Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-30
BECKER CALMLY AWAITS
HOUR OF HIS EXECUTION
Spends Last Day Preparing State
ment for Governor and Pray
ing With Priests.
FINAL VISIT By RELATIVES
Reported rs Thoroughly Composed
and Resigned to His Fate-Every
Precaution Taken by Prison Of
fcials to Guard Against Accident.
Especial to The Times-plsnntch. l :


morning and spent an hour reading the
Bible, He asked that the mornine
papers be brought to him as soon ns
they reached the prison, and when the
guard arrived with an armful. the con
dcmned man went through then,
! hastily.
| lie spent half an hour at his break
iast ana soon after o'clock the act
ing principal keeper, Frank Dorner
toid nm that he must prepare for the
maj step Becker answered cheerfullv
that he was ready, and walked un-
1alterlnsly to the bathroom His head
was then clipped to receive the cleo
| trodes and he was allowed to return TO
ms CELL where new suit OF black and
dark gray shirt. together with under
eiotheS' were waiting for him.
! While Becker was absent guards
stripped the cell of everything except
! the cot. bed clothing. a Bible and two
| prayer-books. a small framed picture
OF Mrs Becker. which hung at ono
end of the cell. was taken down and
mailed TO Mrs. Becker in New York
Il would like to have stenoErapher
now have something important to
give out" Becker said TO Dorner when
ne had donned his new clothes He
WAS told that 1t was against the prison
rules TO allow him to have Il steno-
Srapher. but that. he could have pencils
and paper.
From prison officials II was learned
that Becker was angry at Il statement
gwen out in Albany in which il was
sa'a mat there were suspicious circum-
stances connected with the death of
his first wife.
You can inform the newspaper men
that will have statement thar will
refute these charges in every particu-
lar, and that il may prove interesting
reading" Becker declared in angry
tones when writing material was
brought.
SCREENED FROM VIEW
OF FELLOW-CoNVICTS
blankets were hung UP about the cell
and Becker screened himself from the
view of his fellow convicts He de-
layed his task long enough to pray
with Father Curry and with Father
Cashin, but returned to 1t as soon as
the two priests left the cell
The Passion was read continually
during his spare moments by Becker
! lie also received spiritual ease by read
| Ing from the four gospels. the Fiftieth
Psalm, the Miserere and the Acts OF
! These were recommended to the con-
demned man by his two spiritual adj
visers
The Lords talk TO the disciples a,
the Last supper was Becker's favorite
| spiritual panacea, and was resorted TO
| whenever he became highly nervous
| nut he divided his religious reading
| during the last few days and followed
| the various suggestions made bv the
! priests.
W. Bourhe Cochran and Martin T.
| Manton spent two hours with Becker
| during the afternoon. Soon after they
entered the death house. Jackson and
John Becker. brothers OF the con-
demncd man. and Mrs. Katherine
Guigher his sister. reached the prison.
! They Were not allowed to visit the
death house until Becker's counsel
! emerged
Becker is thoroughly composed"
said Deputy Warden Charles Johnson
during the afternoon He is resigned
10 mis- fate. is meeting it without fear,
| ana VIII continue 10 show the same
| disposition belisvc, until his death"
| Becker, in Johnson's opinion. will
/ march 10 the chair with a smile on his
/ face.
! the preparations for his death, and has
/ inquired repeatedly about who is to
/ witness his end" said Johnson. We
have not told him who are TO he
present"
SHOWS SLIGHT TRACE
OF NERVOUSNESS
Dr. Charles w. Farr and DR.. Henry
Mcrenes. the prison physicians, cx-
ahmed seeker during the afternoon
/ They said that ne showed a slight trace
OF nervousness at times but otherwise
/ the prisoner was entirely normal His
! pulse stood at Scventy-cight
/ He shook hands with us and re
marked smilingly. i suppose Won have
/ come 10 bid me good-by,'" said r,r
| Farr IN describing his visit.
| Il wonder. doctor. whether I could
hape some MOVERS sent in TO me. l am
! Just beginning 10 realize how drearv
my last hours really are" Becker said
10 DR.. Farr
The physician communicated the
prisoner Wish to Warden Osborne. but
'he warden would not state whether
inc flowers would be sent in. II was
against the rules. he said, but il was
minated among the guards that
/ iul red and white roses soon after his
/ wish became known
Communion will be administered r.
BECKER by Father Cashin two hours be
lore the prisoner is TO be led to the
chair. Both Will kneel down and otYer
prayer, which may be Joined ~ by the
other death house prisoners. 1t Will be
'he Time Tor their good-bys dramatic
scene-but shortlivcd because OF the
stringent prison rules.
I When Father Cashin Is finished
guards Will slit Bcckcr's trousers &c
the knee on the right leg. the Ana
act before he is taken from his coll
and his feet Will he cascd in the felt
solcd shoes which condemned men wea,
when they arc TO enter the chair.
Becker will then shake the hand O,
sam Haynes. the negro, who will fol
low him TO the chair. and will ther
pass up and down the dreary dealt
house as the first rays OF sunlight ar,