The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-12
TUCKER DIES IN
ELECTRIC CHAIR
Convicted Murderer of Miss
Mabel Page Meets His
Fate COOlly.
LAST WORDS WERE:
MAY GOD HAVE MERCY"
Current Was Applied Three
Times Before He Was Pro
nOunced Dead.

BOSTON, June 12-Charles L. Tucker
was electrocuted at 1912 this morning for
the murder OF Mabel Page
Tucker was officially pronounced dead
by the prison doctor at l2:19. Three ap-
plicatlons OF the current were made
When Tucker arrived in front OF the
death chair he drew from his trousers
pocket n brief statement which he read
The statement was
Asks God for Mercy.
Il hope that God will forgive mo for all
the wrongs l have ever done In my past
life. l forgive everybody who has
wrcngcd me, / am at peace with my
maker. May God have mercy on my
soul"
Tucker then sat down In the chair and
after the guards had adjusted the straps
the Warden raised his hand as n signal
to the electrician
First Shock Not Enough
After the first application of tho cleo
tricity DR.. Joseph Mclaughlin, the prison
surgeon, made an examination and an
nounced that the pulse still beat
Ing. Aftor the current had been applied
second time the surgeon detected
movement OF the heart. but when the
current was applied third time Tucker
was pronounced dead.
Tho surgeon stated that Tucker was un-
conscious from tho moment the first
shock was applied.
One more effort was made to-
day TO prolong the life OF Charles
l.. Tucker through executive clemency.
but after hearing the appeal OF his cler-
gyman as well as his counsel Governor
Guild tonight again declined TO interfere
with the execution of the sentence.
Baptized Into Church.
After baptizng Tucker In the faith OF
the Methodist Episcopal church, Rev.
Thomas w. Bishop. a former, pastor OF
the church al which Tucker was once
attendant, and his spiritual adviser,
convinced by his protestat tions OF lnno-
ccnce. sought an interview with Cover
nor Guild and obtained an appointment
late this afternoon. He was closeted with
the Governor for an hour, but the ex-
ecutivc declined to interfere In any way.
One OF the incidents of the day was
telegram received at the State house by
Governor Guild from President Roose-
welt In relation TO the Tucker case, In
which he declined to interfere. II ap-
penred that some of those who partici-
pated In the Faneuil hall meeting on Sat
urday night wrote the President. asking
him to interfere in fuckers behalf.
Desperate Battle for Life.
The cicctrocution OF Charles l. Tucker,
marked the final chapter In tho history OF
the murder OF Mabel Page at her home in
Weston. March 81, 1894. and also marked the
close OF tho most desperate legal battle ever
convicted murderer. fuckers case was taken
through the legal windings until II received
n herring in the Supreme court OF the United
States. decision by the highest court In
the lond sustaining tho ruling OF the lower
courts did not discourage fuckers lawyers.
A petition 20 Gov. Guild was prepared and
circulated throughout the Stntc. In short
time there were over n60OO names attached
The attorneys for the prisoner went before
Gov. Guild not only with new evidence. but
with q general pleo for executive clemency
x,Ifn NH It's hIf hgN Aara mot cDT
cessful.
Killed In Fathers House,
Mabel Poge was murdered at her fathers
home in Weston on March 81. 1901 Her body
was found several hours later by her aged
fnther. on "a nearby table was found note.
supposed 10 have been written by Ailss Page
stating that she had been called TO Boston
because OF the Illness OF hor brother II
later developed that her brother Harold was
not IN and the handwriting on the note and
a postal which was also found In the house
figured In the trial. the Government contend
Ing that the handwriting as shown on tho
postnl card was Identical with specimens of
fuckers handwriting
Found Knife od-Stained,
The police learned that Charles L. Tucker.
an AuburndaIe young man OF rowing habits.
had been seen near the Page house on the
day OF the murder. They found Tucker and
on taking him to a police station questioned
him but released him About three weeks
aftcrward tho officers searched fuckers home.
There, in an old coat. they found broken
dicating that an effort had been made To
destroy II by means Of nlc.
Circumstantial Evidence.
stick pin OF peculiar design also
found, which similar 10 that Mabel
Page had owned. Indictment for murder In
the nrst degree followed. The evidence at the
trial was largely OF q clrcumstantial nature,
and counsel for the defense produced WIT
nosscs and maps 20 prove hlbi
Since fuckers trial and conviction Edwin
Page, the father OF the murdered girl. has
hua TDf |, Nf-4H NJ IInr,
university. who was an expert analycIst for
the prosecution.