Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-04-26
GETTING A NEW TRIAL
Harris Hearing Begun Before
the Referee.
SOME STRONG TESTIMONY GIVEN

Tho Proceedings VIII Take the Rest of
This week.-Mrs.. Harris Creates a |
scene-NIiss waddelI Versus District
Attorney Wellmnn.
NEW YORK, April 26.-Carlyle w.
Harris was yesterday given another oppor-
tunity to prove himself innocent of having
administered to his wife, Helen Mary
Nelson Potts, fatal dose of morphine,
when Ex-senator George Raines, of
Rochester, the Commissioner appointed by
Coy. Flower to take evidence in the case,
BEGAN to hear the new evidence which Har-
ris claims would have changed the verdict
of the jury that found him guilty.
The court room was we'll filled with
curious persons. Mr.. Howe represented
Harris, and Mr.. Wellman the district
attorneys Office
Referee Raines arrived late. He made
formal statement about his mission, and
asked Mr.. Howe if he wished the witnesses
examined one by one, and Mr.. Howe said
he did.
At the suggestion of Mr. Wellman all
the witnesses were excluded from the
court room until called. Mrs. Anna B.
Carmen, we'll dressed and elderly, testified
10 iiNinS opposite MIS-. Ill OCEAN
Grove. n. J., in 1899. She knew Harris
and Helen Potts and frequently saw them
walking together.
Did Mrs. Potts ever speak to you about
Harris since his sentence asked Lawyer
Howe.
She repeatedly spoke to me about
him, answered Mrs. Carmen. In April,
1892, Mrs. Potts said she hoped that Car
lyle would not be executed. as she would
go crazy if he We're executed Mary
might have taken her own life"
Grace Carmen, II, her daughter, had
gone to the high school at Asbury Park
with Helen Potts. She heard Mrs Potts
say last March: ''Grace, | think if Carl
| Harris is executed l shall go crazy, as
| there has always been IL doubt i'll my
mind that Mary may have taken her own
| life"
She and Helen had studied about NOR
3hinc at school.
Dr. William s. Earle, of Brooklyn, testi-
| lied that a dose of morphine that would
! kill IL confirmed morphine eater at one
| time mi ,ht not harm him ut another
| Ais -Annl Wal,lyll was the witness of
oIle cay. She was Il schoolmate of Helen
| Potts and quite Intimate with her. She
| testified that once when Helen was i'll that
she slept with her and saw a glass bottle
| there. Helen told her it contained NOR
| phine pills.
Did you ever see her take any of the
pills = was asked.
| Yes, " responded the witness.
Did she ever give you oncs'
| "Yes"
| Did she say anythingF
''She said she often took them"
| Mr. Wellman croSS-eXamiupu the witness
severely and several times Mr. Howe re
scented an apparent attempt of the Assist
ant District Attorney to cast reflections
upon the young woman. She gave two
reasons for not having spoken TO any one
about the fact that she saw Helen take
| morphine until after Harris conviction.
| One was that she did not know until after
the trial that the defense that Helen
was morphine eater, and the other was
that her family did not wish her to be
mixed up in the case.
| While she was being cross examined
| Mrs. Harris, mother of the condemned
man, arose in the courtroom and shrielled:
is she to be badyered by that man!
| viii YOU allow her to be badgered in that
way?'
Mrs Harris sobbcd violently Referee
na.nys was evidently alarmed. Mr.. Howe
stepped forward and persuaded her to leave
the courtroom.
See tilyi chat woman stays away"
| said MIR u Gilman.
That woman is perfectly abb, to take
care of herself. Mind your own business"
sharply replied Lawyer Howe.
| Mr.. Welman then returned To his attack
upon the witness. He asked her if there
was anything in her past life that CAUSED
her to fear his questioning
The witness said thai She did fear him
before she came upon the stand. having
heard that he was lin tn hahit of asking
young women impertinent, i'm proper, an |
> rude questions, butuOw chat Sre ia seen
J him she had absolutely 10 fear oi any
Questions he might ask. The testimony OF
the young woman was not s!!ak'l 10y Mr.,
Wcllman.
Fr;tnc;a F. Lang Il phtIln tc!St, testified
that he sold morphine to 4 Young woman
whom he Thought to be II An Potts thar
ris at Asbury Park, and THAT the Woman
nad told him that she frequently use the
drug.
..Iyer testimony by Mrs Ida Bayha, t,
the effect that she had purchased arsenic
waters for Helen Potts, and that heleu
had lots of pills, etc, in her room, and
that she had told her she was accustomed
to take pills to put her to sleep, the hear
ing WIS adjourned
The hearing may last week, tlou "a
| the Governor wishes 1t compirCrl by Fri
day. William f. Howe says that ne has
about 20 witnesses, while Mir. Wrlimail
has about 30 who will rebut tbs t. .tmony
offered by Mr.. IIOwe's witnesses.
The whole proceeding SO fur seem TO b.
IN the nature of new trial for Harris.
Gibbons Claims the Championship.
Boston, April 26-It was 30 days az,
that jim Gibbons posted $500 with Capt
A. w. Cooke in support of his brother
Austins challenge to fight Jack McAuiife,
RlIv Mypr Dick BUrge or Stanton Abbott