New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-27
TRYING SUICIDE IN PRISON.


H. A. sMILER, CONDEMNED TO DIE BY ELECTRIC
1TY, SETS HIS BED ON FIRE AND
ALMOST HANGS HIMSELF.
= Harris A. Smier, who has been confined in the
Tombs since June, under sentence of death, at
tempted to commit suicide late on Thursday
night. Owing to Warden Osborne's absence from
the city, the facts Of the not given out
until yesterday, when it was learned that Smiler
had set fire to the mattress of his bed, and had
then hung himself to the water-pipes by means
of his bcd-coveret A peculiar feature of the
affair is that, after the condemned man had
been cut down, he was revived by old DR..
McGonegal, who occupied cell above that of the
murderer.
Smer was convicted in June Of the murder
of Maggie Draney one Of several women to whom
he had been married while he belonged t. the
Salvation Army. Since then he has at various
times feigned insanity and resorted to many
lodges with the hope of affecting his fate. On
Thursday night at IL 40 keeper, T. ]. Casey,
inspected Smiers cell as usual in his rounds, and
found everything right. At II 80 he reports
having heard a noise in the corridor, and lie
noticed smoke coming from Sniiler's cell. With
another keeper he hastily opened the door. and
found the mattress in the centre Of the cell
burning.
The two keepers dragged it into the corridor,
and Casey returned into the cell, where he found
Smler hanging from bend In the water-plPes.
He cut him down and sent hurried call for the
prison physicians They were not available, and
so old Dr. McGonegal was awakened and brought
down from his cell above. lie found Smiler un-
conscious, with his face and tongue black and his
breath coming in heavy gasps. Restoratves were
applied, and IN few minutes DIR. Mctionegal de-
clared his patient out Of danger lie was re,
placed in his cell and was watched until fuli
consciousness was restored. Smiler then professed
to have no recollection OF his attempt AT SUICIDE.
This led the prison officials to believe that the
murderer had set fire to his mattress only in order
to attract attention. When Warden Osborne re-
turned on Saturday Srniler was removed 10 one
Yesterday the Warden expressed some per-
pleXity as to the why Sinier is left IN the
Tombs. He called the reporters attention to the
clause Of the law, passed in 1883, which proyrie,s
for capital punishment by electricity. ana which
saws that within ten days after receiving sentence
the prisoner shall be removed to the State prison,
where unless discharged, he shall be kept In
solitary confinement and no one shall be allowed
access TO him except the officers OF tie prison, MS
counsel. his physician, n priest and members OF
his family According to this law, tie WardeN
SAYS Smler should have been tn ken to Sing sing
within ten days from June 3. when tie se"tenco
of death passed upon him by Judge fltz-
gerald There are 10 arrangements at tie lom'S
for setting a proper watch upon cOncennei
murderer. and the Warden has called the at
tcntion Of the Board Of Charti S to the fact that
Smiler is still there. BY the terms of the SEN
tence Sniler was to be executed during the week
beginning August 4, but the execution was de-
layed by an appeal. -.
Smler continues to assert his Ignorance Of his
attempted suicide, and seems TO have sustained
no i'll effects from 1t.