The Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
Wednesday June 29, 1892
pg 2

KILLED BY AN EDITOR

A Doctor Who Died by a Husband's Avenging Hand.

Denison, Tex., June 28 - Dr. J. K. Yowell, formerly of Greenville, Tex., was shot and killed by E. W. Harris, editor and proprietor of the Greenville Daily Herald, this morning. Editor Harris and his brother, Dick Harris, of Henderson, Tex., arrived here this morning from Pottsboro. They came in a buggy. They were driving up the street when they overtook Dr. Yowell and a man named Davis. Editor Harris had a Winchester. The first shot from the rifle entered Yowell's left shoulder and passed clear through his body. Three more shots were fired but nobody knows who fired them. Only one ball struck Yowell and no one else was injured. Harris was at once arrested. when shot Yowell turned and ran about forty yards and fell dead. Harris offered no resistance and walked with an officer to the city jail, where he was locked up.
When a News reporter entered the jail shortly after the shooting and told Harris he had got his man, but had injured no one else Harris seemed relieved. Editor Harris said: "My brother and myself were driving up the street when we saw Davis and Yowell standing on a corner. Davis drew his pistol and I called to Yowell to hold, and Davis pulled down on us two or three times. I raised my winchester and fired once. At this point I was grabbed by an officer, to whom I surrendered my gun and walked to the jail. For some time the doctor has done everything under the sun he could to dishonor, disgrace and ruin my wife and family and the purity of my home demanded his death. I feel that I am abundantly justified in taking the course that I have, and feel that when the public is informed of the circumstances leading up to this most unfortunate affair my course throughout will meet the approval of all honorable me."
Mrs. Harris is a niece of colonel James H. Jones, ex-congressman from the Third Texas district. She arrived here to-night
and offers of all sorts of assistance have pured in o Harris. Mrs. Yowell was seen. She said she had heard the reports
linking her husband's name with Mrs. Harris, but she never believed them. Her husband, she said, was afraid of Harris
and moved away from Greenville on that account. Mrs. Yowell is a daughter of J. N. Gist, who lives near Gainesville.
She  has telegraphed him of the affair. Mr. Davis, who was with Dr. Yowell, has made a statement. He denied that he fired
a shot, and says he  has five good men who will swear to that fact. He says all the shooting was done by the men in the buggy.
Harri's preliminary examination takes place in the morning. Harris made a statement to a reporter of the Denison Evening Herald much more emphatic than the one given above, but giving no additional details.




The Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
Thursday June 30, 1892
pg 8

THE HARRIS-YOWELL TRAGEDY.

Editor Admitted to Bail - Many Willing Curatives - The testimony.

Denison, Tex., June 29 - The city courtroom was packed to suffocation all day long to-day, the interest being the preliminary trial of Editor E. W. Harris of the Greenville Herald, charged with the killing of Dr. J. K. Yowell. The case was called at 10 o'clock, but long before that hour the large hall was packed with people.
Three witnesses for the state were examined and their testimony was in substance what appeared in The News to-day. Only one witness for the defense was put on the stand, and his examination consumed two or three hours. The witness was Will Velvin, city marshal of Greenville. His testimony in substance is as follows:
During February of this year Editor Harris was at his house in Greenville seriously ill. During this time Dr. Yowell, who at that time was residing in Greenville, circulated slanderous reports concerning the character of virtue of Mrs. Harris. A note written by the doctor address to Mrs Harris was given to the husband. Harris, in company with a friend, called on Yowell at his office and there asked him what he meant in circulating such reports and writing such letters.
Yowell affirmed that the reports were all true and that he had had improper relations with the lady. He also affirmed that he loved her better than her husband did. At this Yowell drew out a revolver from a table drawer and attempted to shoot Harris. The friend interfered, and in a few hours a committee of citizens, composed of a large number of the best people in the city, waited on the doctor and gave him six hours to leave the city.
The doctor did not stand on the order, but left. He first went up to  Washville, Ark., and opened an office. From there he came to Denison  about three weeks since and located here. In the meantime, Harris, who was in exceedingly poor health went over to Hot Springs Ark., where he remained until about a month or six weeks since. His health was practically restored, and when he learned of Yowell's return to Texas, and here it was that the last hair was laid on that broke the camel's back. Yowell again took up his mission, that of destroying the home and happiness of Harris and spies and intrigues sufficient to double discount anything ever conceived of by human mind began. Waiting rooms at the railway station were watched. Passenger coaches to and from Greenville were the subjects of vigilant scrutiny.
Three weeks ago Harris went down to east Texas hunting and fishing several days. Early this week he, in company with
his brother, went to Fort Worth and Monday came up to Pottsboro, where they remained over night. Tuesday morning a
buggy was hired and they drove over to this city.  All the facts surrounding the killing appeared in to-day's paper.
At the conclusion of Velvin's testimony at 6 o'clock this evening the attorneys for the defense and Mr. Randell for the
state stated to the court that an agreement had been made whereby E. W. Harris should be admitted to bail in $5000
and Dick Harris in bond of $3000 for their appearance before the district court at Sherman at its next session. The bonds were filled out and not less than twenty-five men rushed forward eager to sign them. Should the amount have been place at $50,000 it would just as easily have been given, nearly all  the loading and in influential and well-to-do men in  Greenville were present and every one of them wished to sign his name.
Messrs. Harris were given their liberty at 6:15 o'clock and their reception amounted to an ovation. Mrs. Harris, wife of E. W. Harris, is in the city stopping at the Albany hotel. She is accompanied by a number of lady friends from Greenville and she keenly appreciated the unpleasant notoriety.
Besides Mrs. Harris and her lady friends there are a large number of prominent Greenville people here, including Judge E. B. Perkins, R. S. Carver, city editor of the Herald; City Marshal Velvin, C. D. Poole, W. D. Markham, cashier, and others.


