Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-03-22
SECRET MARRIAGE.
TIE TRAGIC SEQUEL or YOUNG GIRLS
INFATUATI0N.
The Terrible Revelation That Confronted a Heart
Broken MOther-fhs Daughter Makes Some
Startling DisclOsures-A Medical Students
Crims-Ths Old, Old Story.

New YORK, March 2l.-Helen Nelson
Potts, handsome and accomplished girl
of nineteen, a student at the Comstock
Finishing School for Young Ladies, in this
city, died on Sunday, February l, from an
overdose of morphine.
1t was known that she had taken pill
at 10 o'clock the night before, supposed 70
given her by Carlyle w. Harris, a young
medical student, who at the time figured as
a friend of the Potts family.
There was no autopsy, but coroner's
Jury made up of an equal number OF ply
sicians and licensed druggists met nearly
four weeks later ard found the following
verdict: I'VE, the jury, find that Helen
Potts met her death from opium poisoning
We also find that the amount of morphine
known TO have been in her possession was
not sufficient TO cause death" There
seems never TO have been any really serious
effort to discover whether any larger
amount OF Of opium than was called for in
the pills prescribed had been administered
to the girl, by accident.
With the result of the inquest on Febru-
airy %, the authorities in New York were
content TO inquire no further into the cur
ious circumstances of the tragedy. No in-
timation had ever been given to the public
budl JutIt ldl UCcu btlWttu
the girl and the man who may have been
thought in any measure responsible for her
death. further than the apparently ingen-
ious and straightforward statements of
Harris and the quotations at second hand
from what the parents of the girl had said.
But with later consideration these parents
have not considered it best 10 conceal facts
which may be considered by the authorities
as havinga serious bearing upon motives
and circumstances prior and possibly lead
ing TO the death of their daughter.
Helen was the daughter of Mr.. George
Potts, well 10 do resident of Ocean
Grove, n. j., with an Office at No. 40 Wall
street, this city. AS the facts were given
out at the time, she had known Harris very
well at her home in New Jersey, and with
the consent of her parents he had frequent
ly called upon her at the school. No ointi-
nation was ever made Of any sentiment be-
tween them. On one of his visits TO the
school she had complained TO him Of head
ache, and after inquiry of her other symp-
toms, he had written prescription, which
he afterwards personally had filled. II
now transpires that Helen's mother has
forced from the young medical student this
Carlyle ". Harris, being duly sworn,
street, in the City Of New York.
That on the eighth day Of February, 1890,
deponent, under the name OF Charles Har-
ris, married Helen n. Potts under and by
the name Of Helen Nelson, before w. =.
the Alderman of the Seven
teenth District OF the City of New York, as
appears by the annexed transcript from the
records OF the marriages reported TO the |
Health Department of the City of New
Y ork, which is numbered 2,062. Deponent |
further says that he makes this affidavit Of
his own free will and without coercion or
duress, and as an additional proof of his !
as aforesaid.
Mrs. Potts, the dead girls mother, has
prepared an affidavit, in which she says
MY daughter Helen Potts, who died !
of morphine poisoning at the Comstock |
school, has been the wife of Carlye w !
Harris since February 5, 1890 / liked !
the young man and his family, but re-
fused long engagement. a secret mar
riage followed. | knew nothing Of ii un
I'll August, when / was telegraphed for
and went TO my sick child. | had no
suspicion of the nature OF her
illness for some days When gained
courage TO enter my daughters room
she saw by my face what | had been told,
and said Mamma, bring me the Bible,
and with her hand on that told IRE Of the
marriage Her husband had performed
criminal operation upon her before going
on this visit, and assured her her troubles
were all over They were not. After |
was told of the marriage her husband
wrote me an affectionate letter, and be-
gan to feel that this youthful folly might
well be forgiven and wrote kindly to him.
IAN engagement was 10 be announced at
the holidays He refused it when the time
came, and few days later wrote me, and
with the airiest assurance suggested that
all question Of marriage be deferred two
years longer | lost patience, and yet
wrote kindly, and tried TO show him wnat
living three years as an unacknowledged
wife must mean TO her, and that | saw no
reason for IL. | claimed fulfillment Of his
promise TO be remarked, when | said that
he take his wife, go quietly on the ami
Versary of their marriage and be married
by a minister of the Gospel in Christian
manner. and that if he succeeded in grad
uating in the spring | would send them
both 10 Europe before he settled TO prac
tice in the city. He wrote in the kindest
way. said everything should be done as !
wished, even if it hindered his professional
if no other means ar satisfy
ing my scruples could oe found
The various atfidavits and the written
statement of the heart broken mother have
been submitted to the District Attorney
for action The father OF young Harris is
said 10 be a clerk in Brooklyn establish
ment, and his mother is prominent in the
movement there. His grand
father is well known physician of this
city.