Evening journal., 1893-03-20

smyth Sentences the Murderer of Helen
Potts to Die May s.
New York, March 20-Rarely If
ever, has there been so much excitement
around the Court Of General Sessions
building as there was this morning.
Carlyle w. Harris, after having ex-
hausted every possible means to escape
the penalty for the murder of his wife,
was to be finally yre-sentenced by Recorder
Smyth. The court room was crowded
before 10 o'clock and a dense crowd sur
rounded the building on all sides.
At o. 80 Harris left the Tombs, shackled
to Deputy Sheriff Brown. Deputy Sheriff
Burke followed closely. Arriving at the
court Harris sat down in a remote corner
closely guarded by the deputy shsriffs
He looked very pale and sank back in his
chair as if utterly exhausted. At 10
o'clock Recorder Sharp Smyth took the
bench
Amid a silence so deep that every sound
outside could be distinctly heard, the
recorder said slowly, Carlyle Harris to
the bar"
A Dramatic Court Room Scene.
Harris arose with start and walked
unsteadily through the rows Of spectators
up TO the rail District Attorney Nicoll,
in low voice made the usual motion
that the sentence be passed.
There was silence for a moment when
the district attorney sat down. Then the
recorder, somewhat huskily, said
Carlyle Harris, have you anything to
say why the sentence of the court should
not be passed upon your"
Harris leaned both hands on the rail.
bent forward and began to speak in tones
so inaudible that the deputies who stood
close beside him on each side could not
hear what be said and leaned their heads
to catch the words. There was a slight
buzz of whispering among the spectators.
Recorder Smyth's voice, this time harsh
and commanding, interrupted Harris.
'Let every whisper cease" he thun.
dered. ''The man or woman who speaks
or whispers will be elected. This is too
solemn matter for idle chatter"
The court room was again as quiet as
possible. Harris began again but the
officers opened the door to let in two
women. The door creaked and the
women's skirts rustled.
Let no one, man, woman or child,
whoever he or she may be, enter or leave
this court room" thundered the recorder.
The door was closed carefully. Three
officers stood against it. The women
shrunk behind a group Of men clustered
around the door.
Harris began again. The scene was
dramatic in the extreme. He leaned his
left hand on the rail, and slightly
swayed as he spoke With effective
gestures he waived his right arm, but
although the spectators kept absolute
silence and craned their necks to hear,
no one could catch a syllable of what t no
prisoner was saying, during the hve
minutes that he talked
Harris was evidently very weak. He
swayed backward and forward as he spoke,
and at times seemed to save himself
from falling by clutching convulsively at
the rail After the FIRST ten minutes he
grew stronger and his voice could be
heard by those in his immediate vicinity.
The spectators could only gather that
Harris was speaking of the afiidavits
which were presented by the defence on
the motion for a new trial
The FIRST time that Harriss accents
rang out strong and clear was when he
spoke Of Dilworth Choate. With a
suddenness that startled every one came
the words There is one man for whom
have been looking around this court
room do not see him. He is Dlworth
Choate; Dilworth Choate.
He repeated the name with such in
tense scorn aud bitterness that a shudder
ran around the room.
"Dilworth Choate, continued Harris,
'Dnworth Choat e, sneak and perjurer
Newspaper outca st-the district attor-
ney's tool
Harris continued to execriste Choate
but his voice fell. 1t was this way al
through Harris's most remarkable
speech.
For moments at a time his voice wa'
so low that no one could hear him. TheI
he would burst forth with some dramati,
exclamation that penetrated to thl
furthest reLess of the court room
Then for a few minutes all could hea
distinctly what he said During thes
periods Harris seemed strong and vigor
Gus. He stood unsupported and talke,
easily and distinctly. Then as suddenl,
as before his voice would sink to a husk
whisper; his whole form seemed to col
lapse and he leaned heavily on the rail
These metamsophosis continued al
through the speech
A big bundle Of notes lay on the tabl
TO Harris right in front of Lawyer Howe
Harris occasionally turned and referre
to them.
There was a dramatic moment afte
Harris had spoken of the affidavit q
Juror Mason that he (Mason) would hav
given different verdict il tho evidenc
presented by the recent Rffdavits had bee
before him. Harris turned to Mr. Howe an
bending slightly toward him said in To-
but distinct tones, Don't file that aii
davit with the county clerk. Mr.. How,
lay it on my coffin.
There were wet eyes in the court room
Harris devoted considerable attentio
to Assistant District Attorney Wellma
who was prosecutor on the frst tria
While he was talking aboI
Wellman saying that Harris ws
married in 1888 Harris suddenl
hissed "And l know and Wellms
knows that Wellmsn lied. A few mil
utes later Mr. Wellman, who had be,