Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-10-12
ROMANCE OF MARY HARRIS.
dcw Judge bradley Defended and Mar
ried the Emotional Murderess.

ried the Emotional Murderess.
The recent death of the venerable Judge
I0teph III. Bradley of this city, recalls the
celebrated case which was the central fact
of his career and which obtained national
renown. Judge Bradley was well
stricken in years, says a Washington
writer. He was the oldest member of the
bar in the district O Columbia and gen.
2eman of excellent repute and high stand
sng in the community. His ability as an
advocate, which always ranked well was
put To hard test and did not prove lack
ing. in the case TO which ailusion has been
made and with the details of which the
country was ringing twenty-three years
ago. Along during the war there was
young unmarried man named Burroughs
IN the employ of the Government here.
lie WAS clerk in the Treasury Depart
meni, and was engaged to he married to
Kentucky girl named Mary Harris. Bur.
Oughs himself was kentuekian also. i
oelieve. but | am not sure as TO this point.
lhcy had been engaged for long time.
and il had been understood between them
that as soon ms possible after he had gained
his expected clerkship at Washington, and
had got settled and little "ahead" imam
cially. he would notify her, and the mar
rage would then take place. Burrows got
bis position, and kept il u long while, but
The stipulated notification wae not forth.
eoming Months elapsed, ! perhaps
years, but he seemed not To be able TO get
''scttled" enough TO marry-at any rate the
Kentucky girl heard no news of the desired
tenor. although they corresponded con.
stantly, as betrothed lovers, and his letters
us well as hers, were all that lover could
wish them 10 be.
M Rnr " A
much trouble in getting things ready for
his marriage with Mary Harris, he had
found IL easier 10 manage in the case OF
another fair damsol whom he had met In
this city, and in the light of whose smiles
he had allowed the vision of his faithful
kentucky girl to fade and vanish away.
In other words, he changed his mind and
proved tickle 10 Mary, and that. too, with
out informing her of the fact, either
directly or indirectly; and his marriage to
the other lady was at last appointed Tor a
certain day IN 1861.
But in an evil hour for him Mary Har.
ris in some way received information OF
the pertidy of Burrows and Of the date OF
lis proposed nuptials-the time then
being near at hand. She did not collapse
or spend any time in lamentation or con-
lerences with her kindred and friends. As
soon as she heard the news she started di-
rectly for Washington, just as she was.
She did not change her dress, nor did she
stop TO pack up" Without any be ggage
or change of apparel she went at once
from her home TO the railway station. only
stopping on the road to buy ap 'ol, and
took the first train eastward. Upon her
arrival in this city she went to no hotel or
restaurant; but. without any dallving and
at the same time without any perceptible
excitement in her manner, proceeded
straight 10 the Treasury building, walked
into on, of the entrances, found her way
10 the right corridor, sent word into Bur-
rows room that some one wished TO see
him outside the door, and when he
responded in person, after exchanging a
few sentences witl him and learning from
him that the news was true, she quietly
drew he- pistol and shot him dead, almost
on the very eve of his wedding day.
She then turned on her heel and walked
off in a business-like way, but made no
effort 10 escape ana was OF course soon
arrested. The tragedy and the unusual
circumstances attending it made pro-
sound impression on the public far and
near The trial was highly sensational
and attracted spectators from I'll parts of
the country Mary Harris counsel was
Judge Brady and although the evidence
was strongly against her and the sentiment
Vi the public, which might have been on
her side if she had not been SO cool about
it all, was also rather againsthe the Judge
drought her through triumphantly on the
heory that, though perfectly sane before
nd after the occurrence, she was that
lime suffering from n temporary attack Of
emotional insanity" This was the first
Instance Of precisely this line of defense
ana the phrase became n byword every.
where. Notwithstanding til popular in
cndulty as TO the eXistance of such Q
ming as momentary emotional insanity"
md Notwithstanding it, apparent weak.
less as a plea, it was successful in this
ease and was Subsequently applied with
frequency and success in similar cases, the
case of Laura ID. Fair, who killed ex-
Senator Crittenden in California, being
perhaps the most conspicuous one.
But Mary Harris did not get off scot
free Immediately. She wns adiudged in
nocent of murder, but still insane, and &C
cordingly she was sentenced TO contine-
ment in St. Elizabeth's Asylum in ties
city. The scene at her acqulttal was q
most extraordinary one. There was a
eat hubbub, in the midst OF which
Judge Bradley kissed his fair client and
exclaimed that she was noble woman,
and that If there were more like her there
would be fewer scamps in the world
which proposition would seem 10 be IN.
deniably true.
Miss Harris was subjected so nominal
confinement in the asylum for many
years, although in reality she was under
no constraint. She could come and 20
when she liked, and If she had chosen 10
she could have escaped at ny time. In
fact. she often passed whole months away
iiom the asylum at the Virginia Springs
or other Summer resorts. Almost every
body felt sure that she was not in the
least insane.
The sequel may not he known to many,
but it is one of the most striking parts OF
tue story. After some years Judge Brad
icy got Mary Harris legally discharged
from the asylum as restored TO sanity and
then he married her. And to-day the
heroine Of tb tragedy of 1864 is bending
tearfully owe the death-bed of the faith
tul man who saved her life then and ha,
L Il.