Norwich bulletin., 1914-08-25
FAMOUS TRIALS
TRIAL OF CARLYLE HARRIS,

On Feb. 2. 1892. was terminated one of the most interesting domestic trials in the history of the New York courts, that of Carlyle w. Harris, for the poisoning of his wife just one year and day before. The jury had de- liberated several days before ic reached a verdict, and on the following Feb. 8, the sentence of death was pro- nounced by Recorder Smyth. to take place during the week of March 21 The prisoner was respited and the ex- ecution was delayed for more than a year, and finally took place on May Is, 1893.
 Carlyle Harris was rescended from prominent New York family, and first met Miss Helen Potts in the summer of 1889 at Ocean Grove. N. J. At the time he was only 20 years of age. They were secretly married the following February Harris was at the time a student at a medical school and de sired that the marriage should not be generally known, but the mother of the girl insisted on q marriage by a min ister, the first ceremony having been performed by an alderman.
 Harris had evidently become tired of his child-wife and his visits were becoming less frequent On Jan. 20 he secured a prescription for six cap sules, each to contain one-sixth of a grain of quinine.. He gave Helen four of the pills. telling her to take one each night. On the evening of Saturday. Jan. 31, Helen took the last pill and went to bed. She became very ill that night and died at Il o'clock the fol- lowing Sunday morning.
 Harris was sent for. He seemed to | care little for his wife's death. He produced the two pills he kept out of the box to show that his prescription was all right. The contention of the state was that he had taken out three bills and mt in the hot ho6 I-i aa her. Judge Gray of the Court of Ap- | peals says the evidence showed that Harris went away expecting that The deadly pill would be one of. the first taken. By strange coincidence it
 was the last.
 The apparent preparations Harris ! had made to clear himself of suspI- | cion and the previous remarks he had
 made about wishing that Helen was out of the way caused suspicion to fali on him. He refused also to allow Helen to be buried as Mrs. Harris.
 He told many conflicting stories to | Helen's mother, who rereated them to
 the district attorney. The latter pre-
 sented the facts to the grand jury.
 which indicted him on May 13, 1891
 on Jan. IA. 1892, and the jury three
 weeks later brought in a verdict of | murder in the first degree
 L. when the sentence was passed upon
 him that he be executed during the
 week of March q. he took an appeal l but the conviction was unanimously
 confirmed by the Court of Appeals After that Harris and his counsel did | all they could to arouse public sym
 pathy in behalf of the prisoi-cr. Law
 yer Howe collected an immense mum
 Der of affidavits that were alleged tc prove that Helen Potts was a morphine
 eater On the strength of these he asked for new trial, which Recorder Smyth refused
 | At the time Harris was electrocuted at Sing Sing he was 23 years months and 16 days of age Upon his casket 1893. We would not if we had known 1.-the jury" His dead hand was closed tightly upon the testimony sworn to by Mason Crawford. the juror who testi- lied that had he known of the new evi
 dence he would not have found Harris guilty.
 When Harris was seated ready to bt executed he said to those present: NOW that I have no possible reason for trying to deceive. desire to say l that I die absolutely innocent of the crime for which I have been convicted.
 Harris was cool to the last. He Ieft
 & statement of considerable length which was dated May and in wh;cf he made the claim that he was sac rif1ced in order to shield Recorder oHytn ana the district attorney. This statement, after copies were made fol the press. was given to the mother o1 the prisoner
 William Travers Jerome, who fought the states case against Harry K. Thaw was just as vigorous in his prosecution of Carlyle W. Harris. He worked sC hard for conviction that several days before the trial he completely broke down and was compelled to leave tho lcourt.