Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-03-25
HIS FATE SEALED.

New YORK, March 81. Carlyle w.
Harris has been sentenced to be cleo
trocuted during the week commencing
May s. Rarely, if ever, has there
been SO much excitement around the
dark grim building of the court of gem
eral sessions as there was during the
session. Carlyle w. Harris, after hav-
ing exhausted every possible means to
escape the penalty for the murder
of his wife, was to be finally resen-
fenced by Recorder Smyth. Interest
in the case has been phenomenal 1t
was evidenced by the crowds
which surrounded the court building.
There nyas a rustic of expectancy
among the spectators. Harris leaned
forward and gazed intently at the
magistrate who had declared against
the young prisoners last chance in the
courts for life. Amid silence, so deep
that every sound outside could be dis
tinctly heard, the recorder wheeled
slowly about in his chair until he faced
the prisoner and Immediately called
Harris to the bar.
Among the spectators was Mr.. Potts,
the father of the girl whom Harris
married and is convicted of having
murdered. He sat back well and
seemed to wish to avoid notice. 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 vicin-
ity. The spectators could only gather
that Harris was speaking of the affi-
davits which were presented by the
defense on the motion for new trial.
Harris continued to excoriate Choate
until his voice fell. 1t was this way
all through Harris most remarkable
speech. For moments at time his
voice was SO low that no one could
hear. Then as suddenly as before his
voice would rise and then sink to
husky whisper, his whole form seemed
to collapse and he leaned heavily on
the rail.
Harris devoted considerable atten-
tion to Assistant. Attorney Wellman,
who was prosecutor on the first trial
While he was talking about Wellman's
saying that Harris was married in 1882
Harris suddenly Missed:
'And 1 know and Wellman knows
that Wellman lied"
A few minutes later Mr.. Wellman,
who had been sitting alongside Mr..
Nicoll, arose and abruptly left the
courtroom.
HE had better have gone BEFORE"
remarked Harris.
A most affecting scene occurred
when Harris turned to Mr.. Howe and
in broken accents said:
'Mr. Howe, l let you know what a
poor man | am, that l have not and
cannot repay your devotion. 1 want
you to take this, my dearest possess
sion, and keep it ever"
AS he spoke Harris drew an en-
velope from his 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 con-
vulsively and the tears ran down his
cheeks. After addressing a few i'm
pressive words to the recorder Harris
finished the remarkable speech by
turning again to Mr.. Howe and hand
ing him some letters Harris had
spoken for an hour and forty minutes
The recorder then began to speak,
slowly and impressively. The recorder
proceeded to review the facts of the
case very briefly. He spoke particu-
10, Of
trial and said he had given the ap-
plication his consideration with a
very full sense of the responsibility
that human life depended upon his
decision. Twice Harris interrupted the
recorder to speak of points in the case
that he had forgotten before. The re-
corder heard him patiently.
"You are not here to have the SEN
| tence of death pronounced upon you,'
| said the recorder. THAT has already
been done. The previous sentence has
| merely to be reaffirmed and a date
| fixed. The order of the court is that
the previous sentence be carried out
| during the weel, beginning May s."
Harris made no sign as he heard the
date of his death. His already pallid
face could be no paler. The envelope
which Harris handed to Mr. Howe, say
ing it contained Helen's last gift to
him, had in it a pair of gold link cuff
| buttons.
A great throng ran after Harris as
he walked from the court of general
sessions to the Tombs A remarka,
BILE feature was the applause that was
given him. Again and again he was
cheered. His face flushed as if with
pleasure.
When Harris reached the Tombs
there was a big crowd waiting
"Three cheers and tiger for Harrisr
cried some one. They were given, anG
Harris, still handcuffed to Deputy
Sheriffs Brown and Burke, walked IN
side with smile on his face.
His lawyers believe that the demon
stration indicates general public
sentiment in favor of giving Harris