The Sunday Gazetteer
Denison, Texas
Sunday, July 3, 1892
pg 1

WEDNESDAY

A large crowd came up from Greenville on the midnight train last night. Among them were F. P. Alexander, Judge E. B. Perkins and Mrs. E. W.  Harris . . . Case No. 460, E. W. Harris and Dick Harris, charged with murder, was called by Justice Lultweiler in the city hall at 9:30 o'clock this morning. The courtroom was packed and jammed with spectators.



The Austin Weekly Statesman
Austin, Texas
Thursday July 7, 1892
pg 2

THE YOWELL MURDER

What is Thought of the Crime at the Home of the Shootist.

Special to The Statesman
Greenville, June 29/ - The report from  Denison announcing the killing at that place of Dr. J. K. Yowell created much excitement among our people.To those who were full cognizant of the cause leading to the tragedy it was by no
means a great surprise. Mr. Harris has resided here about eight years, during which time he has been editor and proprietor
of the Herald, and has by his upright manner and his untiring devotion to the best interests of our city and county,
made a host of admiring friends who will stand by him in his present trouble. There was a strong friendship between
his trusted family physician until a few months ago when he was informed of damaging statements by Yowell reflecting upon the fair name of his wife. A tragedy was prevented by the sudden departure of the doctor for parts unknown. The statements of Yowell were not believed, and no suspicion of wrong on the part of Mrs. Harris was created in the minds of our people by them. The excitement soon passed away and no further trouble was expected until news reached here of the tragedy at Denison. As soon as it was known sympathy and assistance were tendered to Mr. Harris by a large number of our best citizens. Quite a number went up to Denison on the first train and others followed this morning. Information has been received that Mrs. Harris' bond was fixed at $500 which he easily gave and is now on his way home.


The Sunday Gazetteer
Denison, Texas
Sunday, October 2, 1892
pg 1

The Sherman Democrat says E. W. and Dick Harris, charged by indictment with the murder of Dr. Yowell, in this city, were re-arrested Monday in pursuance of custom and were released on bonds of $5000 each in the district court room Tuesday afternoon.


The Sunday Gazetteer
Denison, Texas
Sunday, February 12, 1893
pg 3

A jury in the federal court Friday in Dallas gave Mrs. Alice Yowell a verdict of $4000 against Fidelity and Casuality Accident Insurance company. Mrs. Yowell, who was the wife of Dr. Yowell, who was killed in Denison by Editor Harris of Greenville a year ago. At the time of his death Yowell carried a policy in the above named company for $5000, which the company refused to pay.



Dallas Morning News
April 21, 1893
Sherman Siftings

In the Criminal Court
The case of the state of Texas vs. E.W. Harris, charged with killing Dr. Yowell at Denison, was called in the criminal
 district court this morning and went over until 1:30 p.m. for an announcement.  At that hour the court called the case
up again, and the state made a motion for a continuation, on account of the absence of witnesses.  The application was
granted and charged up to the state on the calendar.  A number of the leading members of the bar of Grayson and Hunt
counties appeared in the case.  Editors Henry of the Dublin News, Carver of the Greenville Banner and Goodwin of the
Greenville Herald were present as friends of the defendants, who are journalists and very popular among the craft.


