Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-28

Tears Streamed down the foreman
face as he announced the decision and
tears stood in the eyes of several other
jurymen; but sympathy did not warp
their Judgment. They had a good cor
roboration which the district attorney
failed to present al the first trial to sup
port the stories of Rose. WALTON and Web
Der. the three accomplces who turned in
formers Tut which had been furnished by
the new witnesses It the second trial.
Becker's counsel announced that he
would appeal, and gained a weeks stay
for the preparation of his future cam
pagn. The defendant was granted a
short meeting with his wife and his
brothers and then taken back to his cell
In the Tombs.
WIFE KEPT OUT OF COURT.
Becker and his wife We're talking short
" before five o'clock in a room adjoining
the sheriff office when a court attendant
from the judges chambers announced
that the jury had reached a verdict. Mrs.
Becker was not permitted to accompany
her husband to the court room. News
paper men with court attendants, counsel
for the defense and District Attorney
Whitman and his staff were the only
other persons allowed admission The de-
PENDANTS two brothers, Jackson and John
Becker the latter a detective Lieutenant,
hurried to a side entrance, where they
stood awaiting the verdict. All other
doors to the court room We're locked
When the little group in the court
room had found seats, a door at the
back was opened to admit the jury. The
IL men who alone knew Becker's fate
filed silently in with Foreman f. Meri-
den Bladgen at their head All 10 faces
were expressionless.
BECKER KISSES WIFE.
Justice Seabury mounted the bench.
He glanced quickly al the faces of the
Jurors, but he learned nothing there
Old court attendants who declared long
practice had made them able usually to
tell the verdict by the Jurors looks, ad-
mitted that on this occasion they We're
at loss.
Becker in the room overhead was still
talking to his wife when Justice Seabury
took his seat. Clerk Penny called,
Charles Becker to the bar" and a
bailiff was sent for the defendant. Beck
er kissed his wife and left her
ITS all right he told her. Don't
worry They'll free me"
Becker entered by the same door which
the jury had passed through but a min
ute before. He walked briskly to the
rail, facing Justice Seabury, and gripped
It with both hands. His face was color
less.
GUILTY IN FIRST DECREE.
He glanced hopefully at the jury, his
gaze resting upon the face of each man
for a fraction of second, But he did
not catch the eye of a single man. To
all outward appearances the jury didn't
even know the defendant was in the
room Clerk Penny asked the jury to
rise.
Foreman" he said have you reached
verdict"
Bladgen, a youngish man, blond and
slim. brushed his eyes with a handker-
chief, already damp. I'VE have" he said
softly. we find the defendant -" he
hestated a moment and continued in a
whisper: I'VE find this defendant guilty
as charged in the Indictment; guilty of
murder in the first degree"
Becker's face was gray as he grip
ped the bar in front of him with all
his strength The big muscles of his
neck jumped out in heavy rolls. The
veins at his temples swelled His
great frame swayed and dropped; then
with quick control he became himself
again.
Big tears welled into the eyes of the
little foreman. He wiped them away
with his hand and then the clerk be-
gan to ask the questions required by
law, The roll was called and each
individual juror was asked if guilty"
was his verdict, too.
Becker stood motionless while these
questions were being put to the Jur-
ors. Immediately upon their conclu
sion the clerk began to take Becker's
'pedgree." To the first questions he
answered in a steady voice that he was
13 years old, was born in the United
States. and that his parents had been
BORN in Germany.
HAD TEMPERATE HABITS"
"Married?' queried the clerk,
Becker didn't answer Immediately
Almost in whisper he replied Eyes"
As to his occupation Becker said he was
a former police officer in the city of New
York" Catholic and of temperate hab-
Az