The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-02-25
Chirka and Rasico Pay
Death Penalty.
CHILDREN BID PAPA GOODBYE
Rasic0's Crime the Most Bru.
n tai In the Annals Of
Crimin0l0gy.
A BROTHER HIS ONLY VISITOR


Indianapolis. Ind, Feb. 20
Harry Rasico, of vincennes. and
John Chirka, of Indiana Harbor,
both wife-murderers. were executed
at the State Prison, Michigan City,
shortly after midnight.
Rasico was placed in the electric
chair at 1907 a. M, and was dead
eight minutes later. Chirka was
placed in the chair at 1880 a. IN!
and was pronounced dead eight min
utes later. M
They were the first men to be
electrocuted in Indiana.
= The condemned men spent their
last hours on earth in receiving
members of their families and i'll ad-
vising with the Rev. John Bleckman,
assistant pastor of st. Mary's Cath
ole Church.
Early in the afternoon, Mrs. Ga
briel Tode, of Gary, brought the
three younger children of Chirka to
say farewell to their father. The
children are Edith, IL; Mary, s; and
Felix, years old. The children
were warmly embraced by their
father both ON arriving and depart
ing, but he scarcely spoke to them.
As they were leaving, babyFelix beg
ged his papa to return home with
them. saying: You not been home
with us since mamma died."
AT this remark tears ran down
the condemned mans cheeks. but he
did not speak. The interview lasted
but fifteen minutes and then the
weeping children were returned to
Gary.
Harry Rasico, had but one visitor,
his brother, who lives in Vincennes.
The brother remained with him but
a short time and left. The bodies
OF the condemned men will not be
turned over to their families, but
will be buried in the prison ceme-
terry.
John Chirka shot and killed his
wife after they had quarreled be-
cause of the attentions she was al
lodged to have bestowed on boarders
at their home in Indiana Harbor.
His attorneys. confident of his ac-
quittal, on the grounds of insanity.
rejected an offer of life imprison-
ment for Chirka II he would plead
guilty. After trial of four days
the jury returned verdict of guilty
and fixed the punishment at death.
The result of the trial came as a
surprise, not only to the attorneys
for the defense, but to the Prose-
cutting Attorney. j. II. Patterson, and
his deputy, Ralph w. Ross. Farmers
made up the jury.
The crime for which Harry
Rasico paid the penalty with his
life. the murder of his wife and lit
tie son. was one of the most brutal
ever recorded in the history OF the
Terre Haute police department, II
not In the State. According to his
own story, told without restraint
and with a sneering bravado. he
murdered his wife when she was on
her knees In front of him praying
and begging for life. Then. turning
his smoking revolver upon his lit
tie babe. he killed 1t without re-
morse. That the crime was deliber-
ately planned. Rssico: admitted when
arraigned in Circuit Court. declar-
Ming that he had been planning the
{eed for six months. he had become
Jealous.
lie told Judge Fortune he did not
> regret the deed. He refused counsel
and pleaded guilty. In passing SEN
tence. Judge Fortune told the con-
d mned man that his crime deserv-
cd the extreme penalty of death
Fasico rctorted:
You ought to give II to me-"
While in Jail awaiting his trans
fer to the State prison at Michigan
City Rasico's four little children.
in custody OF an uncle, visited him.
tie turned away and refused to talk
to them. An insanity commission.
appointed by order of Judge For
tune, found him to be rational.