The Lamar register., 1922-11-22
lii. 1iI'GRY'S
MYSTERIES
THE CAMDEN SECRET
Sy M ,.121n0-a14oyJyzAo

n boCI the mluOle OF Tue otsSu-
"A teenth cent,iry all England was
greatly excited over what was po3u.
larly referred to as the "CanTden
Secret" the mystery of the disappear
ance of William Harrison. who vas
supposed to have been robbed and
then murdered mother and her
two sons were arrested. tried. convict
ed and eNecuted-and then, two years
later, Harrison returned and told
most remarkable story of kidnapping
and adventure, filled with such i'm
possible and conflicting statements
that II has generally come to be be
lieved that he was never very far from
his own home from the time Of his
disappearance until his return
But why did he remain away. and
why did the persons accused of his
murder give such misleading accounts
of their actions that Jury convicted
them OF murder practically without
hesitationf
The evidence brought out at the
trial showed that Harrison left his
house In the afternoon and walked, or
was supposed to have walked. two
miles to Charringworth TO collect some
rents. When, as evening came on and
Harrison had not returned. his servant
IA man named John Perry-was sent
in search of him. Neither Harrison
nor Perry put In an appearance that
night and In the morning. one of the
sons Of the missing man Joined in the
search. meeting Perry on his way
home.
The servant maintained that he had
been able to find no trace OF his mas
ter. bur when young Harrison Joined
In the search he located bloodstained
hat which was supposed to have be
longed to william Harrison. Soon the
entire countryside was engaged In an
attempt TO solve the mystery and the
strange actions Of Perry led to his
being suspected Of the crime the al
legged motive being the securing Of
the money which Harrison had upon
him at the time. Under pressure.
Perry stated that his mother and
borther had frequently asked him
when Harrison went to collect his
rents, and added that Il was his
CPerry'sJ belief that the missing man
had been murdered by Mother Perry
and her son.
On the strength OF this all three
OF the Perrys were arrested. tried and
sentenced to death. Joan Perry was
the first to be hanged. protesting her
Innocence. Richard Perry followed
his mother To the gsllows, and finally
John Perry. Harrison's servant. later
retractcd his previous statement and
declared that he knew nothing what.
ever OF the crime or any possible mo-
tive.
Nearly Two years after the three
had been hanged for his murder. VIII
Ham Harrison returned to his home.
apparently uncnncerned, and telling
tale "f having heen waylald by high.
WHY men. ti'lntret md spirited away
tu the ,"ni n.nl For several days
he STATED, his capI"rs had Kept him
hidden and had then pur him on board
ship though he never voucbsafed
any explanation H. IL the motive for
the nntruer Tor he had comparatively
iiirIr money In his possession. and
one II the detail, nf his story has to-
iu with tie way In which his nb
ductnrs kept him supplied with
money.
Finally. he declared, he was sold 10
% physician AT smyrna. but he was
able tn give no deflnSe description Of
The city nor was he able to explain
how. pennIless and unfamiliar with
The languages spoken on the continent
he was able To ind his way back
home.
The only apparent explanation OF
the entire affair Is that, for some rea.
son. Harrison's presence at Campden
was lnconvenient to some one then In
authority. He had lived through troub
lous times. and had come into
changed stale OF affairs with new
masters. He was familiar with mum
her Of secrets, and therefore might
huve been better out OF the way for
the time being. But the precise ma
ture of these secrets and why three
Innocent persons were permitted to
60 to the gallnws for crime which
had not been committed has never
been disclosed