The Democrat
McKinney, Texas
Thursday, April 27, 1893
pg 1

The cases of E. W. and Dick Harris of the Greenville Herald, charged with the killing of Dr. Yowell at Denison are on trial.


The Sunday Gazetteer
Denison, Texas
Sunday, April 30, 1893
pg 3

. . . In this case, as with that of E. W. and Dick Harris, heavy expense had been incurred by all parties concerned in getting ready for the trial, and an understanding or agreement between opposing  attorneys renders the whole procedure null and void. The law is supposed to be common sense, but what sense there is in continuing murder cases from year to year on the court dockets in this day and generation passes understanding.



The Sunday Gazetteer
Denison, Texas
Sunday, November 19, 1893
pg 1

As stated in another place in to-day's paper, the case of E. W. Harris charged with killing J. K. Yowell, is in progress in Sherman. A large amount of testimony was given in yesterday (Friday) but the ground covered in practically the same as brought out in the examining trial in this city immediately following the homicide. The evidence, however, is more damaging to Yowell, and the wonder is that the man was not killed long ago.


The Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
Sunday November 19, 1893
pg 14

What the Witnesses Testified to Concerning the Current Slanders Which Eventuated in the Denison Homicides.

Sherman, Tex., Nov. 17 - The case of the state of Teas vs. E. W. Harris, editor of the Greenville Herald, charged with murder
of Dr. J. K. Yowell at Denison in February 1892, was resumed in the criminal district court this morning.
The first witness placed on the stand was Mrs. J. K. Yowell, widow of the deceased.
She testified to the time Dr. Yowell left Greenville, and also to the fact that he is now dead. Several letters in the possession of the defense were submitted to her and she identified some as having been written by her husband, some by a Mr. Green and others by herself. Some she could not identify.
C. C.. Morgan was placed on the stand, and testified that he had received a number of telephone, telegraph and written
messages from Dr. Yowell, relative to Mr. E. W. Harris, and that he, in company with a gentleman by the name of Young,
had gone to Denison, and that he had gone to try to persuade Yowell to leave the state. He said that Yowell had shown
him some papers, etc. which he had understood concerned a doctor in Dallas, and had told  him to see Harris when he got
back to Greenville and tell him that he (Yowell) was willing to let the matter drop and settle the affair, but if Harris didn't he would make it hot for him. The witness thought the papers who had some connection with a suit for damages he would bring. Witness said that Harris had told him he would kill Yowell if he did not leave the state, and that subsequently Yowell had said that he would not leave Texas.
Conductor Birdsong of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas testified that Will Velvin, the marshal of Greenville, and Mr. E. W. Harris had come to  Denison from Greenville the night prior to the killing of Yowell.
Mr. Landram, who runs a boarding house at Pottsboro, testified to the defendant and his brother, Dick Harris, having stayed
at his house the night before the killing.
Mr. Leatherwood, the local livery man at Pottsboro, testified to the Messrs. Harris having in hiring a rig made inquiries
whether or not the horse would stand shooting from the vehicle.
Deputy Sheriff Preston testified that he had seen the Messrs. Harris riding west on Main street, and that he had also seen
Dr. Yowell standing in front of the Starr store, and when he saw the defendant raise his Winchester rifle he started
toward the vehicle. Mr. Harris then called out "Yowell" and just about the time Yowell turned his head E. W. Harris fired
and Yowell ran around the corner and fell, where he died. He stated that when he arrested Harris that he, Preston, told him
he had killed Yowell, and that Harris told him he was glad of it. The defendant was very  nervous and excited at that time.
Mr. Morgan was recalled and testified that Yowell had sent to Harris some communications which called his (Harris)
attention to the instances when he (Yowell) had been alone with Mrs. Harris, indirectly imputing to her infidelity to him (Harris). These communications, Morgan says, he would not give to Harris but returned to Yowell.
Hugh Hefley testified that he had met Harris in Hot Springs and that Harris had said if he met Yowell it would be an eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but he (Harris) would prefer to meet Yowell in Texas.
B. M. Davis testified that he was in Denison standing very near Yowell, and that the first intimation he had of the trouble was
hearing a shot.  Yowell staggered up against him and he shoved him away. He then saw Harris standing by a buggy in the street.
He said that two more shots were fired, and that Yowell went probably ninety feet and fell. He states that Yowell had that
morning said something about wanting to go to Greenville. He states that on one occasion Yowell had told him that he had
