Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-02-28
HARRIS HIMSELF
He Tells Recorder Smyth That
He Is Innocent.
MOTION FOR A NEW rsl.. ARGUED.

or Not Helen Potts Was Addicted to
the Use of Morphine, and the Afltu. vi:s
of Each Are Directly Contradictory
Harris Creates Sympathy.
NEW YORK, Feb. 2S.-After hearing
arguments in favor of granting stnew
trial to Carlyle w. Harris yesterday, the
court adjourned until to-day, and Dis
Nicoll was given week
to produce other rebutting evidence Mr..
Howe will by that time have his Penn
sylvauia and New Jersey affidavits certi-
fed
The court room was crowded, AMI
when at the close of the District-Attor
ney's remarks Harris asked the privilege
of spe aking in his own behalf the spectu-
tors eviuced the deepest and most intense
interest.
The Recorder granted his request
Harris spoke in n low voice, and said that
he had never DETAINED his wife's name,
and that he was not instrumental in Sc
curing the atiidavits that his counsel had
submitted.
II am innocent" he continued, "and
if SO, l should walk the streets a free
citizen, and not be sent to prison until |
die"
When he resumed his seat his mother
fell upon his breast, threw her arms
about his neck, and wept bitterly.
Harris was brought from the Ton bs
handcuffed to Michael P. Fallon, the park
policeman, on trial for perjury before til c
Recorder.
Shortly after II o'clock Lawyer Viii
liam F. Howe began his argument in
support of the action for new trial
Harris, who sat near his counsel, rested
his mothers head upon his breast.
District Attorney Nicoll asked his
Honor not to allow the:allidavits to be read
as they were not authenticated. Those
swearing to them We're all in Pennsylva-
MIA, he said, and, therefore. he objected.
The court, however, allowed Mr.. Howe to
read the allidavits.
Counsel began argument by Il touching
appeal. He dwelt upon the testimony of
several witnesses at the trial of Harris.
He said that Harris desired to go upon
the stand at his trial, but his counsel re-
fused to allow him to testify.
Mr.. Howe said he had aflidavits to snow
that the morphine was Northumberland
and not by the hand of the defendant.
Mrs. jackson, principal of the school
the deceased attended, will testify, if &
new trial be granted, that Helen's con
duet was not of the best and that she
told her she would have to go home.
Helen, in turn, said that she would moi
as her home was II perfect hell, and sh
| would kill herself first
The first affidavit was that of Mrs
Mary Frenet, formerly n Mrs. Harris
| is stated that in 1899 she resided at 12(
West Goth street. Helen Potts oftrl
called there on n visit to her daughter
| Ethel. That in january, 1889, she visite
| her daughters room and found he
| Il liz, .,l
| had awakened, she at first refused t
state the cause of her second sleep bu
afterwards admitted taking Il pill tina
Helen Potts had given her.
| Ethel NJ. Harris, ~ years old, of II
| Lexington Avenue, swears to an affidavit
in which she says that in 1889 she CON
| planned to Helen Potts of passing sleer
less nights and that Helen gave her p
which she told her to take before retll
ing. She cautioned her against speakin
of the pill. She further states that Hole
told her she was in the habit of takin
these pills Miss Harris says that sh
took the pill and slept for twenty-five
hours. In July, 1889, she says she wen
to visit Helen at AsbSrry Park and whe
she complained of II headache Helen Offer
ed her another pill.
Mrs. F. r. jackson, principal of til
seminary which the deceased ATTENDED
says that Helen told her she was in tn
habit of taking morphine which was pre-
cribed by her physician.
DR.. William S. Scarf, of Brooklyn, d,
poses that at various times he present.
ed for Helen Potts morphine in sma
quantities.
Mary \. Lewis of Scranton, Pa ,sin a
affidavit, swears that she worked for d.
| Trevertou of Scranton, and that she su
| Helen Potts there almost daily and COZ
versed with her. and that Helen told he
she used morphine.
Other af1idavits allcge that the action
of the deceased indicated that she WI
addicted to the morphine habit.
A deposition from Joseph H. Leffert,
druggist of Asbury Park, N. j., state
that on several occasions he sold Hcle
Potts a gram of morphine.
With the reading of an affidavit fro
the defendant, in which he prayed tt
Recorder to grant him n new trial, Nj
Howe closed his argument.
After brief speech by DistrictAtto
ney Nicoll, in which he opposed the a
plication of counsel, he said that viii
the case was one that occasioned muC
sympathy, the requests for new tri
should be denied from point of law.
Aflidavits from the mother and faith
of the deceased were read in which the
denied that their child was in the hab
of using morphine.
Mr.. and Mrs. Potts swear that durir
the last three years there have been tv
families of tho name of George Pott
They contend that the effort now bel,
made by Harris to,escape the consequen
of his alleged crime by imputing to the
daughter the habit of eating mo
phine is dastardly attack upon h
character.
! Both counsel made their closing arg
I ments. Harris kissed his mother two
f three times, and was then handcuff'
r and taken to the Tombs.