Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-21


ever, has there been so much excite.
ment around the dark grim building OF
the Court of General Sessions as there
was this morning,
Carlyle w. Harris, after having eX-
hausted every possible means to escape
the penalty for the murder OF his Wlte'
was to be finally resentenced by Re-
corder Smyth.
Interest in the case has been phenom-
email The court room was crowded De-
fore 10 o'clock.
A little before 10 o'clock side door
down at the Tombs, four blocks away
from the throng about the court house,
was opened. A slender young man with
pointed, close-trimmed beard, stepped
forth, one wrist shackeled to the wrist
of deputy sheriff.
The young man was Harris on his
way to be resentenced. His skin was
sallow, his eyes large and sunken and
under them deep blue rings. Arriving
at the court, Harris sat down In a re-
mote corner, closely guarded by the
deputy sheriffs.
DESPITE the hurried trip from the
Tombs, Harris was very pale aud sank
back in his chair as il utterly exhaust
| ed.
At sharp ten o'clock Recorder Smith
took the bench. There was rustic OF
expectancy among the spectators.
Amid silence so deep that every sound
outside could be distinctly heard, the
Recorder wheeled about in his chair
until he faced the prisoner, and imme-
diately called: Carlyle Harris TO the
bar"
Harris arose with start and walked
unsteadily through the rows OF specta-
tors up to the rail.
District Attorney Nicoll, in a low
voice, made the usual molten that sem
tence be passed.
! There was silence for moment,
when the District Attorney sat down.
The Recorder somewhat husktly said:
"Carlyle w. Harris, have you any
thing to say why the sente nee OF the
| Court should not be passed upon you?'
Harris leaned both bands on the rail,
bent forward and began to speak in
tones so low that the deputy who stood
close beside him on either side could not
hear what he said, and leaned their
| heads to catch the words.
There was slight buzz OF whispering
among the spectators. Recorder
Smyth's voice again was lifted. This
time harsh and commanding. He inter-
rupted Harris: LET every whisper
| cease" he thundered; 1.-THE man or
woman who speaks or whispers will be
elected. This is too solemn matter
! for idle chatter"
uThe court room was again as quiet as
possible, and human fate it seemed
hung heavy on the air. Harris began
again. The scene was dramatic In the
! extreme. Harris leaned his left hand
on the rail and slightly swayed as he
spoke. With effective gestures he
waved his s.right arm, but although the
spectators kept absolute silence and
craped their necks to hear, not one
could catch q syllable of what the priS-
oner was saying for just five minutes
| that he talked.
Judge Martin, who sat in bench
alongside of Recorder Smyth, although
he leaned back in his chair negligenty,
he never once took his eyes off Harris.
The recorders attitude was marked
! by every one. He sat bolt upright at
times, even leaned forward, and with
his left hand behind his ear seemed to
be striving TO hear what Harris said.
He looked straight into Harris eye.
District Attorney Ncoll was surround
| ed by his staff Of assistants.
Superintendent Of Police Byrnes was
a marked figure He stood within the
rail, and like everyone else listened
with strained attention.
Mrs. Harris, the prisoners mother,
was not TO be seen. 1t was said that
| she had been persuaded by her son
| himself to stay away. lie feared that
, the scene would be too much For her.
Among the spectators was Mr.. Potts,
the father Of the girl whom Harris
married and is convicted Of having
murdered. Harris was evidently very
weak. He swayed backward and for
ward as he spoke, and at times seemed
to save himself from falling by clutch
ing convulsively at the rail. After the
first ten minutes he grew stronger, and
his voice could be heard By those In his
| immed ate vicinity.
The first time that Harris accents
rang out strong and clear was when he
spoke of Dilworth Choate. With sud-
denness that startled every one came
the words: There is one man for
whom have been looking around this
court room. do not see him. de Is
Dilworth Choate, Dilworth Cboate. "
He repeated the name with such in
tense scorn and bitterness that a shud-
der ran around the court room.
"Dilworth Choate," continued Harris,
"Dilworth Choate, sneak and perjurer.
Newspaper outcast-the District Attor-
ney's tool"
Harris continued to excoriste Choate
but his voice fell. The young jail
bleached prisoners vitality was at low
ebb. 1t was this way all through Har-
ris's most remarkable speech. For mo-
ments at time his voice was so low
that no one could hear him aud then he
would burst forth with some dramatic
explanation that penetrated to the fur
therest recess of the court room
A big bundle Of notes lay on the table
to Harris right. in front OF Lawyer
Howe. Harris occasionally turned and
referred to them. There was dra-
matte moment afterHarris bad spoken
OF the affidavit Of Juror Mason that he
1.-THE Juror would have given different
verdict if the evidence presented by the
recent affidavits had been before him at
the time of the trial. Harris. turned TO
Mr. Howe. his counsel, and bending
slightly toward him said IN low but