The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-05-10
SHOCKED To DEATH.
Successful Electrocution of Car
lyle w. Harris, Convicted
of Wife Murder.
First Man Of Intelligence and Education
to BE EIectrocuted-Hi. Nerve
Never Failed Him.

SING SING. \. T.. May s.-carlyle w.
Harris. the young medical student whose
trial and conviction in New York city
for the poisoning Of Helen Potts. to
whom he had been secretly married. at
tractcti SO much attention was elctroc-
uteJ in prison here today.
Not since the first execution by this
method. when .3iocum. Smler. jugIre
and Moods. passed beneath the eiec
trodes has such interest been displayed
here. Throngs Of people gathered on /
the hillsities overlooking the gray prison |
walls though the only thing which they |
could hope 10 see IL connection with the /
execution was the display of the black |
flag above the tower after he had been |
officially pronounced dead. This NOR
bid curiosity was partly accounted for
by the fact that lie il the first man Of
any Intelligence to die il the electric
chair, partly to the wide publicity given
to the ease in the newspapers. and part
ly 10 the question Of the mans guilt;
though as to the last the chief element
of doubt lay in Harris steady assertion
Of his innocence. Every possible effort
was made to secure Il reversal of his SEN
tencc. and that failing to induce Coy.
Flower 10 mitigate the punishment. but
without avail.
The death warrant Was read al $50.
Its reading had no visible effect on the
\ f.ilf iif
the prison chaplain spent an hour with
him Then one oi the medical eNamin-
ers visited him and found him showing
some signs of uneasiness. but nothing
more. Harris did not ask tor morphine OF
| other siimuIant. but wanted a couple of
oranges. which were given him. lie
shaved and had his hair cut at lo:3O
and put on "a new suit of clothes.
\ test of the apparatus had already
been made by the electrician. showing a
voltage of LOO. and everything was sat
| isfactory. Harris was placed in the
chair and the execution took place at
| lo:4O. The witnesses numbered twenty
seven. consisting of seven physicians
ten newspaper men. ten state officials
and friends of the warden They arrived in
the execution chamber and the witness
es took seats in IA semicircie around the
death chair. and everything being in
readiness two keepers brought Harris
into the chamber accompanied by the
chaplain. lie looked pale as he enter
ed the room and paused an instant on
the threshold. and calmly surveyed the
assembled witnesses.
One of the keepers Indicated chair
to him. and without even glance OF
curiosity at the death dealing machine,
he stepped forward and took his seat.
. As lie did so he requested permission TO
speak. This was accorded him. He
: said. speaking as il every word cost him
great effort;
Il have no further reservation to
make. | desire to say that | am absol'
utely innocent
Then he settled back in the chair and
j. the electrodes were quickly attached
The signal was given and the lever
l clicked sharply The form Of the con
). demned man stitfened till the straps
. creaked while l66O volts passed through
: his frame At the end of two seconds
I the current was reduced to $50 volts
!. which was continued ffty-four seconds
: longer. when Harris was pronounced
r dead As the current was fully shut OF
: the body dropped back limp. An exam
.s nation showed no signs of life and
r eous The execution was most success
e full.
70 At three o'clock Undertaken Kip
5 drove up to the prison. lie procure
: the prison physicians certificate Of tn
cause of Harris death. and then drov
: into the prison grounds. In the WACO
ts was highly polished oak casket. whic
IS was carried into the death ehambe
where the body of Harris, dressed in
:. dark suit of prison made goods, repose
upon table. The body was placed in
y casket The undertaken refused to di'
: close the plans for the disposition of til
ID body. The silver plate upon the cove
oil of the casket contained this inscription
..Charlyle w. Harris Murdered May
;. 1893. Aged - years, months and
days. We would not il we had known
: Carlyle w. Harris was born at Gle
Id Falls New York. September J, lsGa. J
~ he entered the college of Physician
- and Surgeons. the medical annex Of II
is Columbia college in New York city. /
proved to he bright student and ma.
Il brilliant record in college. Ills coll
giate career VAS cut short b. his afre