Private Jesse Harris
Kentucky Post, Monday, 4 January 1904, page 5
The colored soldier, Jesse Harris, who shot a member of his
regiment, the Tenth Cavalry in Cuba in 1898, afterward escaping from a sentry
while at Ft Columbus, New York Harbor, while serving sentence for murder, is now
in confinement here, Ft Thomas, and is expected will soon be returned to New
York.
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Kentucky Post, Friday, 22 January 1904, page 8
Sergt. Reis, the Provost Sergeant is having his troubles these days with the colored prisoner Jesse Harris. Harris, who killed a comrade in Cuba and escaped from the military prison in New York Harbor, is serving the remainder of his sentence at Ft Thomas post. He is stubborn and to use a military phrase, constantly bucking.
Yesterday he attempted to strike Sergt. Reis, who has charge of the prisoners, and after being placed in solitary cell for punishment managed to get hold of Reis' hand and drawing his arm through the wicket opening, almost succeeded in breaking the Sergeant's arm in the iron door before assistance came. Harris is a tough proposition and is constantly making threats against his guards.
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Kentucky Post, Thursday, 28 January 1904, page 5
The colored man who has been confined in the guardhouse here, to serve out a sentence imposed by a general court on Jesse Harris, for killing a comrade and who has made no end of trouble for his guards by refusing to work, claiming he was wrongly held, was released from confinement yesterday and set at liberty, it having been proved to the military authorities that he was not the man wanted on that charge, but a dishonorably soldier from the Ninth Cavalry, who had served his time.