The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-03-31
FRIDAY. MARCH :EI. lssa.
Murderer Harris.

OsElylo w. hdTFlb oCCuplch tuurucE-
eys cell at Sing Sing prison. New York.
sod 10 sentenced to be tlecti oeuted in
the second week of May, for the mur-
Dot OF Ills girl wife. He on Harris, nee
totb. Being young and belonging
10 en- influential, and evidently Re.
qpsctAbls family. false public sym
tSthy has been aroused In his behalf
&na strong efforts are being made to
&ot Governor Flower I'd pardon him.
Hsyfis y. independent Df the charge
ASAinst hlp for the murder of his
y6dng aud confiding wife. an un-
mi1gated sooundrei not fit to be al
.loNsd liberty In any civilized commu-
nifty.
When free It was his usual habit to
boqSy Of the number of poor girls he
had 4ucoesded In seduclng. not scrup.
ling when necessary TO accomplish
his purposes to use the forms of mar.
riage under assumed names.
Harris was convicted by q jury OF
bis peers after fair trial and he ap-
peaied to the Court of Appeals of New
York. where the decision Of the lower
court was affirmed. This court was
unanimous In Its decision against
Harris. Justice Gray. who delivered
tbs opinion. giving 1t GIN phasis by say
that O careful reading Of the evidence
In the case and conscientious con-
Liberation OF the facts which It dis
closes. must inevidently lead to the
formation OF an opinion that the ver-
Dict OF the jury was not only justified
But that no other conclusion could
have been reached by the fairest mind.
This was strong language and the
whole coVrt agreed with 1t, but In the
face Of all this, some influential pa
pers In New York SPIN ithize with the
myrderer and are clalnoring for his
PARDON. There would be some excuse
fog this appeal for clernency II Harris
bsd been a good man, and this the
only charge laid to lis feet. But Har-
To 10 not that kind OF a man. He be-
dame acquainted with his last victim,
Helen Potts, at Ocean Grove, In 1889.
u February following he persuaded
Her TO be secretly married to him I'M
der an assumed name. Though
ipessed by Miss Potts and her mother
to reaffirm the marriage in their prop
Or names before a re ulaily ordained
minister, he repeatedly refused, but
wac quite willing to have the whole
taIpg broken of, and nobody would
be tue wiser"
Harris then persuaded Mrs. Potts to
SEND Helen to college. proposing a
three years course, 81 1t the mother re-
fpsing any longer to condone the OF.
tense, Harris was compelled to do
sSpething to hide his crlme.and in his
capacity as a medical student, pre-
spribed for the daughter, who COM
Blamed OF headaches lie procured
pills for her and gave them to her
kimeelf and then left for other quar-
tefs. Some of the pills had no effect
6ut one OF them contained the fatal
drug, and twelve hours later after
taking it she died, It Is useless tc
follow Harris through all his wicked
Sateer, but some of his actions will
Show his real character.
After his secret marriage with Mis-
Pstte and before her death he was
domiciled with woman at Canaan
daunua, n. Y, under assumed name
S,d where his conduct was SO disgrace
fuf that he had to leave the hotel. IL,
PROPOSED to this woman that II sh
Would marty some rich old gentlema'
bs would give him q pill and get rl'
IL HIN.
1t rs hoped that Governor Flower
will not BIS moved BY mistaken publ
Sympathy. Harris is only one oil
multitude of llbertines running a
large proving upon female virtue anC
Innocence, men without conscience o
remorse.
Such men should not be subjects O
executive clernency when their gull
Has been demonstrated to the sntlsfac
tion OF the proper legal tribunals
Harris at large and pardoned Souit
be the same INSCRIPTIONS. unmitlgat
"a sSoundrel that the evidence at his
trial showed him I'd be, and he woul'
20 forth to find more victims, to be 1
torn got rid of to satisfy his lustles
desires. Sympathy for convlcto
murderer was never more disgust
than In the case OF this bad man, an
and II ever capital punishment is just
fable in law and morals, this wtetc
deserves cleo trocution.