The morning call., 1893-05-09
STORY OF THE CRIME.


10 that 5ffieial this evening.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
How Carlyle Harris Met, Married
and Murdered His Wife.
Carlyle W. Harris was a medical stu
dent in the New York College OF PhysL
clans and Surgeons. His mother was a
writer, generally on the subjects of edu-
| cation and the training of children, and
was also a temperance lecturer. His
grandfather is the once well-known New
York physician. DR.. McCreary. and it was
he who allowed young Harris money for
expenses to complete his medical studies.
He was at this time about 20 years OF age,
presentable and well-mannered, gay and
debonnaire. Known to belong to a re-
spectacle family. the grandson of doctor,
ne made friends among many people at
Asbnry Park and Ocean Grove.
His was not handsome face, nor was it
exactly repellant. But it was an unde-
veloped face, with prominent nose that
seemed TO stand ont of its setting. a
slightly slOping forehead and a recedins
chin. There was nothing of the man
about such a face His head was small
and more developed in the intellectual
and percepilye regions than in other rarts
If the science of phrenolOgy is true, the n
Carlyle w. Harris was born with badly
balanced but not originally wicked head.
The back portion shows a very inferior
development Of those portions said to in
dicate the feeling of human love, the love
OF home and family, without which life
is an ambitious deiusion and n wretched
effort TO grasp at distorted ambitions.
Most of his time. however, appears TO
have been spent 10 firtatioBs, some of
which ended in scandals that have already
been made public others in crimes that
are now found in official records. It was
his boast that he was irresistible. and 1t is
alleged that he said that he had been un-
successful in his efforts in only three cases,
and in these he had to silence all scruples
by marriage.
This was the degraded condtl OF his
life when he met Helen Nelson Potts.
Pure and sweet he found her. wronged,
stained and disgraced lie left her iu an un-
timely grave. He first saw her at a hop,
and being attracted by her innocence
beauty and culture. paid her the most
devoted attention. The sweet ard lovely
girl responded to her vile suitor's wooing,
and no doubt deeply loved him. That
she was as good as she was lovely may be
inferred from remark made by Harris 10
one ofthe witnesses. that he was unsuccess-
tul until marriage ceremony had been
performed.
The pair were constantly together and
before the summer ended he proposed mar
riage. Mrs. Potts instantly refused to en-
tertain the idea on account Of his youth.
81 hat nj har CHI f,of
only 49, But Harris worked on the feel
ings of his sweetheart. and told her how
romantic a secret marriage would be, and If
either grew tired Of it in two years, they
could break it and no one would be the
wiser. He also told her how his prospects
would be injured in his profession If it
were known he had married before he had
finished his studies. So after much persua-
sion and in pursuance of his design, Harris
induced Miss Potts to consent to a secret
marriage.
They made journey to New York and
there, under the name of Charles Harris
and Helen Nelson, they were married.
"Thenceforth their manners were so
simple and NATURAL" said Mrs. Potts after
ward, THAT never had the slightest sus-
picion that they we're man and wife"
Oub lHb COb5ihul lear VI ulStOFtTy ana
her remorse that she had deceived her
trusting mother brought on failing health.
Helen Potts nervousness, her insomnia
and the change in her spirits her friends
recognized. but could not understand. In
August, 1890, she became very i'll. and her
mother discovered the secret. Helen had
been sent to her uncle. DIR. Treverton of
Scranton, and to him she had told her
ptiable story of wrong and cowardly crime
on the part of him who had promised to
love and safeguard her till death. She was
dangerously i'll for month, and then the
mother was at last telegraphed for.
II was horrible story that DR.. TreYer-
ton heard from his unfortunate niece.
Three unsuccessful criminal operations
had been performed upon her. two by her
husband and one by his insiigation, and
she was suffering from septic poison. The
doctor relieved her, and Mrs. Potts i'm
mediately insisted upon having the cere-
mony performed again. About this time
Harris was arrested for running a dis
orderly clubhouse, and this caused her TO
hesitate until he had lived down the dis
grace. She went to New York and secured
copy OF the marriage contract, the
original of which Harris said ne had
burRed. Mrs. Potts then earnestly wished
to have the marriage ceremony performed
again, this time in public. but Harris
urged that marriage would be detrimental
to his career. Finally he consented to have
1t performed soon. He then persuaded
Mrs. Potts to send Helen to the Comstock
Finishing School. where, he said, ''she
would grow gracious and graceful" Helen
was in good health at this time. and Harris,
seeing no danger ahead likely to accrue
from his criminal treatment OF his girl
vile. wantonly went back on his word and
refused to have the ceremony performed
fol two years.
1t was finally agreed that the religious
ceremony should take place on February
8. 1891. But the long weeks of Illness and
anxiety bad again told upon the nervous
system of the young wife and she became a
victim OF insomnia.
On January 20 she complained OF this to
Harris, who was calling upon her at the
school. There was no one else to whom
she could turn, no one who so thoroughly
understood the cause of her suffering as he.
In her extremity she asked for help and he
prescribed for her. The prescription was
filled at neighboring drugstore, and
called for Ealf grain of morphine and a
proportionate dose Of qninine. To this
aanat,la eli a.. ..&.t