Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-24
HELEN POTTS STRANGE DEATH.
New Light Thrown on Mystsry-A Ciandes
tine Marriage.

New Light Thrown on Mystery-A Clandes.
tine Marriage.
New light has been cast on the death Of Mis-:
Helen Nelson Potts at the Comstock School for
Young Ladies in West Fortieth street in New
York city on February by facts that have jus,
been made public. It has been disclosed that
Carlyle W. Harris. the young medical student
who prescribed morphine for the young woman,
was her husband, and her parents seem to be-
lieve that he had more to do with her death
than he is willing to admit.
Miss Potts the daughter Of George
Potts Of Ocean Grove, N. j., and entered the
Comstock school in September last She had
known Harris since 1889. in the summer of
which year he lived in the house adjoining her
home in Ocean Grove. While they had been
together not little. none of their acquaint-
ances suspected that they were more than
York city to attend school last fall Harris also
went to finish his studies at the College Of
Physicians and Surgeons, and he visited her
regularly.
Last January Miss Potts complained Of hav-'
ing headaches and of being unable to sleep.
She said that her friend had prescribed for her
and that his pills relieved her pain and cured
her insomnia. On January 20 he gave her
four pills. Two days later Harris went to Old
Point Comfort on visit Miss Potts took the
81, and went to bed. She was found in q
stupor a few hours later and died ct IL q m. the
next day in spite Of all efforts to save her life.
=, The coroner's jury on February q decided
that she came to her death from opium poison
ing. but blamed no one. It was thought that
the small quantity of morphine which she
took was fatal because Of some constitutional
weakness.
The young woman's mother had learned last
August that her daughter and Harris had been
m lad Ell D1x hax
given her name as Helen Nelson. In August
the young woman, who was only nineteen, be-
came i'll. The girl then told Of her marriage
with Harris.
Mrs. Potts did not wish to have her husband
know OF the secret marriage, so she consented
to say nothing about it to any one. Harris
promised to have minister marry him and his
wife over again this spring. when he should
have finished his studies. When Mrs. Harris
died her mother informed Mr.. Potts of the Sc
cret marriage.
HARRIS sURRENDERs HIMsRLF.
Harris, who lives at No. 2s East 18th street,
with his grandfather. DR.. Benjamin W. Nc
Cready, called on District Attorney Nicoll on
Saturday, in company with his aunt,
self up whenever he was wanted. He
denied that he had anything to do with his
wifes death, except to give her the pills. which.
ordinarily, would have been harmless. He be-
leved that these might have caused death in
anomalous instances if several were taken at
one time.
Harris admitted his marriage to Miss Potts
to MIR. Nicoll. Harris denied that he thought
OF marrying another woman or had made love
to one after being welded to Miss Potts. 1t
has been suggested that this might have fur
nlshed motive for q desire to be rid of his
wife.
The Potts family kept their information BE-
cret until about week ago, when Mr. Potts
tried to have young Harris expelled from the
College of Physicians and Surgeons on account
OF his actions with regard to Miss Potts. 1t
was to supply evidence to the faculty that Mrs.
Potts and DIR. Treverton drew up their affida-
Wits.
DIR. rREvERToN's STATEMENT.
DIR. Treverton made public yesterday a state
ment Of his connection with the case Of Mary
Helen Potts-Harris He says that when his
niece was visiting him in the summer Of 1890
he suspected her condition and asked her about
1t. She told him of her marriage with Harris
and the state of health she was in. She told
him that she had had three unsuccessful opera
tlons performed. DR.. Treverton. concluding
that something mus. be done. called in DIR.
Hand for consultation and after an examina-
ton discovered that she was suffering from
septic poisoning 1t was then decided that she
must be relieved This was done by the use of
drugs. The child had been dead for some time
and had marks Of instruments upon it. DR.. Ire
vertol further says: I'm consequence of the
complications Of the case, DR.. Hand said to the
girl that she had better give me written state
ment of the case, which she did, IA follows:
Il hereby declare that an operation was per-
formed on my person in the month of May,
1890, by DR.. johnson Of New York city, also two
by CIV. Harris in the month Of June, in Asbury
Park, n. j.. and that have suffered from the
effects from that time until the LIST of August,
1880, when was relieved by Or. c. W. Trevor
ton of Scanton, Pa.
M. H. P. Porrs.'
DR.. Treverton admits and justifies his de-
mands on Harris for the expenses Of the case