The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-24
NEAR THE CHAIR OF DEATH
Carlyle W. Harris Taken TO Sing Sing
Prison and Placed in Murderer'S Row,
Within Few Feet of the Place Where He Will
BE Killed by Electricity, Unless Governor
Flower Takes Mercy on Him.

SING SING, n. Y. March 23-In q solitary
grated Gage of iron, in q low, shedlIke
structure within the prison walls, Carlyle
Harris Is spending the first night of his
waiting in prison for death. The chair in
which he is expected to die is not thirty
feet distant from the cot whereon he may
sleep. If he can. He does not know how
ever. that he might, were the doors open
swung. flip q paper-wad over the oaken
chair wherein they expect to focus the silent
forces to compass his death. just outside
his ante-mOrtem tomb of iron, q keeper sits
and watches. They fear he may kill him.
self and the yawning chair of death in the
next apartment is jealous of it's prey. The
death watch is set.
Harris was astir in his cell at the Tombs in
New York at o'clock this morning. "Well,"
he CALCULATED through his cigarette smoke
to the keeper who wat ched. this will be
my last morning here. anyhow" AT 6
o'clock other keepers came in. Harris saw
them and knew what IL meant. I'VE have
come to take you to Sing Sing" said Burke
81 thought you would be here early, replied
Harris. with q smile. He put on his over
coat and gloves and came down into
the office. He was handcuffed to Dep
until q horse-car was in sight, and then
Brown brought him out. Harris shlvered
slightly as he felt the chill damp air of the
morning. Tho car was full of passeng gers.
They at once recognized him. There was
considerable excitement. The start from
the Tombs was made early and &C An hour
not announced, so as to avoid q crowd of
curious spectators. At the Grand Central
Station there vas crowd, however. The
deputies hurried their prisoner through
he tea To he he off M
prisoner took seats In the smoking car.
Harris had not been on the train ten min
utes until ali learned of his presence. They
crowded into the smoking car until every
to sit In the dust and smoke as the men.
When all the sitting room was gone. the
rest OF the passengers filed back and forth
along the aisle. stopping In front of Harris
like the ecrutinizIng. He turned his face
away. Once. however when woman
was passing, he looked her full in
the eye and turned his head to watch her
walk away. She was young and pretty.
The most remarkable feature of the trip.
with the possible exception of Mr.. Harris's
uncOncern. was the mysterious way II
which persons In the station ms along the way
found out that he was coming. They even
knew what car he sat In.
The train that bore Harris arrived here
at 1924. Burke and Brown were going to
give Harris ride to the prison. lie said
he preferred to walk and get the air. This
may be 10Y last chance" he said. So the
three. with q small crowd trailing behind,
walked back along the track until the pris-
on was reached. At S35 O'clock the
doors of the prison closed upon Harrle
little crowd was inside and as he started
to enter the dark passaGewsy 80 his cell he
turned and said in q tone that was touched
with sadness: Goodbye to all. i cannot
shake hands with any one" He Grasped
the hands of the deputies and disappeared.
Every particle of clothing was taken from
him and he was dressed anew from the
skin. He got q neat cutaway suit OF black.
His hair was trimmed and the beard he
grew in the Tombs was shaved oil. Then
he was measured, weighed. his name, age.
name, birthplace and forth taken. and
he was locked In his cell.
There are eight cells III murderers' row
occupied. Besides Harris the condemned
are: Sliney. Hollister, Roll, Osmond. Ham.
iltoD and Geogegan. Hamilton will be the
first to die. Then Geogegan aud Sliney will
be executed Harris's turn will then be