Family Appeals Death Sentence but J.T. Harris Put to Death Oct. 20, 1921

Daughter Says Father Was Very Jealous. . . J.T. Harris Must Die Tomorrow Morning for Murder of Monnish Unless Governor Intervenes

Raleigh, Oct. 19—That Miss Bessie Harris, daughter of J.T. Harris who is condemned to die in the electric chair tomorrow for the killing of F.W. Monnish at Ridgecrest, declares her mother had asked Rev. Livingston Mayes to warn Mr. Monnish that her husband was insanely angry with him because of supposed intimacy between Monnish and Mrs. Harris is statement made in an open letter to Governor Morrison by Judge Frank Carter printed in a local afternoon newspaper.

Rev. Mays was the star witness for the State at Harris’ trial. Miss Harris, in Raleigh for the purpose of making final appeal for her father, stated to Carter and others that she knew her mother had asked Mays to warn Monnish.

This according to Judge Carter throws a new light on the case the Judge claiming that it destroys the state’s theory for the motive of the killing. The prosecution of the trial contended that Harris killed Monnish because the latter was instrumental in breaking up an illicit distillery.

Raleigh, Oct. 19—At 10:30 tomorrow morning J.T. Harris, former Ridgecrest merchant and brother-in-law of the late United State Judge Jeter C. Pritchard, will die in the electric chair at the state prison here for the murder of F.W. Monnish, prominent citizen of Alabama, which occurred at Ridgecrest little more than a year ago.

The governor recently declined to commute Harris’ sentence. As a result of an appeal made to the “conscience of the people” in a statement issued by Judge Frank Carter in which the judge declared on newly discovered evidence as to the character of the principle state witness Harris should be commuted, a large number of telegrams have been received by the governor asking for commutation of the sentence.

The killing of Monnish by Harris was admitted at his trial, the defense setting up a plea of insanity. the defense claimed that Harris shot Monnish under the hallucination that he had wronged Harris’ wife.

Paul Harris, young merchant of Ridgecrest, a son of Harris, is in Raleigh visiting his father during what is probably his last hours. Mrs. Harris and daughter were here last week and made a last appeal to the governor to commute Harris’ sentence and spent several days here visiting the condemned man.

At 2 o’clock today no statement was obtainable from the governor’s office regarding the Harris case and indications were that no statement would be issued.

From the front page of the Wilson Daily Times, Oct. 19, 1921. Minister’s last name was spelled Mays and Mayes in newspaper. Harris, 55, was put to death at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 20, 1921. He left no statement other than asking Rev. O.B. Mitchell of the Baptist Church of Cameron, to thank those who has worked to have the sentence commuted.