Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-01-15
LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Harris Sentenced for Shooting
Mrs. Buffers.
Retracts Plea OF "NOt Guilty"-Re.
luctant Counsel.

CONCORD, Mass. Jan. l3-John VI. Hsr-
ris. who murdered Mrs. Emma I. Buffers at
her home here u year ago and who at the
same time shot her son, was brought into
court at East Cambridge this week and
changed his plea Of mot guilty to guilty
OF murder in the second degree He was
Immediately sentenced to stare prison ut
har | labor for the remainder OF hi, natural
life. Harris was indicted for murder in the
first degree by the grand jury at the Octo-
Der term, and about three weeks ago he was
arraSGed and entered the plea of not guilty
to the Indictment. Last week Harris was
assigned counsel. 1t was 10y the advice OF
this counsel that Harris changed his plea.
The district attorney chose to accept
this plea rather than to put the state to the
cost Of an expensive trial with the always
possible result OF an acquittal or disagree
ment OF the jury, even in the IA of tho
most conclusive testimony. Har IL was
middle aged man. once with brilliant pros
poet and in a gool.pusincss. but whom pros
pcrity ruined. On saturday. sept. 4. 1897,
between IL and l o'clock in the daytime.
Harris. with n revolver. shot and killed Mrs.
Emma +. Buffers at her home IN Concord.
There were present in the room at the time
beside Mrs. Buffers and Harris. her son,
Carl Buffers. Immediately after killing
Mrs. Buffers Harris fired upon Carl,
and then attempted to take his own life
both seriously wounded, but subsequently
recovered. Harris had known the Buffers
family Tor some time having boarded WITH
them in the summer of 1896 Since leaving
their house he has been convicted of the
larceny Of clothing from the barn OF Mr..
Buffers and sentenced to serve term OF ini-
priSOnment in the house of correction III
this county, from which place he was re-
leased in May. 1897. He had no cause for
resentment, however, because of his arrest,
against any member of the Buffers family,
for tho reason that the person vino wa, re-
sponsible for the criminal proceedings
being commenced was the person who
occupied the barn and who was the owner
Of the stolen clothing. Before living in
Concord, he had been arrested ut different
times and had served long term Of im-
prisonment in the state Of New York. liar-
ris chose to harbor Il grudSe against the
Butterses who had many times befriended
him. Milton o. Adams of Boston and eX-
Mayor Henry G.. Milton of Watham had
been assigned us Harris counsel and It
was acting on their advice that he pleaded
guilty. When the district attorney moved for
sentence Mr.Adams said that there was moth
Ing that could be- said bycounse that would
affect the action Of the court. Although the
court had assigned Mr.. Milton and himself
as counsel, neither had the inclination or
desire to attempt to take the ease had it
come to public trial. They did not desire
the public notoriety of such trial. Counsel
had acted simply to get II judgment upon
which they could rely. 1t was by the advice
of counsel that the defendant had entered
the plea of guilty of murder in tho Sec
ond degree. Without publicity these re-
suits had been reached and counsel felt that
they had done their duty toward all con-
cerned in the ease. Judge Fessenden re-
piled that under the circumstances. the pro-
ceedinss seemed proper, and there was only
one sentence that could be made. John NJ.
Harris is fifty years old. He was at one
time engaged in the paint and oil business
in New York city, and his income was said
to be $4,000 per year.