Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-04-06
CASTERS RELATIVES UNABLE TO
INFLUENCE GOVERNOR.
BOY WILL BE ELecrRocureD.
Flint Lad Has Always Been Hayward
--sorrowing Mother Soon Journeys
to Columbus to Witness Sons tx.
ecution for Murder.

Flint, Mich, March 26.-Wltu nag
gard ard drawn features Mrs. Amas
Caster, Of Fay street, this city, sits
By her freside slowly counting the
hours that slip all too swiftly by as
they hasten toward the day which has
been set when her son, Fred, the boy
ii whom she saw u brilliant future,
will be taken into the death fooin Of
the Ohio pehitenua1y at Columbus,
o., and elecuocuted. Fred Caster shot
and killed Patrolman Davis, of that
city. Caster was burglarizing the resi-.
dence Of u. l.. Chapman, a wealthy
mine owner
Always Maynard, Fred Casters
friends had painted for him just such
an end as he will meet April 6. OF
an irritable disposition, easily angerCd
and a tiger when aroused, his parents
endoavored in every way to curb the
criminal tendencies which cropped oGt
in the lad when he was a mere youth.
He has served several sentences for
crimes in different parts Of the coun
try. He was looked upon by the Flint
police officials as dangerous man,
and when he visited his parents in
this city. after an extended absence,
was always closely watched by the
members Of the department
Stains City's Fair Name.
Caster, VINO is 20 years of age, is
the first resident of this part of Michi-
gan To go TO the electric chair. Every
effort has been made by the most
prominent people of Flint to prevent
the staining of the name of the city
by the death of the young man. Let
ters from the most influential business
men, officials and others have been
sent to the chief executive Of the
Buckeye state without avail, az he
says he cannot prevent the electro
cution under the laws Of that state.
Casters aged and fearful mother
has appealed to her most influential
friends to act in her behalf TO pre-
vent the killing of her son on April 6.
Her hair, once an auburn brown, has
burned to gray since her son was
ordered sent to the chair. In spite of
motherlike, still cherishes an undying
hope that something may save her son
from going to his death.
Amos Caster, the father, is a build
ing mover here, aud spends his time
mostly among his friends. He shows
but little the strain that Is tearing
his heart strings, and his acquain-
tnnces refrain from any mention of his
sons approaching death when he is in
hearing
Mother Hopes to Save Him.
Mrs Caster is sorrowfully prepar
ing her wardrobe to go to Columbus
one week from Wednesday to end the
journey which means the witnessing
Of her sons death In the electric chair
She hopes to save the boy when she
arrives there. She will make one A.
nal appeal, as mother to the gov
ernor, or his lieutenant, to save her
boy from the cruel fate which awaits
him. The father, though the harder
of the two, will not, he expects, go to
the death OF the son. He prefers to
remember the boy as he last saw
him
Columbus, D., March 2S-A pail
that recalls the days of the horrors
c: the death cell in the prison annex
hangs over the state penitentiary, and
interest centers in the taciturn young
man who is soon to issue from his cell
10 die in the electric chair
Fred Caster is a silent young man,
but keenly observant OF all that is
going on within his range of vision or
hearing. Caster sits all day In silence
in his cell, though to his guards he
has given indication at different times
recently that he is not yet without
hope. He has been kept informed Of
the efforts that are being made in his
home town in Michigan to save him.
mo use to give up till you have to-"
he said he<other day to a guard and
from his attitude it is evident that
he will not give up till the actual
march to the chair begins.