Richard Harries
Professor Richard Harries was a scientist. He was especially interested in the brain and performed many experiments involving it.
Biography
Early Life
Richard was the brother of Catherine Harries. The pair got on well and both liked science. Richard was a cocaine addict; he had puncture marks on his arm.
Richard and Catherine blackmailed George Wallace over an affair with his maid, Beryl Green, and Gordon Seavers over his publishing of someone else’s work in his name. Their blackmail of Seavers led him to commit suicide.
At Banquo Manor
Richard was invited by George Wallace to conduct experiments on brainwaves at Banquo Manor. George allowed him to do so due to the blackmail. He set up a laboratory in the conservatory. He used rats in his tests and through brainwaves, he was able to transfer knowledge from one rat to its sibling. Richard was able to translate technical French; he did so with a number of books.
John Hopkinson came to give Harries legal advice; Richard looked down upon him and treated him with contempt; Hopkinson did likewise.
Richard was engaged to Susan Seymour, who was considered his opposite in personality. She called off the marriage after they had an argument.
Harries invited Dr. Friedlander to assist in his experiments. He attempted to make up with Susan but was interrupted.
The experiment involved trying to access a "collective memory" that he believed existed in the subconscious. Harries attached himself and his sister via headpieces to his machine. A power overload caused the headpieces to burn. Catherine fell unconscious. Connection was made, but Richard was killed. His temples were charred and black; his body fell into the fire. When it was eventually pulled out, he was unrecognisable.
Hopkinson had switched around some wires in Harries' experiment causing the overload. He did this in vengeance for Seavers' death.
Under Catherine's control
Catherine was controlling Richard. She wanted to protect his honour and used him to kill George Wallace, Elizabeth Wallace, and Beryl Green.
Cuthbert Simpson shot him twice with a shotgun. This only delayed him. Harries caught John's ankle but he was pulled free. He chased them to Hopkinson's room, where they had barricaded themselves. He smashed the door in. Catherine pretended she was subconsciously controlling Richard and halted him temporarily.
Catherine followed Ian, John, Baker, and Friedlander when they went to get chain to tie up Richard. She had Richard follow her and told them she was consciously controlling Harries in the killings, that she was connected to him and that she would now kill them. Catherine claimed that Richard was still alive and that she could talk to him through their link. Baker knocked her over and they barricaded her out.
Catherine used Richard to break into the room from outside while she waited in another room. He came through the French window but with a collective effort they knocked him out and barricaded the window.
He returned to Hopkinson's room where Simpson, Susan, and Kreiner were. He attacked Simpson, tearing his eyes out. The group then escaped out the window. Harries went downstairs and exited the mansion, pursuing Hopkinson and Friedlander.
He followed them to George's shed and back again. He managed to break through the barricade in the drawing room. Catherine commanded him to kill Susan. He hesitated but eventually complied, trying to throttle her. He was pulled free and Susan fell unconscious. Harries then attacked Baker who began putting dynamite into his pockets. He was again pulled away; Catherine then shot and killed Baker.
Hopkinson threw a lamp at him, igniting the dynamite. It exploded, tearing his body apart. His dismembered arm landed near Catherine and grabbed her when she threatened Susan. Realising he loved Susan more, she frantically shot the arm. (EDA: The Banquo Legacy)
Personality
Harries was a diagreeable man. He had no qualms about blackmailing Seavers and Wallace. He was pompous to Hopkinson, whom he thought less intelligent. Harries acted angrily towards Hopkinson when he looked through the Necronomicon in his library. Despite this, Susan had great affection for him. (EDA: The Banquo Legacy)
