Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-04
HE LED DOUBLE LIFE
Harris, the Wife POI oner Who Will
Be Electrocuted,>
Is A HEARTLEss SCOUNDREL.
he Has Wrecked Many Lives and Committed
Enough Grimes to
MERIT THE DEATH THAT AWAITS HIM

NEW YORK, Feb. 3.-The counsel Tor
Carlyle W. Harris, the wife poisoner, con-
victed last night, did not place him on the
witness stand in his own behalf during the
trial, and the reason was made apparent to-
day when, having fastened on Harris the
murder of the beautiful and confding
young woman, the prosecuting attorneys
made public statement of the murderer's
double life for the past dozen years.
Assistant District Attorneys Wellman
and Sims, on whom devolved the labor OF
gathering together the mass of facts that
proved Harris guilt to the jury, was pre-
pared to bring out the sad details OF bad
record had Harris gone on the stand. Fol
lowing are briefly stated some of these al
legged clearly ascertained facts in the young
mans career:
The Murderer's First Victim.
Toward the end of the first week of Har-
ris' trial, gentleman living in Connecticut
sent letter to Mr.. Wellman, telling him
that he was greatly interested in the news
paper reports of the trial, and that he
could narrate some peculiar stories about
a young man named Harris which
might be of use in the trial. Mr.. Well
man at once telegraphed the Connecticut
New York, which the latter did, arriving in
this city last Saturday week. He told Mr..
Wellman that about seven years ago he was
acquainted with.a young girl named Lulu
Van Zant, Who had been married at the age
of IA to young man named Charles Harris,
who was then 16 years old, and that the
marriage took place in this city.
Within fortnight the girl wife discov
cred that her husbands first name was
Carlyle. He took her to Brooklyn to live.
Her parents were residents of Plainfield, n.
j. The Connecticut man said that Harris
was well born and had AN uncle who was
famous physician Harris grandfather, DIR.
McCready, was probably the physician re-
ferred to.)
The Girls Life Wrecked.
The pair, it is affirmed, left Brooklyn
soon afterward and went to live in Connecti-
cut, when the young wife, it is said, soon
detected her husband in an intrigue with
another girl. In disgust she left him and
returned to this city, where afterward a
criminal operation was performed. She
subsequently consulted a lawyer here about
obtaining divorce from, Harris who had
then disappeared.
A search was made for this girl and it
was found that she had been living with her
mother in East Ninety-second street for
three years, but had lett there year ago.
1t was also discovered that other parties
had been looking for this girl few days
previously. These are supposed to be the
emissaries of the defendant then upon trial.
Inspector Byrnes' detectives finally found
the girl at Perth Amboy, N. j., where she
Was found to be a physical work. Nothing,
however, could induce her to come to New
York to testify against Harris, who had
A. tIot. 81
terror of him.
Making Love at All Times.
The District Attorney was also informed
that Harris became engaged to the daughter
of a Kentucky clergyman about two or three
months after his secret marriage to Helen
Potts A letter was received at the District
Attorneys Office to-day from well
citizen, who stated that about the time of
Helen's death he saw Harris flirting with
girl on a Broadway car as both rode down
town one morning. During Harris engage
ment to Helen Potts he wanted to engage
himself to a young lady in Asbury Park
who was aware of his prior engagement
She said to him: "What are you going to
do about Helen Potts?"
Harris replied: 'Oh am tired of her,
and want to shake her."
About the same time Harris is said to
have betrayed girl at Asbury Park. 1t is
stated that he was also engaged to marry
young lady living in Brooklyn who was a
close friend of his mother.
Polished Scoundrel.
1t has also been learned that Harris
servant girl in this city. When
she left the institution in which he placed
her she was penniless and appealed to
Harris, who had meantime been secretly
married to Helen Potts. Harris gave her
trife and told her to "get rid of the child"
by leaving it on some door step.
In July, 1890, Harris is said to have gone
to lawyer and sought his advice about get
ting divorce from Helen Potts. This is
about the time he nearly caused her death.
Harris was at one time employed as a purser
on the Old Dominion line steamers, and the
officers tell many tales about his habits
1t is said that his mother once told Mrs.
Potts, Helen's mother, that Carlyle had
been constant source of trouble to her all
mis- life, and his brother, McCready Harris,
,old Mrs. Potts that Carlyle was "apolished
villain" and that he could not be trusted.