Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-12
THE CARLYLE HARRIS CASE.

4
based solely on the testimony OF falli-
bic medical experts, and the mesh OF
! circumstantial evidence In which he
found himself entangled. The people
are beginning TO look upon so-called
expert" testimony as the fimsiest spe-
| cies OF evidence. Microscopical and
| chemical examinations are rightfully re-
| garded with distrust and suspicion.
The analysis that puts mans or wo-
mans life in the balance against piece
! of chemically prepared paper ought to
be thoroughly sifted. The paid medi-
| cal experts Of the defense take an en-
trely differents diagnosis and uphold 1t
by their sworn testimony.-Nel0 York
Dispatch.
There was ample cause for distrust OF
the conclusion reached on the trial, not
withstanding the facts that the courts
OF appeal sustained it at all points. No
motive for the crime that OF killing
his young wife by poison-was made
clearly to appear, aud evidence which
was not admitted seemed to point TO the
influence of the husband. All this ex-
cluded evidence and everything else
that could be alleged in Harris favor
has been heard by competent person,
| appointed by Governor Flower for that
| purpose, and the result is the contrma-
tiou, to a certainty, Of the business OF
the conviction that was reached on
/ purely circumssantial evidence. This
is a testimony to the value Of conclu-
sions reached upon evidence which IS
only circumstantiel.- Boston Post
Such men are so dangerous to society
! that relief Is felt when their powers
for further wrong-doing are curtailed.
1t is sad to see a young life thus blight
ed, and the sympathetic and impress
sionable In the country will wish that
Governor Flower could have seen way
to save Harris life. The wish will be
expressed to-day In hundreds Of news
! papers that will ignore the cruel and
cold-booded murder Of trusting
school girl. The evidence against Har-
ris Is as complete as circumstantial evil
dence can be. There is no moral doubt
of his guilt. There can he no reason
able doubt in the mind Of any intelli-
gent man as to the justice OF his fate.
-AlbGny Express.
1t is idle to talk OF the State as hav-
ing any malice to crafty or any ven
geance to appease against such man
! as Almy, the murderer Of Christie War
| den, in New Hampshire, or Harris, In
New York. Society, collectively, can
not and does not seek the life OF any
man. The State simply stands between
! families like that 10 which Christie
| Warden and Helen Potts belonged, and
| TO which they were doubtless both very
| dear, and the men by whose hands they
were hurried to unnatural and abhor-
rent deaths. As long as the law re-
mains as it is, no Governor has the
right to interfere with its execution ex-
cept on supreme groundS.-St Louis
| Star SdytllgS.
The fact is that murder by the use OF
poison cannot be proved satisfactorily TO
certain minds. The evidence must be
circumstatial because OF the nature OF
the crime, and can never be so complete
as TO exclude the possibility OF limo
cence. Fortunately juries generally
recognize this fact. If they did not,
every villain could remove his enemy by
poison with perfect safety TO himself
The escape OF Harris would have done
much TO encourage this kind OF crime.
There is no reasonable doubt or his
crime.-Mdcon Telegraph.
But whether in extremity man or ma
ton can destroy the life Of a fellow
man, very few will find special ex-
ample Of wrongful application of the
law in the case Of Carlyle W. Harris.
The number Of people believing In his
| innocence prior to the humane re-inves-
tigation by Governor Flower has been
reduced by that examination to the
lowest. All hearts are grateful to the
Governor for his last act Of exhaustful
inquiry and elimination Of doubt
| Buffalo Times Republic.
The facts are well worth reciting as a
warning to other young men who are
bent on pleasure and will have 1t at any
cost. Harris conduct was pertidious In
| the extreme. There was about IL not a
redeeming trait OF manlness, and he can
thank his mother and his attorneys for
whatever Of sympathy there is with
him. Columbus Dispatch.
Harris trial afforded a striking In
! stance OF IQb COuNlDCluR lOICb VI ClI-
cumstantial evidence. There was no
direct testimony to his crime, and yet
| the motive was so obvious and the
slight wool OF fact so clearly woven that
1t was not possible to make for him any
adequate defense. -IndidnGpOLiS NeDCs.
Wife-murderer Carlyle w. Harris has
met his death at the hands Of the law,
and there is every reason to believe that
he left the world with a falsehood upon
his lips. He was man without con-
science, and cursed with an egotism
that overbore every other attibute Of
| his nature.-DGtrOit Free Press.
No man was ever more justly refused
clemency than Carlyle w. Harris, the
cowardly, degraded murderer Of Helen
Potts. Governor Flower, OF New York,
| has In this case proved himself strong
and wise executive.-TOrOntO Empire.
Some sympathy ought to be expressed
FOR the father OF Carlyle Harris, who
seems to be about the only member of
the family who has not attracted any
| public attention or appeared to be anxi-
Gus to do so.-BuGdLO Commercial.
Smallpox at Quarantine.
New York, May 1l.-When the steam