word that Velvin and Harris were on their way to Denison, and that he had gone to Bells and was standing on a barrel when
the train passed by. The witness did not remember that Yowell had said he was armed with a shotgun. Yowell had told him
(Davis) things calculated to create the impression that Mrs. Harris had been guilty of improper relations with him (Yowell);
in fact Yowell had claimed such intimacy.
Town Marshal Pierce of Bells testified to the presence of Dr. Yowell in Bells for several days, and that Yowell had told him
of trouble in Greenville, but did not say with whom, but described a man for whom he desired him (Pierce) to watch upon
the arrival of the trains from Greenville. The description given him by Yowell suited the defendant. He said he had seen
Yowell at the depot in Bells several times at night, looking at every passenger who got off the Greenville trains. Mr.
stated that at the request of Dr. Yowell he had left a shotgun at Phillip's boarding-house in Bells. He had not seen him armed while at the depot watching the trains, however. He said that Dr Yowell had a bad reputation around Savoy and Bells for slandering the names of virtuous females.
City Marshal Velvin of Greenville testified that probably tow years before the fatal meeting Yowell had told him that he
(Yowell) was intimate with Mrs. Harris. Witness said he had never told the defendant of it. Along in February, 1892.
the defendant showed him a drop  letter from Dr. Yowell, in which the latter had profusely professed friendship for Harris
and said if he had done anything to be killed for he was ready to die for it and not resist, and that after he was dead
he (Harris) would find that he (Yowell) had been his best friend. Witness said that Harris said to him  he did not understand
the letter and asked him to go to Dr. Yowell's office with him and that he consented. He first saw Dr. Yowell and told him
there should be no trouble at the meeting and that both men agreed to it; that the meeting took place and that Dr.  Yowell
began telling him (Harris) how much he had always thought of him and that he was still his friend and throwing back his
coat and vest, began talking about Harris killing him if he thought he deserved it. Witness says at this juncture the
defendant remarked that he had come to hear what he meant in the not, and that then Dr. Yowell had turned to him (Velvin)
and asked if he must tell it and that he had said yes, to tell it.
Yowell then began telling when, how and the number of time he (Yowell) had been criminally intimate with Mrs. Harris,
and declaring his great love for her. Harris sprang to his feet and denounced it as a lie, and he (Velvin) reminding him of his promise to not have any difficulty had made him sit down, and that Yowell kept on telling instances of alleged intimacy, and that finally Harris got up to go out, saying he would listen to it no longer, and that Yowell then too a pistol from a drawer and exclaimed: "D__n you. I'll make you listen to it." and came toward Harris, but that he (Velvin) disarmed him.
Following the testimony of Velvin several well known and responsible citizens testified that Yowell had repeatedly told
of his criminal intimacy with Mrs. Harris. Among them Preston Young testified that in order to keep down trouble he had
advised Yowell to leave the community and that Yowell had said he was quicker with his gun than Harris and that he
didn't fear him, but the only thing he feared was a mob of men, who might take Harris' part.
Frank Brame said that he had seen Yowell standing in the rear of the Herald office one night and that he had told the defendant of it.
Will J. Hawkins of the St. Joe Herald, but in 1893 editor of the Paris News, testified that on the night of Jan. 3. 1892, he was a fellow passenger on a north-bound Santa Fe train with Dr. Yowell; that he was acquainted with Dr. Yowell. He stated
that Dr. Yowell had a pistol and that he had said to him, Hawkins, that he had it because he feared a difficulty
with E. W. Harris, with whose wife he claimed to have been intimate. He stated further that he was Harri's physician
and that if Harris only knew it there was nothing the matter with him, but that he, Yowell, by his treatment was gradually
breaking down Harris' constitution and destroying all physical energy, and that ultimately it would result in his, Harris',
death. His excuse for this systematic development and maltreatment of his patient was that he might cease to be an
obstacle between himself, Yowell, and the dying man's wife. Hawkins said he had not believed the story and for that reason
had not communicated with E. W. Harris.
W. L. raven, who was a printer on the Herald, said Yowell had talked to him of his intimacy with Mrs. Harris.
R. R. Hulsell of the high school at Savoy testified that when Yowell lived at Savoy he bore the reputation of being a
man who loved to slander virtuous ladies. He stated that on one occasion, when Hulsell had heard of some remarks about
a schoolgirl said to have been made by Yowell, he went to Yowell about it and that Yowell had admitted telling it and
said: "It was a d__n lie, and that's all there is to it."
Court adjourned until 8:30 o'clock in the morning.


