The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-14

From Calvary tree. far over the sea
Christ threw out the lifeline 10 ""e'
NEW YORK, July 14.-So sang
William Travis. burglar, known 10 tue
noliee "a one OF the most despeE ate
criminals OF the present generation,
and now under sentence OF death lo'
murder. III the State prison. al lreh'
Ton, n. ].
II was strange scene that present
ed itself when Warden Osborne aAd
reporter quietly approached the niue
prison within a prison that is caiiea
the death house. and peered III
through the grated door-sN steer
cages In row. facing on narrow
corridor that leads straight TO uIacA
iron panel In the rear wall, the en-
trance 10 the execution chamber.
None of the prisoners could be seen
through the outer door. but uni.
formed keeper was visible as he stoou
before the cell occupied by Travis,
hymn pooK In hand, and joined the
condemned man In the singing.
There could be no doubt or the
earnestness expressed In the tones OF
both men and written on the Keepers
face, but there was weird and rhytn-
mic swing TO the music that suggest
ed one OF the old death songs OF the
Druids.
In spite OF the desperate life he
has lead" said the warden, Travis
has professed religion. | believe he Is
sincere, but of course we take no
chances with him and he is the most
carefully guarded man In the prison.
Dallas Fogg, his keeper. Is Bible
student and devout churchman. ana
they pray and sing together almost
daily.
'Fogg Is a remarkable man In his
way and has wonderful influence for
good over the hardened criminals
placed In his custody. He has gone
to the death chair with every man
electrocuted here.
Awaits Death Calmly.
The court OF errors and appeals
has denied the application made by
Travis for a new trial. and the only
power that can save him now is the
board of pardons, which, under all the
circumstances, Is not likely TO inter
fere. Travis has. believe. abandon
ed all hope in this direction and Is
prepared To face death and the here
after calmly in the new faith that has
come to him through religion.
His old mother has died since his
sentence, some say OF a broken heart.
His wife and his two sisters visit him
as often as the rules permit, but the
only other visitor allowed Is William
L. Bum, general secretary OF the Y.
M. G. A, at Lakewood, whom he has
selected as his spiritual adviser"
Secretary Bum and Keeper Fogg
were found at the home OF the latter.
Il first saw Travis" said Secre-
tary Bum, when he was brought up
for trial on the murder charge. He
was led into court shackled, and the
hardened look upon his face fairly
made me shudder. 1t was after his
conviction that | began corresponding
with him and sending him religious
literature. Then / gave him Bible.
The change that has come over the
man Ia most remarkable. He Is a man
OF high order of intelligence, good
reasoner, and lacks the coarsoness
that Is ordinarily associated with the
burglar. I am convinced he Is sincere.
He has picked out as his favorite
Bible chapter the twenty-third psalm,
which begins The Lord Is my shep-
herd, I shall not want He seems to-
find particular comfort In the pass
age: Yea, though l walk through the
valley OF the shadow OF death, / will
fear no evil. for Thou art with me-
viii Leave a Warning.
He has even taken kindly inter
est Ia the unfortunates who are con-
demned to death with him, and has
read aloud to them the life OF Jerry
ek,f ~
engaged In writing confession or
his career as criminal, to be made
public as warning To others after
his death.
He tells me that he began life OF
crime when he was quite a young
man, but none OF his family suspected
him until his conviction about ten
years ago. when he was sent to prison
in Connecticut for burglary His
mother was good Christian woman
and always stood. by him after she
learned his true character"
Prior TO entering Trenton prison
Travis was an agnostic. He and his
wife lived at Nutley. N. j., where
they were respected by their neigh
bors. who believed Travis was a COM
mercial traveller.
Inc udy AFTER travis was captured
In Lakewood under an assumed name
for shooting the man who tried to ar
rest him for burglary. two furniture
vans carted the furniture from the
Nutley house and his wife disappear
ed II was some time afterwards that
the good people of Nutley learned the
fate OF their agreeable townsman.
On his trial Travis admitted he was
burglar and that he always went
about armed with two revolvers sus.
pended beneath his coat by cord
PASSED around hls-feck.
Travis was opposed to having an
appeal taken after his conviction for
murder.
I've spent all the money can al
ford TO In this case" he said. land
what is left will be just about enough
for the support OF my wife and mOth
err | am strong now and can face
death like a man, but IL stayed in a
cell six months | might lose my
nerve"
A phrase we sometimes hear-I lust
washed by hair and can't do a thing
with II.
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