The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-09
SAYS He WAS MURDERED
Carlyle Harris'S Mother Talks About
The Execution.
A STATEMENT FOR THE PRESS.
Warden Durston Promises to Give IL to
Mrs. Harris. hut Later He Changes
His Mind and sends 1t to the super
intsndent Of Prisons at Albany.

SrNo SING, May 9.-At $50 o'clock yes
terday afternoon Mrs. Harris received
about 20 representatives In the parlor n
her boarding house on State street. Stand
ing in the middle of the folding doors,
Mrs. Harris motioned the newspaper men
into q semi-circle, and thus addressed
themi
''Gentlemen: My boy has been killed
because he was accused of murder. And
what was the principal evidences against
himf That he did not weep when his wife
died. Look in my eyes. You do not see a
tear there, do you? Not q tear has been
there yet, and who Of you doubt that
loved Carlylei Carlyle is dead-but he is
free.
HE has gone to higher school where he
will be educated and improved in mind.
His death is warning to every one Of you
young men. II you happen to do wrong
run away, no matter how innocent you
are or how confident your friends are in
your innocence. Carlyle had done wrong.
He was inclined to be fast, and had been
immoral, somewhat, but not terribly 50,
but he never killed his wife"
Harris Statement withheld.
Yesterday afternoon the reporters asked
Warden Durston for Carlyle Harris state
ment, as 1t is said to he addressed to the
press He replied that when Mrs Harris
sent for IL she could have it.
1t was learned that the statement had
been revised by Carlyle Harris at the war
den's request on Saturday and again yes
terday. The warden had practically acted
a. censor over the prisoner, even up to the
moment of his electrocution.
II. saI 30 L.
porters that the statement was in his
pocket, but he refused to give it out until
he took IL to the warden. He said the
statement had been partly rewritten by
Harris, as the warden objected to por-
tion of its contents.
Chaplain Wells tookl the statement to
Warden Durston at 4:30 p. m. A few min
utes later Mrs. Harris sent her son Allan
to the prison to
Ask For the Statement.
To Allan the warden said sharply: 81
haven't got il. / can't be bothered attend
ing TO the requests of Mrs Harris. I've
got the prison to run. Tell your mother
that as soon as get the statement will
give it to her."
Young Harris went away much broken
up.
At o'clock Mrs. Harris, with another
lady and Allan, drove to the prison. They
took with them wreath of flowers to
place upon the coffin. The wreath bore the
inscriptions: AT Rest" and Innocent. :"
Warden Durston refused to allow them to
take the flowers to the coffin.
Then Mrs. Harris asked for the state
ment made by her son. The warden, who
remained seated, with his hat on, replied
that he
Had Not Got the Statement
and had not seen it, Mrs. Harris pro-
tested that he must have seen the state
ment, for she had been told that the chap
lain had left 1t with the warden. Warden
Durston finally said that he had mailed
Harris statement to Superintendent Of
Prisons Lathrop at Albany
But" said Mrs. Harris, you promised
my son that you would hand it to me-"
II can't help that" replied the warden.
"And / can't get it at Albany!"
II don't know"
.'Oh, this is terrible" said the agonized
woman, and she seemed nearer to break
ing down than when the news of her sons s
death reached her. Supported by Allan
she withdrew to the carriage.
Before entering the carriage she decalred
that Warden Durston had disregarded his
own promises and the dying request of
her son and was now endeavoring to pre-
vent the statement from ever being pub
lished.
Warden Durston said afterward that he
could use his own discretion about giving
out the statement, and that he thought it
the best policy to send it to Albany. He
said il was mailed last evening