The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-03-23
SENTENCED TO DEATH.
CARLISLE W. HARRIS RESENTENCED
AFTER ExHAUs1IEG ILL APPEALS.
Must Die by Electricity for Numbering His
SCHOOLGIRL Wife-Impressiv Scene in
Court and Remarkable Speech by
the Condemned Man.

of the Court of General Sessions as
there was this morning. Carlisle w.
Harris, after having exhausted every
possible means to escape the penalty
for the murder of his wife, was to be
finally re.sentenced by Recorder
Smyth. Interest in the case has been
phenomenal. 1t was evinced this
morning by the crowds that surround
ed the court building. Extraoldi'
nary measures had been taken by the
authorities to prevent the court room
being crowded. The ordinary en-
trance 10 the building was barred
hard and fast, and big notices read.
ing "closed" put on the doors. The
only way to get into the building was
by the basement entrance. Two po'
licemen and clerk from the district
attorneys office were stationed there
and no one was allowed to pass except
newspaper men authenticated and
persons bearing tickets of admission
signedby the district attorney. After
visitor got inside the building he
had to run q gauntlet of more officers
to get into the room where Recorder
5myth sits. Notwithstanding all
this the court room was crowded be.
fore 10 O'Clock A dense throng of
men, boys and women, too, surrou lded
the building.
A little before 10 o'clock the side
door down at the tombs, four blocks
away from the thrOng above the court
house, opened and IL slender young
man, with a pointed, close trimmed
bead, stepped forth, one wrist shack
led to the wrist of a deputy sheriff,
Close behind him was another dep
uty, and the biggest one on the force,
The young man Harris was on his
way to be re-sentenced. His skin was
sallow, his eyes large and sunken, and
under them deep blue rings, and, no
wonder, for the fearful strain OF anX'
iety the man has been undergoing
would reduce the vital forces of the
strongest.
The trio left the Leonarn street en-
trance of the tomOs. A crowd lined
the center of the streets and to escape
them the sheriff took Harris through
the department of public works build
ing and rushed him ACROSS Chambers
street to the court. Arriving at the
court, Harris sat down in remote
corner closely guarded by deputy
sheriffs. Despite the hurried trip
from the tOmbs Harris was very pale
as if utterly exhausted.
At 10 O'clock sharp Recorder Smyth
took the bench. There was q rustic
of expectancy among the spectators.
Harris leaned forward and gaZed in
tently at the magistrate who had de-
clared against the young prisoner
last chance in the courts for his life.
Amid silence so deep that every
sound outside could be heard the re-
corder wheeled slowly about in his
chair until he faced the prisoner and
Immediately called Carlisle Harris to
the bench. Harris arose with start
and walked unsteadily through the
rows of spectators to the rail. District
Attorney Nicoll, in low voice, made
the usual motion that sentence be
passed, There was silence for a mo-
ment when the district attorney sat
down. Then the recorder, somewhat
huskily, said:
Carlisle Harris, have you anything
to say why the sentence of the court
should not be passed upon You?
Harris leaned both hands on the
rails, bent forward and began to speak
in tones 30 low that the deputies who
stood close behind him on each side
could not hear him. There was a
buzz of whispering among the specta-
tors and Recorder Smyth's voice was
gain lifted, this time harsh and COM
manding. He interrupted Harris.
"Let every whisper cease" he thUn-
dered. "The man or woman who
speaks or whispers will be elected.
This Is too solemn a matter for idle
chatter"
The court room was again as gu ct
to hang in the air. Harris began
again. Just then the officers opened
the door to let in two women. The
door creaked and the women's shoes
made q noise. The magistrate was
aroused.
"Let no man, woman or child be
allowed TO enter or leave the court
room," again Numbered the recorder.
The door was closed carefully, three
officers stood against it, the women
sprang behind a group clustered
about the door. Harris began again.
the scene was dramatic in
Te extreme. Harris leaned his
hands on the railing and slightly
swayed as he spoke. With effective
gestures he waved his right arm, but
although the spectators kept abso-
lutely silent and craned their necks to
hear, not one could catch a syllable of
what the prisoner was saying. For
just five minutes he talked. Judge
Martin sat on the bench alongside
Recorder Smyth. Although he leaned
back in his chair negligently he never
once took his eyes off the prisoner
The recorders attitude was marked by
all. He sat bolt upright at times
even leaning forward and with his left
hand behind his ear seemed painfully
striving to hear what Harris said. He
looked straight into Harris eyes. Dis
trict Attorney Nicoll was surrounded
by his enti-e staff of officers and early
all the clerks in the court room, Su-
perintendent of Police Byrnes was q
marked figure. He stood within the
rail and like everyone else listened
with strained attention.