Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-12
TUCKER DIES IN
ELECTRIC CHAIR
MURDERER OF MABEL PAGE
RETAINS NERVE
Makes Statement to Those Who W.T.
messed Execution an Instant Be-
fore Deadly Fuld Enters
His Body
BY Associated Press.

Ry Associated Press.
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 1919. Three
applications Of the current were made.
When Tucker arrived in front of the
death chair he drew from his trousers
pocket brief statement which he read.
The statement was:
'I hope that God will forgive me for
all the wrongs l have ever done in my
life. | forgive everybody who has
wronged me. ] am at peace with my
maker. May God have mercy on my
SOUL"
Gives Signal to Electrician
Tucker then sat down in the chair
and after the guards had adjusted the
straps the warden raised Lis hand as a
signal to the electrician.
After the first application of the cleo
tricty DR.. Joseph Mclaughlin, the
prison surgeon, made an examination
and announced that the pulse was still
beating. After the current had been
applied a second time the surgeon de-
tected a movement of the heart, but
when the current was applied a third
time Tucker was pronounced dead.
This announcement was made at 1919.
The surgeon stated that Tucker was
unconscious from the moment the first
shock was applied.
The electrocution of Charles Tucker
marked the final chapter in the history
of the murder of Mabel Page at her
home in Weston, March 81 1904, and
also marked the close of the most des-
perate legal battle ever waged in
Massachusetts for the life of a con-
Victed murderer.
A decision by the highest court in
the land sustaining the ruling of the
lower court did not discourage Tucker s
lawyers A petition to Governor Guild
was prepared and circulated through
out the state. In a short time there
were over 10000 names attached to it.
The attorneys for the prisoner went
before Governor Guild not only with
new evidence, but with a general plea
for executive clemency and with affi-
davits, but they were not successful.
History of Case
Mabel Page was murdered at her
! fathers home in Weston on March 81,
| 1904. Her body was found several
hours later by her aged father. On a
nearby table was found a note, sup
posed 10 nave been written by MISS
Page, stating that she had been called
to Boston because of the illness of her
brother.
1t later developed that her brother
Harold was not ill and the handwrit-
ing on the note and II postal card,
which was also found in the house, fig
ured in the trial, the government con-
tending that the handwriting as shown
on the postal card was Identical with
specimens of fuckers writing.
The police learned that Charles L.
| Tucker, an Auburndale 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 police station questioned him,
| but released him. About three weeks
| afterward the officers searched
| fuckers home. There, in an old coat,
they found a broken knife blade
stained and SCARED, the scars indi-
| eating that an effort had been made to
destroy it by means of file. A stick
pin of peculiar design was also found,
which was similar to one that Mabel
Page had owned.
Indictment for murder in the first
degree followed. The evidence at the
trial was largely of a circumstantial
nature and counsel for the defense
produced witnesses and maps to prove
an alibi