Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-08-04
With His Last Breath, Former
Police Lieutenant Maintains
He Was Not Guilty of
RosenthaI Crime.
WALKS BOLDLY TO HIS END
Current Stops His Final Pray
er-Wife to Continue Eff
forts to Prove Him
Plot Victim.

Rosenthal, the New York gambler. The
former New York police lieutenant re-
tained his compOSure and protested his
innocence to the last. He went to his
pinned on his shirt over his heart.
Three shocks were given before the
prison physicians pronounced Becker
dead at 5:55 o'clock.
Becker led the way to his own ex-
ecution. The condemned man sat up
all night on the edge of his cot, calm
ly talking to Deputy Warden Charles
Fl. Johnson.
81 have got to face it," said Becker.
and I am going to meet it quietly and
without trouble to anyone"
Priests With Him to End.
The deputy warden left Becker
about an hour before the time set for
the execution and when h priests,
Father w. e. Cashin, the prison priest.
and Father Durry, of New York, came
to administer the last rites they found
the man who ~instigated Herman Ros-
enthals murder with his face resting
on his hand gazing at the prison floor.
The priests remained with him to the
end.
1t was shortly after 5 o'clock when
the first of the witnesses of the exc
cution began to assemble outside the
prison wallis. Quietly their names
were checked off by Deputy Warden
II alASSSSu W 1890
their places at a gateway that led di-
rectly to the execution chamber. Then
the witnesses were led to the place OF
execution in a new death house, which
had been built adjoining the old exc
cution chamber, where the four gum
g for killing Rosenthal. When the
witnesses were seated Deputy War
den johnson nodded to the principal
keeper, Fred Dorner, and they left the
room through a small wooden door
where Becker was praying with his
spiritual advisers.
Denies His Guilt.
Becker rose to his feet when he saw
johnson and took a crucifix from the
hand of the prison priest. To Father
Curry Becker ave his last message as
he took his place at the head of the
file of men that marched to the room
of death. Becker's message. which ne
uttered to the priest. was:
II am not guilty by deed, or con-
spiracy, or in any other way. of the
death of Rosenthal. 1 am sacrificed to
my friends Bear this message to the
world and my friends. Amen" :.
The one time police officer hesitated
as he entered the execution room. IL
seemed to the witnesses as If he was
startled that the death chair was so
near at hand. He looked quickly at the
double row of witnesses, glanced at
the floor, swept with his eyes the whit
ened walls of thes room and then sud
denly, as If coming to himself. walked
briskly over h rubber mat and seated
himself in the electric chair. Behlna
Becker followed the prison priests
chanting a prayer which was repeated
by the condemned man.
"Jesus, Mary, Joseph, have mercy on
my SOUL" nervously spoke Becker as
a deputy warden stepped forward and
t.-A- kh~ A1oo<p0d00 lQts6Iv a
minute elapsed before the electrode was
applied to the right leg. After the
electrode had been firmly adjusted
against a shaver spot on the back OF
the condemned mans head the state
executioner looked at Deputy Warden
ohnso who surveyed the figure that
was still mumbling the death prayer in
the chair. Johnson half turned his head
and the executioner damned the
switch.
Shock Stops Prayer.
The first shock lasted a full minute
and the executioner said that 1T was
1880 volts and 10 amperes In strength.
II came while Becker was still com
mending his soul to his Maker.
The two prison physicians stepped
forward to examine h collapsed fig
ure that sat supported In the death
straps. The stethoscope was applied to
the heart and DR.. Charles Farr: the
prison physician pressed his finger
against the artery in the neck. There
was still a feeble fluttering of the heart
The physician stepped back from the
rubber mat and agar the electric cur
rent pulsed through the body. The
shock lasted seven seconds. The cur
rent was then turned off. After 8
hasty examination, DR.. Farr asked that
a third shock be given. This lasted five
seconds. An examination that took
several minutes followed. Three phys
icians among the witnesses then made
an examination and DR.. FarY at 5:5'
O'Clock announced. II pronounce thi:
man dead"
During the night Becker penciled OF
a piece of paper what he captioned
"My Dying Declaration" 1t was ia
ken to the warden's office. where two
copies were typewriter. which Beckei
signed with his fountain pen in boil
hands. To Deputy Warden Johnson
who had charge of the execution,
place Of Warden Thomas Mott Os
borne. who does not believe in the dealt
penalty-the one time police lieutenan
gave his fountain pen as a gift.
st is the last thing that 1 have t.
give away and l want you to have it
I want you to give this statement t
the newspaper men.
Becker's Last Denial.
Becker's message given out just be
fore he went to his death read:
"Gent!emen, stand before yot