Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-03-21
PLEADED FOR LIFE.
Remarkable Scene in a New
York City Court.
ARGUMENT OF CARLYLBW. HARRIS.

The Young Medical student Convicted OF
Poisoning His Wife Reviews the Case
Before a Resentence and Denounces Two
of His Prosecutors-Master Workman
Dempsey Refused a New Trial-The As
sassin of John II. Clayton Believed to
Have Been Caught
NEW YORK, March 2l.-There was a
packed court chamber yesterday when
Carlyle W. Harris, the alleged wife pois-
oner, convicted on circumstantial evidence,
was called to the bar to be resentenced to
electrothanasia. The prisoner rose and
with both hands grasping the rail in front
Of him proceeded ia reply to the question:
EHave you anything to say why sentence of
death etc, to deliver n speech of one and
a half hours. mostly in a voice so low with
physical weakness that only those within
few feet could hear.
Went over the Case Fully.
He began at the beginning; told how he
mad gone to the district attorney as soon
as the first suspicious of his guilt We're
printed in the newspal ers. and demanded
an investigation; charged the detectives
and reporters with cooking up all sorts of
charges against him in the usual Amer
lean process of trying the case in the papers
before it istried in the courts; denounced
reporter Dilwocth Choate in bitter terms
and said, referring 20 statement that As
sistant Attorney WelIman had made, that
"Wellman lied, and Wellman knew he
lied"
Close of a Remarkable Speech.
He then presented the evidence his at
torneys had gathered to secure new trial
and marshaled in with great skill. He
would occasionally burst out strongly so
that every one N tGe room could hear him.
but most OF his speech was in a whisper.
He closed as follows: Il am before my
judge, YOU viii some day come face to
face with your judge-Recorder Smith,
stripped of al these earthly dignities.
There is a sustaining power in innocence,
which in this case has risen superior to the
terrors of death. Two years ago l visited
lonely grave and today, as then, / thank
God that he who will may read in this new
evidence my innocence of this foul crime
Interrupts the Recorder.
MY duty in this case is doubly painful"
said the recorder soon as Harris had fin
ished. You are undoubtedly a man of
extreme ability. l regret to see you here
today. But after hearing all you have TO
say am still of the opinion that this new
evidence has no grounds. l am sustained
by the court of appeals The date for the
execution having passed by reason of your
appeal, it devolves upon me to again APP
point DAY Nltnln the week beginning
-" Harris stood up and clutched the bar
with one hand. The other hand he
stretched out to the recorder. Then, rails
ing his voice, he cried: The last of Carlyle
Harris! 1 warn you. Mr.. Snyth, it will be
the last of school girl experts! The last of
perjured testimony and -"
The Governor His Only Hope Now.
Deputy sheriff Burke touched him on
the shoulder and he sank into his chair.
~Your executions will take place in the
week beginning Monday, May 8" the
recorder said. Remove the prisoner
Harris picked up his coat; he was pale self
contained, unbroken- But one man stands
now between him and an ignorminious
death, or at least lifelong imprisonment,
but the prisoner was quite blithe as he
left the scene of the impressive proceedings
which had just taken place. There was
vast throng of people in the street. which
gathered around as the prisoner appeared
and followed him for blocks.
The Crowd Was with the Prisoner.
"Cheer up, Harris; you will beat the re-
corder yet," yelled one sympathetic spec |
tator Harris smiled and said nothing. |
Some one in the crowd on Center street |
cried: "He ought to be lynched." Another |
big-voiced man yelled, "Three cheers for |,
Harris The crowd responded Justify 4
with confused, excited cry. The demon |
stration surprised Harris, and as he passed !,
into the Tombs he smilingly remarked: :
They believe me innocent if they cheer me \
on the street"
The crowd left him when the iron gates
of the prison changed in their faces and the
policemen ordered them away.
Satisfied and Ready to Die.
Harris appeared very cheerful and when
told that he would not be taken TO Sing
Sing until Wednesday expressed his graft
fication. Il feel like man who has done
a good days work and is tired. / am sur
prised at the way held out for this morn
ing was very sick. / am very happy
now. for have proved my case. 1 am sat
isfied now, though have been legally tried
and convicted. They don't dare try me
again, though, for the prosecution would
be a farce. Well, it's over now
and am ready to die, although / declare
solemnly that l am an innocent man.