This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Harris, Fowler Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Fi.2ADE/1066 Message Board Post: "The Kokomo Daily Tribune" April 17, 1900 Jonah Harris Mistaken for a Horse Thief and Shot Down A BULLET IN HIS BRAIN Harris was evidently suffering from a mental disorder Details of the homicide: Shortly before 9 o'clock Monday night [April 16, 1900] Joseph B. Fowler, employed in the grinding room at the plate glass works and residing at 199 Buckley Street, fired upon and instantly killed Jonah Harris, also a plate glass workman and a resident of Central Avenue. The shooting occurred in the back yard of Fowler's home and was brought about by Fowler mistaking Harris for a horse thief. The two men were employed in the same department at the plate glass works, were well acquainted and on the friendliest terms. The shooting occurred in the darkness and no other motive than that given by Fowler can be assigned for it. Fowler says that Sunday and Monday were his holidays and he spent them working about his barn and chicken yard. He had been at home all day Monday and after the supper hour had spent the evening conversing with his wife, who was busy with her household duties. He was just preparing to retire when Mrs. Fowler, who for a few minutes had been in the kitchen, entered the bedroom and informed him that there was a man in the backyard trying to break into the barn. Fowler was in his night clothes, but stepped to his dressing case, took out his revolver, a forty-four caliber Smith & Wesson, and walked out into the darkness of the back yard. As he approached the stable yard he saw a man come from the stable door, which only a few hours before had been carefully locked and barred. The intruder started for the rear fence and Fowler called to him to halt. No heed was paid the command and Fowler again called out and again there was no response. The man was nearing the fence whe! n Fowler fired three times in rapid succession. At the third shot the man sank to the ground, falling face downward, and made neither utterance nor motion. Fowler hastened to his side and knowing that he was either dead or badly wounded, returned to the house and told his wife what had happened. He immediately dressed, summoned one of his neighbors, and hastened to the jail, where he informed Sheriff Harness of the occurrance. The Sheriff sent word to Coroner Arnett and summoned the Losey ambulance. Guided by Fowler, the party proceeded to the scene of the shooting, and there, just as he had fallen, was found the body of the man Fowler had shot. A number of people had gathered, and some of them, as soon as they saw the dead man's face, declared that it was Jonah Harris. But Fowler and several others who knew Harris well insisted that the body was that of a stranger. In order to make the identification satisfactory, Coroner Arnett ordered the remains to the Losey undertaking establishment and Dr. J. H. Ross was called. The physician and a number of others who were present immediately recognized the stricken form as that of Jonah Harris and word to that effect was passed to the crowd that thronged the street in front of the place. Dr. Ross and other physicians present examined the body. But one bullet wound was found. The leaden missile had entered the head just behind the left ear, had crashed through the brain and lodged against the frontal bone a little above the eyes. Death had resulted instantly. Not until well towards midnight did Harris' family receive any information of the terrible fate that had befallen him. After the identification of the remains a party of friends of the family went to the home on Central Avenue and the shocking news was broken to Mrs. Harris and her two daughters, Edna and Nellie, aged fourteen and ten, respectively. Mrs. Harris was naturally much distressed but bore up bravely and talked freely of her husband. She said that he had been at work all day and had not returned home for supper. His absence when nightfall came had worried her and she had thought once of going in search of him. All of her references to him were kindly although she admitted that he was much given to drink. She said that he had always been kind to her and indulgent to the children and had provided well, not withstanding his habits. Of late he had seemed to occasionally be in a brown study and hardly at himself but it had not occurred to her that he might be m! entally deranged. Jonah Harris was born and raised in Howard County. He was born of Quaker parentage at New London and lived there until about ten years ago when he came to this city and entered the employ of the plate glass works. He has always borne a good reputation for honesty and was very popular among all of his associates. He was an active Red Man and had filled of the chairs within the gift of the local tribe. His friends are confident that he was suffering from a mental disorder and that on no other score can his presence at Fowler's barn be accounted for. Those who have known him best scout at the idea that he was there for thieving purposes. Joseph B. Fowler is a Virginian by birth and he has lived here but three years. He is honest and industrious and enjoys the fullest confidence of his employers. He is also a member of the Red Men and he and Harris had frequently mingled in a fraternal way. He is very sorry that his shot took effect and declares that he had neither wish nor intention of killing when he fired. He fully believed the man at whom he fired had been trying to steal his horse and he hoped to only give him such a scare that he would never repeat the attempt. Fowler told all of the circumstances of the shooting in a straightforward manner and Sheriff Harness did not lock him up, but allowed him to return to his home and comfort his wife, who was almost distracted over the occurrence. So far as has been learned the last person with Harris before he was killed was Charles Scribner, a fellow workman. The two men left the grinding shed at the plate glass works about 5 o'clock and visited the French Club, where a couple of glasses of beer were drank. A little later they started for the Gammons' Club but Scribner left Harris at the entrance to the place. Scribner says that Harris was acting very queerly and is of the opinion that he was at that time suffering from a form of insanity. On account of the lateness of the hour which the investigation was completed Coroner Arnett requested that Harris' remains be left at the Losey place the remainder of the night. They were prepared for burial and removed to the home this morning.