained that he had
read the Elwell case pretty thoroughly,
and when the case was again revived
with the recently announced discovery
of new clews he thought that would
be good case to become involved in.
Among Harris's effects at the Gen
essee Hotel, where he was staying with
his wife when arrested, was found
story which was the scenario" referred
to by his wife. 1t was written in long
hand on both sides of five sheets Of
writing paper, stationery of the Pow
ers Hotel, Rochester. 1t is a fanciful
yarn of Westerner coming to New
York, where he falls in with the high
the variety" and how the visitor
finally succumbs to the allurements OF
one of his new found woman friends.
The facts surrounding Harriss arrest
here, which have been shrouded in
mystery, were revealed for the first
time tonight. According to several
authorities Fred Walsh, workman in
the Prospect garage, of this city
and who originally came from ST.
Catharines, Canada, gave the original
tip which caused his arrest 1t was
done in revenge. Walsh claimed, the
police say, that Harris's wife had I'M
Catharines some time ago, and that
Harris had quit the town, leaving
Walsh to pay the bill.
Forgery Charge Unconfirmed
Walsh called the police on the tele-
phonc, Wednesday asking them if they
were looking for man named Harris,
said to have been sought for forging
check in st. Catharines. He informed
the police further that Harris was at
the Genessee Hotel with his wife under
the name of Carlin. The arrest fol-
lowed. The authorities have had
trouble, however, in getting any con-
frmation of the forgery charge from
the st. Catharines police, although !
Harris has repeatedly declared his |
willingness to go back to face the /
about his connection with the Elwell |
murder.
This is the eighth person who has
confessed to the murder of the New
York whist king. With the exposure
Of the latest confessor the mystery re-
mains the most battling murder case of
a decade.
Harris's story was thought by many
to be a fraud from the beginning.
There were some among the authori-
ties, however, who thought that while
ne may not have been personally i'm
plcated in the killing he might have
obtained some knowledge of those who
were, and it was for this reason that =
the police were unwilling to let him 90
without Il searching examination.
What was particularly battling about
Harris was the detail with which he
out his marvellous story of
how he and his pal, "Big Bill Duncan"
had been hired by a mysterious "Mrs.
Fairchild" to get" Elwell. He gave re-
descriptions of Jerry" the