Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 14.pdf/69

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The Green Bag.

gas administered, the electric battery em ployed, all without effect, for on Sunday morning, at about eleven, the death occurred. Miss Day had discovered the pill-box bear ing Harris's initials. The murderer was sent for, and arrived at about daybreak. "We have a frightful case here," said Dr. Fowler, "and there must have been some very great mistake; what have these capsules contained?" Harris replied that he had given them for malaria, headache and insomnia, that he had directed twenty-five grains of quinine and one of morphine, to be equally mixed and divided into six capsules, with a direction that one be taken at night. "You had better go to Mclntyre's imme diately, the attending physician said, "and ascertain whether they have not reversed the proportions of the drugs. It is my belief that instead of four grains and a fraction of quinine they have put that amount of mor phine." Harris left the house, and returning shortly, announced that he had been to the druggist's and had been informed that the prescription was prepared in exact accord ance with his directions. This was a lie, for he did not go to the pharmacy until later in the day. Absolutely no evidence of affection ap peared on the part of the cold-blooded villain while the doctors were engaged in their desperate struggle with death. A number of times he asked whether in their opinion he could be held responsible. This singular inquiry was repeated until Dr. Fowler savagely turned on him. "I don't want to discuss the question as to who is liable. I am trying to save this girl's life."' At one time when Helen seemed to be getting a little better, "Well, he said, "whichever way this case turns out I don't see as I ought to blame myself." Again, he suggested tracheotomy, at which the physicians looked at him in astonishment. Even to the lavman it is apparent that cutting into the trachea and inserting a tube Can operation only made where an obstruction exists and for the pur 1

pose of allowing air free access to the lungs) was totally unnecessary, and would have inevitably resulted in the death of the patient. Through the long night Harris said several times that he was somewhat inter ested in the girl, and that if she recovered he might possibly become engaged to her after his studies were finished. When she finally passed away, "Aly God," he exclaimed, "what will become of me?" On Miss Day's entering the room he said, "Oh, Miss Day, I'm so sorry for you." That was absolutely all. Dr. Fowler himself closed the tender eyes and arranged the flowing hair. Under the circumstances of the case Mrs. Potts naturally desired to have the burial occur as soon as possible. Dreading the disclosure of Helen's wifehood, which an autopsy would have revealed, she stated to the coroner that her daughter had been a sufferer from heart disease, and that doubt less this was the cause of her death. That official thereupon permitted the body to be removed to Mt. Pleasant, N. J. Suspicion, however, would not down. Great care was exercised by the coroner in the selection of his jury, which was partially composed of some of the most eminent mem bers of the medical fraternity, among them Dr. Peabody, the murderer's instructor. Three of the leading druggists were also included. Testimony pointed to but one conclusion—death had resulted from mor phine, administered by Harris. On May 13, 1891, the grand jury found a true bill, and the uxoricide was brought to the bar in the January following. A full and dispassionate hearing was accorded, in the course of a trial which lasted three weeks. Hon. Frederick Smyth, Recorder, presided. The State, represented by Francis L. Wellman and Charles E. Simms, assistant dis trict attorneys, marshaled the damning array of facts with relentless energy. Step by step their advance was fought by Messrs. Taylor, Jerome and Davison, counsel for the de fence. The latter contented themselves with merely offering evidence sufficient to cast