Waco Morning News
Waco, Texas
Monday, November 20, 1893
pg 1

A SENSATIONAL CASE.

Trial of E. W. Harris for Killing Dr. Yowell at Denison.
Special to the News
Sherman, Tex., Nov. 20 - The most sensational murder case ever tried in this county has occupied the attention of the district court here for several days, and is rapidly drawing to a close. It is the case of E. W. Harris, editor of the Greenville Herald, who killed Dr. Yowell on the streets of Denison some months ago.
Yowell formerly lived in Greenville, and claimed to have been intimate with Harris' wife. He told his story to a great many people, even going so far as to make a confident of a negro train porter. The store was repeated to Harris by several of his friends, to whom Yowell had told it, and he drove over to Denison and shot Yowell down as soon as he found him.
The evidence was conclusive as to Yowell's making these statements, and there seems no doubt of their falsity. The
taking of testimony was concluded this morning and the argument has commenced. Attorneys for the defense have no
doubt of a verdict of acquittal, and the general opinion is that the jury will not leave the box. The verdict is expected to be returned tonight.


The Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
Monday November 20, 1893

A MANIA FOR SLANDERING

The Virtuous Character of Defendant's Wife Testified To.

Sherman, Tex., Nov. 18 - The case of the state vs. E.W. Harris is the all absorbing question of discussion in the city just now. Court resumed work at an unusually early hour. The defendant was looking weary and worn.
B. W. Halbert was the first witness called. His testimony was in substance a corroboration of that of Prof. Halsell, which closed yesterday's examination and was to the effect that Yowell's reputation was that of a man who would slander
virtuous females.
P. D. Casey testified to the never-ceasing vigilance and watchfulness of Yowell and his desire to get information  from
Greenville over railroad wires.
R. L. Porter testified that Yowell had made claims to him of an undue intimacy with Mrs. Harris and that he had told him
that Harris was fast becoming a mere man in appearance, a physical wreck, toward which no woman of the physical perfection of Mrs. Harris could entertain a feeling of love.
The full statement reputed to Yowell by the witness was of such a beastly and sensual nature as to make the veriest
sensationalist turn away nauseated and through it all the defendant sat with his pale face buried in his hands. In addition
to thus holding up to ridicule the defendant, the witness further stated that Yowell had egotistically referred to his
own possession of health, etc. This he told in substance to the defendant before he (Harris) had killed the deceased.
District Judge Terhune was the next witness summoned on the stand. He testified that right after the close of the Lampasas
state convention and while between Greenville and Dallas he had met Dr. Yowell on the train, and that for over two hours
Dr. Yowell had talked incessantly to him. That he had, using the lowest terms of the slums, told him of his intimacy with
Mrs. Harris, and said that once hush infidelity to marital pledges had occurred in the room adjoining the very one in
which at that time the defendant was lying at the point of death. Judge Terhune stated that he had told Mr. Harris in
substance what Yowell and told him. In addition to the above statement of Dr. Yowell he said that the deceased seemed
at that time to be laboring under the impression that Harris suspected improper relations between his wife and himself
(Yowell), and had said at the meeting between himself (Yowell), Velvin and Harris at his (Yowell's) office that he would have denied it all but that he had written Mrs. Harris a letter in which he had spoken of a criminal intimacy between them and of her infidelity to Harris, and believing Harris had this letter, he thought it was best to brave it out.
A number of witnesses testified to the physical condition of the defendant and Dr. Speaks state, in his opinion, the
treatment which the defendant was undergoing was calculated to aggravate instead of alleviate the sufferings of the patient.
Col. Dicy Wynne of Fort Worth, formerly of Rusk, had know defendant since boyhood, and testified to his unblemished character.
At this point the state's attorney arose and said the state admitted that prior to the killing of Dr. Yowell that there
had not been a better citizen in Texas than the defendant.
Following Col. Wynne, District Judge Graham of Henderson, ex-Sheriff Brewer of Rusk county, Sheriff McCord of Rusk county and Prof. W. M. Crow, now practicing law in Dallas, late superintendent of public schools at Galveston and formerly of
Henderson, all testified to the unblemished character of Mr. and Mrs. Harris, both of whom they had know since childhood.
Sheriff Chaney of Bonham testified that he had received a telegram from Dr. Yowell dated at Texarkana, asking him to meet him at the depot in Bonham, and that the had done so, and as he (Chaney_ was on his way out west had ridden on the train with Yowell to Bolls. He stated that Yowell had claimed to be afraid to meet Harris and feared Harris would kill him, and stated that is was because of his (Yowell's) intimacy with Mrs. Harris. Chaney said Yowell asked protection and he had
turned him over to Marshal Pierce at Bells.
After the reconvening of court this afternoon a number of witnesses were placed on the stand and testified to having known
both the defendant and Mrs. Harris for a number of years and that they bore unblemished characters; he for peacefulness
and integrity, she for virtue.
