The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-30

! " l.
| Strengthened out. tugging at the
creaking straps. For full minute it
| stretched thus. A slight sizzling was
heard and a slight curl of smoke
went up from the right side Of Beck
er's head, rising from under the cap
| just over the ear.
| When the shock was at its height,
), Becker's grip on the crucifix tighten
ed. But as the electrocutioner snap
ped the switch off 1t slipped from the
relaxed fingers. A guard caught It.
The whole body dropped to a posi-
ton of utter collapse. Becker's shirt
was then ripped open by the physi-
clans. AS the black cloth was turned
back to make way for the stetho-
scope, the photograph Of Becker's
faithful wife was revealed. 1t was
| pinned inside. The doctors pushed II
aside impatiently. evidently not
knowing what, it was. They held
stethoscopes to the heart and felt OF
the neck arteries. Another shock
was demanded of the cool, young
executioner. He stepped back and
| swung the switch shut and open
again. The crumpled body strained
at the straps again.
Once again the executioner was ap-
er's heart They seemed to argue as
to whether there was still evidence
+; of life
! Once again the executioner WAS ap-
pealed to and once again he shot on
the current. The dead mans lips
parted in ghastly smile.
! Three physicians from among the
legal witnesses we're asked to verify
Becker's death. They stepped for
ward, felt a moment for heart beats
and nodded agreement that the ex-
! policeman was dead.
/ At exactly 5:55, DR.. Farr, the pris-
on physician, announced In loud
voice:
II pronounce this man dead
| Warden Not Present.
! During these ghastly ceremonies,
! the priests stood solemnly by, silent
| nearly all the while, but now and
then whispering prayers. They were
| the only ones whose sympathy for
= b6eChSI 6IOW0u LII ldSC VI 6OoSuA S'
| Others, guards and physicians and at
| tendants, went about their work with
| calm, business-like deliberation., Thos.
Mott Osborne, warden Of Sing Sing,
was not in the prison when Becker
died He does not believe in capital
punishment and as a protest, at the
1 hour fixed for the eiectrocution, he
left the prison enclosure and took a
walk over the Ossintng hills AS he
left for this walk-at S a. M. his face
was drawn and pale.
1 His only official act in connection
with the execution, was to force a
moving picture operator, intent on
taking pictures OF witnesses as they
ientered the prison to move away.
/ Despite the fact that the guards
worked as though they were trained
icarefully for the work, the execution
Twas said by those who have seen a
number, to have been unnecessarily
horrible. Guards did not properly
adjust the strap supposed to cross the
chest and go under the arms. It was by
mistake slipped over instead of under
the left arm, SO that when the current
was turned on, the body shifted
around in the chair, the death cap
slipped up and the ghastly agony of
clenched teeth as Becker died, was
plainly visible.
Up to $3.50 today Becker's body still
lay in the morgue Just adjacent to the
death house. While no definite ar.
rangements have yet been made for
the funeral, 1t is understood that one
of Becker's brothers will take the
body to New York this afternoon and
that services will be held in the church
of SITS. Peter and Paul, the Bronx.
|. Believes Him Innocent.
| OSSINING, N. Y, July 30.-Becker
died an innocent man in the opinion
of his spiritual advisers, Fathers Cur
ry and Cashin.
From your experience with con-
demned men," Father Cashin was
asked, isn't it your belief THAI a
guilty man always confesses In the
last few hours?"
/ "Invariably,= the priest responded. /.
Usually the confession comes after
| the sacrament has been given. Beck
er maintained his innocence to the
end.
! "Father Curry said to him, after
we had administered the holy sacra'
ment: Are you guilty, by word or
deed, or in any manner whatsoever,
of this crime?''
Becker answered: Father, as I
stand on the brink Of the CARVE, am
not"
! Mrs. Becker Frustrated.
NEW YORK, July 30.-Mrs. Charles
Becker was Frustrated with grief at
her home, 2291 University avenue, the
! Bronx, today when the electric cur
nent at Sing Sing prison made her a