The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-14
Becker Had Nothing To Do
 With Murder, Says Frank

have been convicted on the testimony ad ! duced.
 The anaemie moon still hung in tn, sky when those who were fo witness the | execution gathered in front of the prison The air was chill and a raw wind swept across the Hudson. Faint lights glim mered at the corridor of the build ings. but no sound came from the squaes within.
 "Hideous Noises" Not Heard
 The hideous noises which convicts have been said to emit when one oi more of their number is to die were spared those who waited Dawn was just creeping over the hill when the witnesses were admitted tc the death chamber Many were ashen- faced and trembling. From printed list a clerk read off the names of those who were to see the first man die One moment further, and the door oi the death chamber had closed behind them. Warden Clancy had announced that "Gyp the Blood" would die first 1 followed by Lefty Louie" "Dago Frank" and 'eWhitey Lewis"
 The first man who came through the little iron door at the right, it trans pired was "Dago Frank" Cirofici. He had showed signs of collapsing and ii was deemed expedient to shield him from the ordeal of waiting. State Electrician Davis carefully tested the electric current. Two of these men have told me that they will make a statement" Warden Clancy declared, but under no cir cumstances must anyone ask them any questions" | The head and leg sponges were then wet and Head Keeper McInery, acting on a signal from the warden. went to the I death cell. There he found Cirofici in prayer with Father Cashin.
 Clutches Crucifixes The condemned man clutched a cruel fix in each hand as he was led into the presence of death. He had to be sup ported by two keepers.
 In the death cells could be heard the murmur of the other slayers in theif applications.
 The warden and the attendants stepped back from the rubber mat.
 "Oh, God, I meet my Godw gasped the Italian.
 The state electrician turned the switch.
 The first contact was gradually re- duced and then a second shock was given. The prison physicians, pr. Farr and Dr. Mereemo, with several othet doctors, applied the stethoscope. T pronounce this man dead" said Dr. Farr in low voice. It was 5:43 o'clock" The witnesses left the death chamber in a group and the body of "Dago Frank was lifted by white-coated guards and taken to the autopsy room.
 The doctors said Cirofici had made It. tie resistance to the electric current. which registered 1920 volts and between nine and ten amperes.
 Of the four, he died the easiest. He had intended making statement, but his mental processes had failed him.
 "Whitey Lewis Takes Turn
 new lot of witnesses came in. Then came "Whitey Lewis" He was garbed in black suit, as "Dago Frank" had been. The statement that he never fin ished was on his lips as he entered. The attendants, fearing a shocking spectacle of hysteria, sought to sooth him.
 A current of 1920 volts, with a slight ly higher amperage than had been used in the case of Cirofic, took his life. The switch was first closed at 5:47:3G and he was pronounced dead at 5:52.
 At 5:56 "Gyp the Blood" was brought in He had a Jewish prayer book in his left hand and Rabbi Goldstein walked by his side
 "Listen, Israel; there is only one God" mumbled "Gyp" in Hebrew.
 Two shocks were given and at 6:02 o'clock physicians pronounced the man dead.
 Lefty Louie" the last of the four to die, and accordingly the keenest suf- ferer by reason of the interval of wait ing, entered the death chamber at 6:07. The Jewish prayer book which he grasped he handed to Rabbi Kopfstein before the guard strapped him in the chair Like "Gyp," he mumbled a prayer in Hebrew.
 The theory that "the strongest shall die last" Lefty bore out by his un- canny resistance to the current. The first contact was given at 6:0S. At SIT he was pronounced dead.
 Few Relatives Present
 The only relatives of the gunmen who were in the prison at the time of the execution were "Dago Franks" mother, sister and brothers and "Whitey Lewis" brothers.
 Mrs Cirofici was borne to her car riage in state of collapse an hour after the electrocution. Mrs. Cirofici remained with her son as late as 4 o'clock. This is an unusual procedure. She had thought until the last moment that on her sons plea for mercy, the governor would grant reprieve. She believed in her boys innocence to the end.
 She pleaded with Frank in Italian to confess, but he said he had told all he knew and that he had not been present when Herman Rosenthal was killed.