Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-06-14
Charles L. Tucker Paid Penalty
of Murder at 1924 Tuesday
Morning.
DECLARED HE WAS INNOCENT
Left Letter for His Counsel Critic
tzipR the Governor and Jury---Bc-
fore Entering the Death Chair
He Gave out n statement
Forgi,ing Everybody.

Boston June 12--Charles l.. Tucker was
hectrocuted at 1912 1-2 this morning for
;he murder of Mabel Pase.
Tucker was pronounced dead at i2Ii.
and was officially pronounced dead by the
trison doctors at 1918
Three applications of the current were
made. The witnesses present say that tho
execution was successfully carried out
When Tucker arrived in front of the
death chair he drew from his trousor 5
pocket brief statement which he read.
rhe statement was:
Il hope that God will forgive me for all
the wrongs l have ever done in my past
life. I forgive everybody who has ever
wronged me. I am a peace with my
Maker. May God have mercy on my
ioGL"
Tucker then sat down IN the chair and
after the guards had adjusted the straps
tie warden raised his ha"' as a signal
g. the electrician.
After the first application Of the
electricity, Dr. Joseph Mclaughlin, the
prison surgeon. made an examination
ana announced that the pulse was still
beating. After the current had been
applied a second time the surgeon de-
tected q movement of the heart. but
when the current was applied third
line Tucker was pronounced dead.
This announcement was made at 1913.
The surgeon stated Tucker was un-
conscious from the moment the first
shock was sustained. and that the
movements detected afterwards were
due to the action of the muscles.
The condemned man walked from his
tell to the death chair unasslsted. His
manner was solemn yet careless. He
walked with precision. vet with indffer-
ence. The prison guards opened his coll
door and said: Tucker, VIC are ready"
The condemned man stepped quickly
from his cell and scarcely before the six
legal witnesses to the execution mad real
zed that the final moment was at hand,
ne had appeared before them in advance
Of the tail officials. Just before reaching
the electric chair Tucker drew from the
right hand pocket of his trousers a piece
IT paper. From this paper no read me-
Chemically and I'm tone so low that the
witnesses could hear but few words
The exact nhraseoloey was only learned
when the paper, which Tucker deliberate
l. had replaced in his pocket. after he
had finished reading. was removed from
his clothing subsequent to his death
KEPT HIS EYES CLOSED.
After Tucker had placed this document
III his pocket he turned quickly gave
one swift: glance toward his death chair
and then feeling for It's foot rest so that
n might easily find the seat of the in
strument of death, he closed his eyes
and did not open them again. Carefully
and surely he sat himself in the chair
He rested his head on the support at the
back stretched out his arms on the sides
~ the chair there to he strapped in
preparation for the execution 4 half
dozen men We're quickly bending over
him adjusting the straps. barring his left
leg for his application of the eloc'rodo.
securing him tightly-legs arms and
body-whilo the electrician placed upon
his head The meshnet filled inside with
water soaked sponEes and surmountod
by the head electrode. a wide strape,
open in the centre to permit n view of
the nose and eyes Of the murderer was
then fastened about the front Of the head
from the back Of the chair.
The body lunged forward against tho en-
:lsing straps as Warden benjamin f
bridges raised his right hand and the
Electrician threw down his electric switch.
No sounds me from fuckers lips after
the final words which he read from the
paper.