The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-31
BECKER SHOWS
SIGNS OF GIVING
IN To RELIGION
Willing Now to Listen to
Father Cashin. but Not
Yet to Yield.
VENT FOR HIS RAGE
IN GAMES

ossiNING. y. Y. May 30.--"You are
up against 1t, Charley, There's no
chance for you. You are facing eternity
and your only hope lies in saving your
souI.'
Charles Becker. twice convicted Of the
murder Of Herman R~osenthal. stood to-
dny in his death cell In Sing Sing with
sulien face and downcast eyes. Beside
him was Father William +. Cashin.
Catholic chaplain Of the prison. utter
ing those words. Tho priest was seek
ing. quietly and gently. to win Becker
over to n spiritual understanding OF his
fate.
hut Becker was angry. just plain
mad through and through as Father
Cashin expressed It. lie stood with
his hands clenched as he sought to
retain control OF himself In the presence
Of the priest. Ii was the Becker OF the
strong arm squad days. big, power
flu, fighting against the inevitable.
agains, the spiritual thoughts that the
priest was trying to persuade him 10
accept.
'Ali right" answered Becker with
an angry swish OF his fists. III there's a
God why am I. an innocent man. here
to-day"
Chaplain IL confident.
That was Becker the sceptic changed
from Becker the agnostic and bias
rhemer of a few days ago. He was
ready to hear why Providence should
place him 80 near the electric chair
when less than a week ago he had ex-
pected ~ confidently to go free. The
priest felt thai, there had been a change
IN Rockers mood.
II was the first meeting OF the "
since Wednesday. Then Becker. enraged
by the decision of the Court of Appeals
denying him a new trial. had renowned
his religion. fiouted the idea of "A God,
blasphemed the things that are counted
sacred. denounced Whitman and refused
20 have anything to do with Father
Cashin as "A priest. But as his friend
Billy he liked the chaplain still as
his friend who had played handban
with him and given him encourage
ment he liked him.
To Father Cashin the struggle TINT
Becker is going through il not new.
He has given spiritual consolation to
many men in the death house. And the
priest has faith that Becker will gradu-
ally come around to face the situation
calmly.
so to-day Father Cashin talked with
Becker and showed him why he must
accept Inc decision Ol inc ,OuTt VI
Appeals and prepare himself for death.
He cited incidents to prove that II is
not possible for the finite mind to COM
prehend the doings of the Infinite. The
priest has faith in the ultimate return
OF Becker to the faith which he ac-
copied after his first conviction.
~
Held Characteristic.
In fact the breaking away OF Becker
m tine last few days from a belief In
God IN regarded as characteristic OF a
man of his great physical strength and
with his faculty for leadership and COM
niand of men. The priest regards 1t as
characteristic that the former Becker
should rise up and combat the spiritual
Becker that has been developed In the
death cell.
That Becker had found consolation In
the Bible and prayer books-which. by
the way. he handed to other inmates
OF the death house only the day before
the decision of the Court OF Appeals.
90 confident was he of going outs
shown by the help he gave to other
men condemned to death.
Thu Rocker who to-day was COM
batting the idea of Divine Providence
was spiritual adviser to Happy Jack
M~ulrauey. who was convicted Of the
murder of Paddy the Priest" He
k'"F - "'hH'A wv sANSHN NV
night and thes Mulraney got a reprieve
a few hours before the hour set for
his death. II was Becker who taught
the Lords Prayer TO Lee Hing. one
OF three Cinnamon recently sent to the
chair.
Though Becker had urged others to
be strong in their religious faith in their
last hours, he broke away himself when
the big test came.
you're up against the big test now
the priest told him in that talk In the
cell. You are coming to understand
what real faith means"
The priest said afterward that Becker
was slowly changing from what Cardi-
nal Newman termed 1.-THE notionai as
sent to tho real assent" In other
words. on Wednesday Becker was In a
rage such as only a man OF his great
physical strength and powerful will was
capable Of.
Vent for His Rage.
Since then he had gone out on the
handball court in the hours set aside
for exercise and had played with other
condemned men. There he had given
physical vent to his wrath. With ter
rife strength he had hit the ball-as
he would have loved TO strike down
the enemies who. he believes. are re-
sponsible for his Incarceration in the
death cell. Gradually he had worked
on part of his anger, To-day. though
eth angry. he was ready to listen, but
not to yield,
Father Cashin told him that he,
Becker. must work out the problem him
self that he must make up his mind
20 endure the sorrow and suffering and
that he must bear all those things alone.
But when the priest left the cell he had
rot won Becker over, II seemed clear
TO him. however, with his practised eyes
IN studying men on the verge of death
and counselling with them. that Becker
would soon ask again for communion.
How great was the shock to Becker
when he realized that his conviction
would stand was learned to-day through
his preparations to leave the prison
Only n few days before the decision
decker was packing up his things. lie
gave his fountain pen to a man who
lad become his friend. There was not
= flicker of "A doubt In his mind that he
would go free.
Mrs. Becker arrived here at l 40 this
afternoon and spent more than two
.sburs with her husband.
Because of the rush OF visitors "a
Sins Sing I'm the hope OF getting a
glimpse of Becker. Warden Osborne ha.
ordered that slghtseers be admitted only
on invitation, The warden posted 2
notice at the prison entrance sayinl
that hereafter persons desiring to visit
the prison must write an application
The warden Will send an invitation Il
he cares to admit the sightseers.