The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-24
HARRIS IN COURT.
DRAMATIC SOENE CREATED BY
THE WIFE MURDERER.

for bis Good Name-fhe Prosecution
and Some Newspaper Men Scored.
Short History of One of the Most
Famous of Modern Criminal Cases.
AS stated IN the MORNING News dis
patches Carlyle Harris, the New York wife
murderer, will die in the electric chair at
Sing Sing, n. Y, during the week begin
ming May s. unless the governor extend
clemency TO him in the shape Of a commu-
tation Of sentence to life imprisonment.
There is a movement on foot in New York
to bulldoze the governor by mass meetings.
etc., into granting Harris full and free
pardon. But it is not probable that the
movement will succeed.
When Harris was taken into court Mon
day morning to be resentenced, so intense
was the curiosity TO see him that the streets
about the court house were thronged with
q swarm of men and women. They jostled
and elbowed each other in their eaRerness
to pre-empt good locations to see the young
man pass on his way to his doom.
Arriving at the court Harris sat down in
remote corner, closely guarded by the
deputy sherlffs. He looked very pale, and
sank back in his chair as IL utterly ex-
hausted. At 10 O'Clock Recorder Smyth
took the bench.
Amid silence so deep that every sound
outside could be distinctly heard, the re-
corder said slowly: Carlyle W. Harris to
the bar"
Harris arose with a start and walked I'M
steadily through the rows of spectators up
to the rail. District Attorney Nicoll, in a
low voice, made the usual motion that SEN
tence be passed.
There was silence for a moment, when the
district attorney sat down. Then the re-
corder said:
Carlyle w. Harris, have you anything
to say why the sentence of the court should
not he passed upon you %
HARRIS DRAMATIC STATEMENT.
Harris leaned both hands on the rail, bent
forward and began to speak in audible
tones.
The scene was dramatic in the extreme.
be leaned his left hand on the rail and
slightly swayed as he spoke. With effect
i've gestures he waved his right arm, but
although the spectators kept absolute ST.
lence and craned their necks TO hear not
one could catch a syllable of what the pris-
oner was saying for five minutes.
Mrs. Harris. CRrlyles mother, was not to
be seen. 1t was said that she had been per-
suaded to stay away by Harris himself,
who feared that the scene would be toe
much for her.
Among the spectators was Mr.. Potts, the
father OF the girl whom Harris married and
murdered. He sat well back.
Harris was evidently very weak. He
swaYed backward and forward as he spoke
and at times seemed TO save himself from
falling by clutching oonvulsively at the rail.
After the first ten minutes he grew stronger
and bis voice could be heard by those 10 his
immediate vicinity. The first time that
Harris accents rang out strong and clear
was when he spoke of Dilworth Choate.
With suddepness that startled every one
came the words; There is one man for
whom have been looking around this court
room-Dilworth ChoRte.n He repeated the
name with intense soorn and bitterness:
"Dilworth Choate," continued Harris
"Dtlworth Choate, sneak and periurer /;
newspaper outcast-tbe district attorneys
tooln
There was q dramatic moment after bar-
ris had spoken Of the affidavit of Juror Ma
son, that he the juror would have given a
different verdict II the evidence presented
by the recent affidavits had been before
him. Harris turned to Mr.. Howe, his coun-
sci, and bending slightly toward him be
said in low, but distinct tones: Don't file
that affidavit with the county clerk, Mr..
Howe; lay it on my coffinln
Harris devoted considerable attention to
Assistant District Attorney Wellman, who
was prosecuting the fret trial. When he
was talking about Wellman saying that
Harris was married in 1858, Harris sud-
denly Kissed, And know and Wellman
knows that Wellman lied"
HTS LAST GIFT FROM HELEN.
A most effecting scene occurred when
Harris turned to Mr.. Howe, and in broken
accents said: "Mr. Howe, you know what a
poor man l am; that have not and cannot
davv II
this, my dearest possession, and
Harris drew an envelope from
bis pocket and handed It TO Mr. Howe, with
these words: take it, Mr.. Howe; it was
Helen's last gift to me. Take it with her
love- As he turned away to face the re-
corder again Harris sobbed twice, convul-
sively, and the tears ran down his cheeks
After addressinga few impressive words to
the recorder, Harris finished the remarka-
BILE speech by turning again to Mr.. Howe
and handing him some letters. Harris had
spoken for an hour aud forty minutes.
The recorder then began TO speak, slowly
and impressively. Twice Harris INTERRUPTED
him to speak of points in the case that he
had forgotten before. The recorder heard
him patiently. The third time Harris got
up it was TO ask that he be allowed TO re-
main in the Tombs few days before beng
taken to Sing Sing. The recorder said that
he had no authority to grant the request,
but he did not doubt that the sheriff would
do SO.
"You are not here to have the sentence of
death pronounced upon you" said the re-
corder. THAT has been already done. The
previous sentence has merely to be reaf-
firmed and date fixed. The order of the
court is that the previous sentence be carried
out during the week beginning May g."
The recorder said this in ordinary tones
hurriedly, as though anxious TO get it over.
Harris made no sign as he heard the date
Of bis death. His already psllid face could
become no paler.
The envelope which Harris handed TO Mr..
Howe, saying it contained Helen's last gift
to him, had in it pair Of gold link cuff
buttons.
Harris speech was exceedingly rambling
and disconnected. The principal point he
made was his effort to show the absence of
any possible motive for the murder He
claimed that he loved his young wife and
she loved him, and he had reason 20 expect
wealth and advancement In his profession
from the alliance.
CHEERED BY THE CROWD.
A great rhrong ran after Harris as he
walked from the general sessions TO the
MEDICAL.
ga