A number of witnesses were placed on the stand, the defense desiring to prove by them that the character of the deceased
in Tennessee was bad for slandering chaste and virtuous ladies, and while it was legally excluded it got before the jury
in some way that he was reported to have been made to leave Tennessee for slandering a young lady.
Sam Coleman, a colored train porter, testified that the deceased had made un-becoming remarks to him about Mrs. Harris
and claimed to him to have been unduly intimate with her.
J. C. R. Haynes identified a certain letter, the contents of which were excluded from the jury.
Mr. Haynes also testified that the physical condition of the deceased was very poor, in fact was what might be called
a wreck along about the time of the meeting between himself and Dr. Yowell in the latter's office.
W. B. Beckham testified he had been called upon by Dr. Yowell for advice the night after the above meeting and that he
had advised him to leave after Dr. Yowell had told him that he had told Harris that his wife was untrue to him.
A. E. Goldman states that he met the deceased on a train when he, the witness, was returning from the Lampasas convention in the early part of June, 1892, and that Yowell had told him that he had lied when started toe reports against the good name and character of Mrs. Harris; that she was a good, pure, virtuous woman, but that he loved her and jealousy toward Harris had impelled him to do what he had. Witness said that Dr. Yowell had a pistol in his pocket and that he said that he intended to kill Harris, or rather "do him up," from which the witness said he had drawn the inference. He stated to witness that he was going through to Greenville, and that he might stop over there all  night. Witness saw no one with Dr. Yowell.
James Fall, hotel clerk at Texarkana, testified that shortly after Mr. and Mrs. Harris had passed through Texarkana on their
way back from Hot Springs Yowell had come to the hotel and asked about them, insinuated things derogatory to the character of Mrs. Harris and made threats toward Harris.
Conductor Lacy, on the Sherman, Shreveport and Southern, testified he had refused to lend a pistol to Dr. Yowell.
Several witnesses to the remarks of Yowell and his continuous inquiries about the movements of Harris were introduced
at this point in the examination by the defense.
Patrolman John James of Denison testified as to incidents immediately before and after the shooting. A number of
witnesses also testified to the physical condition of the defendant and his continued decline while under the care of Dr. Yowell.
A new phase of the defense was brought before the court and jury with the introduction of the witness Tom O'Brien, who
testified that he was coming south on Austin avenue in Denison when the difficulty took place, near the corner of that
avenue and Main street, and that he had seen a man with a pistol in his hand just about the time the first shot was fired,
and that this party fired twice almost simultaneously and says this man was to the best of his knowledge named Davis,
and had been in the employ of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railway as a detective. His mind was not very clear on
the name yesterday. Thus was self-defense also clearly made a ground.
Mrs. Camp, mother of the defendant's wife, was the last witness placed on the stand to-day. She testified to the age of
her daughter when married to the defendant, and that at that time both were enjoying good health. She testified that at
the birth of her grandchild, which took place at Henderson, her daughter and son-in-law were healthful. She said that for
some considerable time after Mr. Harris went under the care of Dr. Yowell, she noticed he was steadily failing. After
he would take some of the medicine he would go off into a stupor, and she had tried to get him to stop such a course of
treatment. So far as she had ever seen Dr. Yowell when about the house he had always acted the perfect gentleman. Dr.
Yowell had treated Mrs. Harris for a female complaint, and in addition to medicines to be taken internally there had
been a local treatment to which Mrs. Harris had only consented at the desirous request of her husband, who believed it
to be the only correct remedy. This local treatment had always been attended with the most intense agony to Mrs. Harris,
but was never administered except in the presence of herself (Mrs. Camp), then a member of the household, or some other
member of the family. Mrs. Harris had finally refused to continue the treatment. The prescription used during local
treatments Mrs. Camp described as a greenish fluid.
The witness continuing said: On the afternoon of the night when Mr. Harris came home and told them of the meeting in the
presence of Velvin in the office of Dr. Yowell, a negro woman had brought a note to the house addressed to Mrs. Harris
in car of Mrs. Camp, the witness. This letter she identified as one shown her on the witness stand by Judge Perkins. The
negro woman had said the letter came from Dr. Yowell. Mrs. Harris was in bed sick at the time and the letter was sent
from her room unopened to Mr. Harris, who read it. Mrs. Camp said until Mr. Velvin left with him for Hot Springs Mr. Harris
grew worse. Mrs. Harris accompanied him to Hot Springs. Mr. Harris, she said, had suffered from paralysis when he left and
this was much better when he returned from Hot Springs.
The case will be called again at 8:30 Monday morning.
In this morning's News it appears that conductor Birdsong testified that Harri and  Velvin came to Denison the night prior
to the killing of Yowell. It should have been that some time, perhaps two weeks before the killing, Velvin and Harris
went to Denison on his (Birdsong's) train.


The Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
Sunday November 22, 1893
pg 6

THE HARRIS-YOWELL CASE

EXPERT TESTIMONY ON DEFENDANTS PHYSICAL CONDITION.

Superinduced, Without a Cause Known to The Medical World, by Dr. Yowell's Treatment - Testimony Closed.

Sherman, Tex., Nov. 20 - The case of the state of Texas vs. E. W. Harris was resumed. The first witness placed on the
stand was Capt. Patrick, deputy revenue collector of this district.
He testified in substance that he was on Woodward street, north of where the killing occurred. His attention was first
attracted south by hearing two shots, and when he looked he saw a man dressed in a brown suit with an umbrella in one
hand and a pistol in the other. This man fired on shot toward the south, and going about ten steps wheeled and fired
another shot in the same direction. He then saw him go in the rear alley and fumble with the pistol. A great crowd then gathered about the body of a man who had fallen and died. He did not see the man in the brown suit again.
Dr. Keller of Hot Springs, Ark., was next placed on the stand. He entered the service of the confederacy in the capacity of a surgeon, and after the war for several years he occupied the chair of surgery at the Louisville university, he has made his home at Hot Springs for about seventeen years. He made a long and careful explanation of the condition of Mr. Harris, who he found to be practically a wreck physically with little or no mental control. He found the defendant's left arm swollen and useless and one ankle in bad shape as if brought about by some rheumatic cause, but later on found that he had suffered a great injury in a course of treatment entirely uncalled for and which had virtually made him a man in appearance only. He stated that he had carefully diagnosed the case of Mrs. Harris and found that she had been subjected to a very painful and excessively injurious treatment uncalled for by any medical authority he had ever heard of. This fact to Mr. Harris and this was sometime before the killing which occurred in Denison.
An objection was made by the state on the ground that only in the case of adultery on the part of the wife or an insult
offered to a female relative was cause adequate to reduce a killing to manslaughter; that occurring at some time other
than at the immediate time of the killing could not be introduced and held that all this occurred a long time before
the killing.
The defense argued that an insult to a female relative itself might be of such a slight nature that it would be inadequate,
but if to this insult was added an assault on the defendant, the destruction of his property or slander of himself,
altogether it could be reasonably held to form an adequate chain of causes for reduction of the degree of homicide.
The state still objected and the court intimated it would require authority on the part of the defense. Judge Perkins
arose and said: "Do I understand the state to hold that if I find the body of my wife or child murdered or desecrated
and I take a gun and pursue the fiend and, finding him, knowing him beyond all doubt to be the man who did it, kill
him, that I would be guilty of murder?"
The state's attorney didn't answer and the court remarked: "I perceive, or I think I do, that you intend to introduce
this in a chain of causes which will together become adequate and upon that ground I overrule the objection of the state."
The statement that went to the jury was that Dr. Yowell had without a cause known to the medical world, inflicted upon
both Mr. and Mrs. Harris terrible and serious injuries, and that their condition was due in no way to the inroad of any
disease.
N. H. L. Decker testified that he was an attorney and had an office in Denison at the time the killing occurred. He heard two shots and ran to his window and saw a man, who he understood was a railroad detective by the name of Davis, with an umbrella in one hand and a pistol in the other. There were two shots right together which were fired by Davis.
The pistol was pointed to the south. He (Decker) had shouted at him to stop.
Several other witnesses were put on the stand in corroboration of this and other points brought out by the defense in regard
to what took placed immediately at the time the killing occurred.
Mrs. Harris was put on the stand and testified to the physical condition of herself and husband, more particularly the latter.
On the question of Dr. Yowell's demeanor toward her she stated that i had always been of the most gentlemanly nature
and that their conduct toward each other had never been other than what the whole would was at liberty to know. She stated
that she and her husband had been devoted to each other ever since their marriage. She stated that on the evening after
the meeting between her husband and Dr. Yowell at the latter's office in the afternoon she had delivered to Mr. Harris,
un-opened, the letter sent to her in care of her mother during the afternoon. She stated that from that evening on until
the time she carried her husband to Hot Springs he was just as helpless as an infant, a total wreck physically and very poorly off mentally. She stated that Dr. Keller had been consulted as soon as they arrived at Hot Springs, and up to that time she did not know what was the real cause of their illness. She stated further that up to this time Yowell  had been their physician exclusively.
Testimony was closed this afternoon about 3:30 with the introduction of two or three witnesses to show where Davis was
when he is alleged to have fired the two shots. The court ordered the jury to be removed from the hearing of the court
as he desired to speak to the attorneys.
The jury were taken out and the court stated that he wished the attorneys to make all their arguments on points of law
before him and not in the presence of the jury. He said after he had heard of the counsel he would indicate the charge
he would deliver to the jury.
The state expressed a desire that the court instruct on all the degrees of homicide. On the question of self-defense,
made an issue by the introduction of testimony that Davis had fired, the state asked that in addition it also charged that if Davis reasonably believed when Harris appeared just prior to the shooting that he intended to kill Yowell, that Davis, under the law giving the right to one man to kill another to prevent a homicide, had a right to shoot at Harris.
"But" interposed the court just at this point, "was not the evidence that Yowell was south of Davis when the latter was firing south, introduced with the intent to show that it is possible that Yowell was not shot by Harris at all?"
The state said he had not understood that the evidence had been introduce for that purpose. The state's attorney asked
the court if it were going to charge on the question of adultery, and the defendant replied in person that he had entertained no such thought and did not desire it entered as ground for adequate cause. The state did not ask the question with a view of in any way insinuating anything against the character of Mrs. Harris, but simply to know how many phases of adequate cause would be mentioned in the court on manslaughter in the charge. After some discussion it was decided that the charge would contain three degrees of crime of which the defendant could be found  guilty, to-wit: Murder in the first or second degree and manslaughter. Three grounds for acquittal will also be set forth. First, that extreme mental and physical pain had driven the defendant into insanity; second, that he had shot Dr. Yowell to prevent himself being killed either by Yowell or some one he had cause to believe would resort to extreme measures in Yowell's behalf, and third, that Yowell was killed by a shot fired by some one other than the defendant.
State's Attorney Maxey opened for the state and was followed to-night by Judge Perkins for the defense.
Mrs.  Yowell, widow of the deceased, received a telegram to-day announcing the death of her father, Capt. Gist, at Valley View, Cook county.


