The New York herald., 1921-04-09
Continued from FIRST Page.


fiction. She also insists that he is sub
ject to fainting spells and queer streaks.
''Tll have talk with my wife"
Harris said when this assertion was
carried 10 him. Il told her nothing of
the sort A fat chance I'd have to
whisper TO my wife in the District
Attorneys office. And l never tainted
in my life. Shes just trying 10 protect
me- / can't see why they're keeping
her in jail She doesn't know a thing
about Elwell."
In addition to the judgment of Dir.
Putnam, which iS highly regarded in
this city, some weight was cast into
the scales on the side of Harris's credi-
bility to-day when it became known that
in Detroit two or three months ago he
called up City Hall in New York and
asked for Gross, a politician" 1t will
be recalled that in his long story yes
terday Harris said that Mrs. Fairchild
told him and his partner, Duncan, that
they could kill Elwell with impunity, as
big politician named Cross at City
Hall would protect them.
Tale About Gross. Vcrihed.
To-day Harris said that his conscience
bothered him so that when he was in
Detroit he was on the point OF confess
ing and decided to telephone Cross to
see what could be done. He was told by
the telephone operator that no such per-
son as Gross was known there. And
now Detroit reports that a call to
New York city was actually put through
from the place and at the time given
by Harris to-day and that the report as
to the non-eXistence of Cross was made
to the caller, just as Harris says. Dr.
Putnam holds this to be pretty con-
vincing indication that Harris is not a
| liar.
Yesterday Mr.. Putnam merely listened
to Harris as he .unfolded his narrative
in the presence of the District Attorney
and police. To-day he made a personal i
I examination. In all he has studied the
young man two and one-half hours This
is what DR.. Putnam said to reporters
after to-day's scrutiny
Harris is sane man. He may be
lying sometimes He has a very good
memory. n good choice of languarge
never hesitates for a word. He told me
all about the George Junior Republic in
| Connecticut, where he was sent for a
year when he was IA years old. He was
not confused or contradictory. He said
he was elected jailer then chief police
and finally mayor OF the republic He
told me of his manner of life. of the
two separations from his wife, OF their
accidental meeting the other day He
told me about the Elwell murder.
Not Lying. Says AIienist.
II do not think, he is pathological
liar. He Is not OF the type that fabri-
Gates wonderful stories. He. is not like
the six innocent men who confessed that
they had killed President Mckinley I
think he is not a notoriety seeker. His
confession deserves serious considera-
ton.
You ask me why he told his murder
story so easily and coolly-without emo
ton? Well, he thinks he cannot be sent
TO the electric chair for it. He believes
! that man who confesses gets a lesser
sentence That is an idea he acquired in
the George Junior Republic
In general way I'd say that Harris
is not lying, but | wouldn't say he does
not lie. When he told me the other fell
low did the shooting of Elwel he en-
phasized his anxiety to have us believe
that he, Harris. didn't do it, but !
wouldn't say he wasn't lying when he
said he did not fire the shot. This, in
my opinion. is the crux of the whole
thing. his particularly in insisting that
the other fellow did it, IL does not
matter so much whether he is lying
about details. Discrepancies to the po-
sition of the reception room in the house
and Of other things wouldn't necessarily
indicate that he was lying. There is
nothing to the discrepancies. They do
not prove he wasn't there. or course
that would have to be determined by
persons more conversant with the case
than am.
Physically and mentally he is a
sound man. He responds normally to
all the tests. including those Of the re-
flexes. He has none of the stigmata of
degeneration described by Lombroso.
suppose he is no more truthful than any
body else. He is quite fellow TO talk
about his conscience. Talks about it
more than most Of my acquaintance do.