The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-10-11
VOL. Xxx. NO. IL.
A SECRET REVEALED.

c,,,y,, Harris. Convicted Of Poi
,,,,y His Girl wife, Attempted Ia
,,.,t IN. Electric Chair by Suicide
Is mother Helped Him.
Pcnorts in New York are to the effect
Principal Keeper Connaughton of
q Sing prison is to have charges
pferred against him among other
inps for collusively permitting Car
Z ". Harris to attempt suicide ON
lay before his execution in May
Mrs. Harris. mother of the con
[nned man. last visited the prison on
Saturday before the Monday fixed
the execution. 1t is reported that
Is. Harris went to Principal Keeper
bnnaughton and implorcd him to
krmit her to take farewell of her son.
is rule in Sing Sing that prison
about to be executed may see his
karrst relatives, his spiritual advisers
III his counsel. Neither is permitted
bder the rules to come in direct con
ct with the prisoner, but the visitor
I; Inv carry on conversation at dis
Ince of about three feet. The CON
kmned man is behind screen and a
bard is placed between him and his
| stor in order to prevent the visitor
|om handing anything to the con
kmned. But Connaughton. accord
IL to this story, allowed them to have
Hong interview in the rear room of
lie office of the Head Keeper and the
Ext morning when the guard went to
[arris' cell, he was lying motionless
b his cot. After shouting to the con-
emned man in vain, the guard tried
insert the key in the keyhole in
,e cell door, but the key hole had
Zen plugged tightly from within. A
esscnger was sent for the prison ply
clan, and Warden Durston, in the
resence of Connaughton and dozen
pepers. had the cell door broken open.
The guards carried Harris out into
lc corridor in front of the death cells,
ld tried to make him stand on his
ct. His face was white, and he was
,pacntly lifeless. They laid him on
r stone floor, rubbed his hands and
ct, and applied rcstoratives. After
me minutes hard work, he opened
is eyes and asked where he was,
Dr. Irvine saw that Harris had taken
bison. and asked him what he had
ken.
Nothing at all, :" replied Harris.
You know mother was here yesterday
ID said good-by to her | simply
I'd a collapse. That is all. = Harris
oke incohcrently, and he acted as
ough in trance. DIR. Irvine found !
at IIarris's lower limbs and arms
re inert. 1t was concluded that the !
isoner had swallowed morphine, and
e poison had paralzyed his limbs.
adj he been found half an hour later
would have been dead. He was
lde to take an antidote, which had |
e desired effect /
Harris was asked why he had
isoned himself, and why he had .
lgged the keyhole. He refused to
swer any of their questions. 1t was
and later that the keyhole was
lgged solid with paper, which had
en- first chewed int a pulp.
Harris was in a very weak condition
Sunday and Sunday night. After
had partially recovered, he was
tipped and put into new cell. He
Is taken to the execution chamber at
out noon the next day.
The execution was to have taken
zee at a. M, but it was delayed
rec hours because at the appointed
ur the condemned man was too weak
walk to the death chair.
Both Harris and his mother had
quently declared that he would
YER 90 TO the electric chair alive.