The Democrat
McKinney, Texas
Thursday, November 23, 1893
pg 2

HARRIS-YOWELL CASE

Editor Harris was Acquitted - Verdict Meets with Public Approval.

Sherman, Tex., Nov. 21 -  State's Attorney Maxey made the opening argument in the Harris Yowell case last night,
Perkins for the defense. Judge Hazelwood spoke this morning and was followed by M. M. Brooks, his associate, on
behalf of the defendant. In the afternoon C. B. Randell pleaded the cause of the prisoner and Cof. A. B. Pearson
closed for the state.
The charge contained paragraphs in both degrees of murder and manslaughter, also upon self defense, insanity and
the question of who shot Yowell. The jury retired at a few minutes before 5 o'clock, and at 7 p.m. the jury sent word
to the court that they had reached a verdict and in a few minutes filed into the courtroom. They were polled by the clerk, to whom they returned the verdict, on the back of which was written: "We, the jury, find the defendant, E. W. Harris, not guilty." The defendant was visibly affected, as was everybody in the courtroom. The verdicts meets with public approval.


Fort Worth Daily Gazette
Fort Worth, Texas
Thursday, November 23, 1893
pg 4

The verdict of a jury rendered in Texas this year will receive a heartier approval from the public than that recorded at
Sherman Tuesday acquitting Mr. E. W. Harris, editor of the Greenville Herald, who was tried for killing Dr. Yowell. It is unnecessary to recount the peculiar circumstances which led up to that occurrence. In commenting upon it at the time, the Gazette stated that Mr. Harris had exhibited unusual calmness and patience, under provocation the strongest that could be offered, and that his conduct throughout was the inevitable action of one mindful of the dignity of  home and his duty as its protector. The law in his vindication has merely made a formal entry of the judgment pronounced from the first by the public at large.