The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-30
MRS.. BECKER'S
TEARS FAIL TO
WIN GOVERNOR

to go straight to the military camp 10
talk to the Governor. She was ahre
with her purpose and keenly anxious to
return to Sing Sing for a ak with her
husband. but the Governor. anxious to
save time and spare her as much dis
comfort as was possible. arranged TO
meet her at 8 =. NJ. In the Nelson House
in this city.
AT $40 p. NJ. the Governors automo-
bile arrived at the hotel. With the Gov
ernor was his military secretary. Major
G.. Stanley Moore. They were taken to
a private room on the ground floor and
there awaited the coming OF Charles
Becker's wife. Ten minutes after the
Governor entered the hotel Mrs. Becker
arrived with Mr.. Johnston. she was
very nervous, but she managed somehow
to raise the ghost OF a smile as she
passed through the crowd II was quite
apparent then that she had not aban
doned all hope. She was ushered into a
room connected with the one In which
the Governor sat with Major Moore. and
there for a long time she remained
alone in the dark. hearing the voices
raised in argument, on the other side OF
the partition. OF all her trying expe-
Renee that long wait was probably the
most painful. She could do nothing In
the world but grip her hands tightly and
hope that the Governor would hear her
prayer
Johnstom's Argument Fails.
Mr.. Johnston made a long argument OF
three points. First. he contended that
the Governor ought to grant a respite
until Cochran and Manton had had OPP
p~ortunity TO review the decision OF JUS
tice Ford and take the decision TO a
higher court. He argued that there Is
ar inherent power vested IN a Justice
OF the Supreme Court to order a new
trial on such new evidence as was pre-
sented to Justice Ford. and that oppor-
tunitv ought TO be given to see whether
or not the high court would set the
verdict aside on the grounds Of fraud and
perjury.
Governor, because there Is no appeal
from Justice Ford's decision"
Then. said Mr.. Johnston. Il ask you
10 reconsider your determination not 10
submit his case to two former Chief
Judges Of the Court OF Appeals. ex-
Chief Judge Andrews and ex-Chief
Judge cullen. on the ground that Charles
Becker IL entitled by the Constitution to
have the nnal Judgment In his case
pronounced by an impartial authority.
"In this matter" said Gov. whitman.
shortly. my original determination Is
nnal. 1t would be wholly improper for
me to refer to others the anal considera-
ton of this case"
And now" said Mr.. Johnston. II ask
YOU TO grant a reprieve In order that we
may present to you the newly dts
coverde evidence that We have OBJ
tained since these motions were started. -
THAT also is impossible replied the
Governor. because there has been no
new evidence discovered"
The argument ended at 7:l5 r. NJ.
Then Mr.. Johnston asked the Governor
IL he would see Mrs. Becker and per-
init her TO say : ! what she had In
mind. The Governor WINGED At this.
lie understood beforehand how painful
the interview would be and how USE
less,y distressing to Mrs. Becker. But
he nodded consent. The door connecting
the two rooms, the one in which John
ston had argued unavaillngly. and the
one in which Mrs, Becker had sat for
an hour and a half. was unlocked and
slid back. The Governor walked slowly
and alone into the room. As he Sp-
preached Mrs. Becker she arose quickly
and took two steps toward him, i'm
pulsiyely putting out her hands. The
Governor bowed and drew up a chair
and after she had seated herself he
sat down close to her. At first she was
calm and spoke in 4 frm voice.
'ue IL tUuVerut n.y.
governor" she said. ~ am Charlie
Rockers wife. am certain that know
whether or not he is guilty. ! tell you
ne IL innocent. Don't you believe your
self that he Is Innocent Don't you be
lieve yourself that the informers placed
the blame on him TO ave themselves"
She went on in this a for several
minutes. with the Governor listening at
,.p,FN.IS- isIf 50 NtnR NOT "A word WhAY
she paused he said
Mrs Becker, no man has studied thu
case as much as |, No man has gone
into il as thoroughly as | Nobody could
have weighed the truth and the lice AZ
much as !. And ! must tell you that
believe your husband 10 guilty and there
fore cannot interfere with the verdlcI
OF the courts"
Mrs. BECKER began to cry. she aros,
to her feet and stood In front OF IN,
Governor, who apparently found II dis.
tresslng to keep his eyes upon her face
and so looked steadily out of the win.
dow. She began then to plead fol
Becker's mere lie, to plead without pre-
tencs OF reason or argument, but solei,
on the grounds Of mercy. II was ther
that she repeated over and over again;
II know that Charlie wa no saint
but | know he was not a murderer"
There il no new evidence In IN,
case,' tn. Governor repeated, and IL II
my duty to decline to interfere, Car
YOU give me any new facts' Ia ther,
any new Information YOU have brought
here|'
There 5 not" sobbed Mrs. Becker
hut won't you please save Charlie
life? just "a his life"
1t was then that the Governor will
his final refusal turned away and ended
the interview.
II MAS some tlme-ten minutes per
haps-before the Governor would con
sent TO see the newspaper reporters. Iii,
face when ne admitted them wa.
strained and white, II may have b-el
Imagination on the part OF some Of th'
group, but It looked as II he too hat
not gone throug the interview with dr.,
eyes, His first mnle 10 the nova
paper men rs they crowded around hin
was eloquent
~ saw a great deal In the Distric
Attorneys uftice-wcnt through a grea
deal-but there was never anything INK
this"
1t was learned that the last remarl
made by Mr., Johnston. when Mr., John
sto1 was ready 10 take Mrs, Becker I
IN, train for ossining, was:
Il see nothing al this hour that W
can do to prevent the death sentenc
being carried out" And the Governo
replied
There Is nothing
Major Moore had his automobii
cranked and the Governor got ava
from the hpie Il without i~nterruptiOn.