The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-29
SENT TO HIM IN THE TOMBS.
sovy or 7HE Lh77ERs WRITTEN TO
CARLYLE n. HARRIS.
uoN the Prisoner Looks and what He
uor--n is New Heard. and FITS continued
49,. for Hts Personal Appearance.


noes 7,is New Heard, and His Continued
,,,r. Tor ITS Personal Appearance.
!, 44 tho belief OF men experienced in the
,r',.. # criminals that CARLYLE ". Hnrris Is
n,.i,,.e among the persons charged with muir
,Ior in tnis city in the rast twenty-five years.
:, may be that there never was another muir
a,,,r in New York who had such elegant
,.,,nrrrs, such impressive appearance. such
r.8,rd way of talking. His voice is always
.,,,.tuilctic and occasionally almost emo
,.,al ono of tho assistants OF the District
attorney EXPRESSED his belief during tho trial
,,tt, Harris could be tried by n jury OF wo.
- on NJ, would certainly be acquitted Tho
,.,nrs aud others who havo studied his case
,,,,,,,, th,t he com oil murder because he
In Lnd nj ricral scnse
HARRIS has changed n good deal since jury
found him guilty Of tho murder OF his wife.
llrnn Potts. While he is still as firm as ever
IN ,s.clting his innocence. no has lost much
Of tho Nuoyancy which characterized him
while on trial. Under the rules Of the Tombs
rrl.on 70 visitors are allowed TO see him. en-
cent PERSONAL friends. relatives, and his coun-
SOL This order has been in fore" since he was
9 nvictei Harris himself does not object to
This ruln whose purpose Ia to save him the
annoyance OF being stared Mt by tho curious.
l;any o} the sightseers who occasionally pass
through the prison come upon him while he Is
IN the corridor exercising. he quickly retircs
into his cell. and II he thinks they arc watch
ns hn he will remain In the CELL although he
thereby loses his chance to exercise.
Whlc the Keepers find him gentle and ready
10 obey all the rules. they also feel it necessary
70 kscr entirely within the regulations in their
traatnon, Of him and dealings with him. AZ
mo 4 them snd recently. Harris knows his
rights. and would be likely to raise Cain II
.!,"rs was the slightest infraction Of them. He
continues to wear good clothes. and to wear
,t"fn with rs much grace and elegance MS
when no posed in the court room OF the Gen
oral Sessions. He keeps u plentiful supply OF
clothes on hand. II he were to walk ur fifth
aynnue tomorrow nobody would imagine. SO
Jar rs his clothes went. that lie had been alb
.,nt from the ia shionable throng. although he
has srent more than a year In prison. HIS
face is pale. however and no longer smooth MS
a mAiden's. A dark-hro beard. worn Ia
H. u!anrer closely cropped at the sides and
with n short point, has been cultivated since
h. was sentenced.
Tho reporter sew him hy chance tho other
afternoon. Harris was then walking slowly up
and down in the short slaco reserved Tor the
vNcr,'i-r uf those prisoners who have been
,nntepced to death. and who are confined in
tie TombS pending their appeals. He was the
nly ono visible at that time. His right hand
WAS thrust into his trousers pocket and he was
,uf1ng easily at cigarette. He stopped near
the fence. which is the northern boundary of
the enclosure in which he was. to look curious
lr at the reporter, SO that the latter had good
opportunity to observe him. After few min
utes. however. he turned and walked back to
the other end. and remained there with his
Nar!; turned until the reporter Withdrew.
The eorder The onr tss s s5s Of
III" old prison. 1t immediately Joins the desks
Of the Keepers Of the, records of this Prison.
There are only two other prisoners Ia this cor
ridor both awaiting appeals on death SEN
fences. Noah Richards. who killed police
and ReadHd nsny his trial.
reli adioins this, Across tho corridor is the
coll Of John L. Osmond. who killed his wife.
although in no way intimate with them; He
was admitted to the prison on March 30. 1891.
and, was sentenced to be executed on March
Since the last mentioned date he has been
confined 70 his cell excelt during the few
short corridor. between and ~ in the morn
ing and 1 and 81 in the afternoon. Immedi;
" s from f an54 and 7asses S%t
since then these have not heen SO numerous.
Mrs. Harris his mother and his brother are
one reason why visitors are less numerous
than formerly is because interviews with him
on n EHs his cell and the Keeper wSs not close
enough % interfere in ny wdy nv f Nov the
door Of his cell and the keeper is near Tho
constan, gaze Of tho latter's sharp eyes makes
the visitor, and possiblythe prisoner. tee any
thing but comfortable. Letters. however. como
to Harris from many sources Most OF them
gre from strangers who sympathize wsh hIm
ths reporter to copy some of these letters He
also sent out note. in which he said:
inrin attack my hea lth is good. and read and
write a. much as dare under circumstances
lint ,,!ercSsitate candle light at high noon.
eyrry comfort allowable under the rules.
From othcr sources the reporter lear that
TRIAL r from relatives and friends besides the
newspapers which are delivered to him daily.
Tie letters rruted 1eioW are q he i al only
tonrrd. At his request the names of the
sc"d"rs and. in some cases: their residences
ar, not given. The first is from a New Yorker.
III, written, on a ragged piece of tlimsy paper.
wth many i!OuriShes:
Court Of appeals will revrrsr your conviction.
lrhripuliN FOR the reason TINT do not bellows
},u ar, glrlty of murder. ana. 40 far as other
matters are concerned; tn" courts had no right
s'renGh"n IL weak case and prejudice the
rIrv- mind | do not consider them. for the
f,'a son tliat vnur dOngS were Your own affairs
exclusively: bnt above all and around al your
-.rong Il rlot;ou t. your mother is nnlift ing in
have wanted 10 express thes" sentiments
stnre March t. but hav" refrained. fearing mo-
'iy" may hr construed.
Although IA journalist. | am not in accord
viii tc press. for AS took around have, yet
to ind an honest n"wspaper-th'y are lik.
oliriAl ,laces. run bv II Kind. SaNcy.
Aimlring YOUR creed, pluck and brains
h"l"Hu M. sincerely Yours.
This one. from girl in a city in Tennessee
Wa written an very Ma. linen paper:
MARCH l:i. 1892
DEAR Mr.. HARRIS, You are wondering who
IS addressing YOU thus. ! have INST finished
reading Your description Of lifo in tn" Tomhs.
tlA. II could help You any way would gladly
do -. ] have carefully followed your trial
m il has Affected me strangely. Icannot je-
lev" you are guilty and my sincere hopes are
that YOU may be Rescued. You sre by tho head
ing am u Southcrn"r girl. still repeat If il
were possible would assist you -
Mr. Harris: ! hupc yuu will NOT think am
arrapS. We are not used to the word here, but
Nsw | nrk seems 10 he infested with such and
ii.horn, VOW VII h9t mslUdce ma Tor taxing
this liberty. But am 50 sorry for Won nnI
oOusi not refrain from writing YOU I'll, mia
Perhaps to know one so far from YOU feels for
you will brighten one hour u that gloomy ny
istenca. Be cheerful and hope Tor ihn h.st
God vii! not desert YOU With hos, wishes.
AovE FRIEND.
me-" ~