Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-01

MRS. cAELYLE W. HAKEIs. NEE HELEN POTTS
In his experience as i magistrate. What could
be hoped from his review of this new evidence?
Would he reverse his own decision? Would be
stultify his mandate Of wear ago? We hoped
he would. We hoped his conscience would
enter into his decision. We hoped for once he
might set aside his prejudice. but our hope
was vain, and though We proved that witnesses
against me submitted affdavits fetid with
perjury. although proved that their
athdavits sworn to by witnesses hundreds OF
miles apart we're phrased exactly alike this
judge. who had confessed his prejudice a year
before. rendered decis ion in which he argued
that the proof of my poor wife's habit would be
OF no value TO me, and on the dictum Of this mag
istrate. without the verdict OF Jury. without
the right TO place nv witnesses before the world
Il open court, without the right to enter a re-
buttal or 10 cross-examine. or to even criticise
the witnesses against me, stand today, con-
demned to die, my name disgraced, my home
IL ashes.
THOUGH 1 DIE. MY INNOCENCE STILL LIVES"
When last Monday faced the court for SEN
tence, spoke by statutory right in my own be-
half. did not try to justify or to explain. l
read the record. l quoted aftidavits and sworn
testimony. L drove my prosecutor. torrid with
shame. loaded with disgrace. branded with the
brand OF official leprosy. from the court room.
showed the court how he had sinned in
Charging that jury, and when he tried to ex-
pam rDOWed MIN again where he was wrong,
Out all TO no purpose. Although exposed.
| ashamed. and routed in their case they had
easy answer: Harris must die the 9Th OF
May Yes, you have proven your prosecutors
scoundrels; you have proven the witnesses
against you to be perjurors: you have shown
that the jury had to pass upon the theories
OF experts and that now, when the
facts are submitted. although thew cry
aloud that they would have acquitted upon
| these facts, you must die on NAV g." And vet
what II | do? Though / die, my innocence
| stiil lives; lives on the record of that court,
lives In the faltering words which addressed
| to justice. TO the world. last Monday, lives in
the knowledge of nv family and friends, lives
In the heart OF every honest, thoughtful man
| or woman who has perused will peruse the
| evidence IN the archives Of the court Of general
| sessions.
| When LETT the court room under sentence
| OF death. 1t was To find the City Hall Park and
all the adjoining streets packed with mass Of
people Five policemen walked in front OF me
clearing the way. and turned and said to the
deputy sheriff in whose custody / WAS III
these people believe / murdered that poor girl
for Gods sake why don't they string me mp to
some lamp post" and at that very moment
some one in the crowd called, Three cheers for
Harris" and from the court room to the Tombs
/ l was followed by cheer after cheer; women
raised their children in their arms, who clappsa
their hands and called out harris" Men
| waved their handkerchief and bid me be Of
courage, that they knew me innocent, and when
4 l reached the Toombs this multitude Of thou
sands cheersd me in farewell"