New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-25

"Was it dictated ?" insisted the Gov
ernor.
ut was dictated in part by nv friend
Wallace. Just the word 'ignomlnous3'
that's all He helped me in the spell
ing. No one else was present
did you talk about this letter to
any one else?
NO"
Did your friend Wallace dictate the
letter to Mr.. Cockran?"
Gle did not"
The Governor then asked Murphy
to spell the words "notorlety" and
Conscience" Murphy spelled them
correctly.
Are YOU sure that you didn't men
ton this subject to any one before
June p, 1915, when you wrote TO Mr..
Cochran except to Wallace" asked the
Governor.
Answer Arouses Suspicion.
81 am absolutely sure" said Murphy.
There was something in the way that
Murphy made the answer that aroused
suspicion in the Governors mind. lie
dropped this line of querying at once
and asked about the convicts history.
He kept this up bit. and then, leaning
forward, looking straight at Murphy,
his face almost touching the conVlcts'
he said:
Murphy, are you sure that you have
told absolutely all that you know about
the matter? You understand ! am will
ing TO listen. | am trying TO get the
facts. You need not cover up any
thing"
81 am not trying TO cover up any
thing" was the reply. 81 have tol all.
Ny conscience is clear. 1t is OF no bene-
fit TO me-" go,
Then the Governor leaned a little
closer. his voice changed and, looking
straight at the convict, SAID:
Murphy, have you ever talked to
Becker in your life?"
The question was unexpected II
was uttered rapidly. Quickly, almost
before he knew what he said, the LIE
termer answered:
81 spoke TO him in the death house
the night before | wrote TO Cochran.
Got to Death House by Ruse.
The Governor did not give Murphy
time TO realize that he had made
fatal admission and fired this question
at him:
"HOw did you happen to be in the
death house,"
81 went there with the entertainment
committee of the Mutual Welfare
League. | asked one Of the delegates
in charge of the singers 10 take me
there. There were four or five VINO
went with me, but | didn't know their
names. There is singing and entertain
ment every Sunday night
"Are you singer
Murphv hesitated, then said:
"Well, partly"
"Did you sing that night"
az helped out in the chorus
"Was there any one present when
you talked with Becker"
"No. | tried to tell Becker that |
knew something about his case, and
he said that he didn't want TO talk to
me, and that if knew anything about
his case to tell his lawyers"
Then the reason you wrote TO hr;
Cochran was because Becker told you ?!
Yes"
And you were alone with him in the
death house,"
There were five or six men pres
ent." -.
What else did you say to Becker
THAT is all"
Then, when you said you never
talked to Becker and when you told
tie committee you wanted 10 go 70
the death house TO sing, you led
didn't YOU"
"To a certain extent" d,
With this admissions that he had
lied, the Governor rested, and wha'
followed was of little Importance.
Deputy Warden Johnson said that
the entertainment committee alMsVs
instructed the members Of the wei
fare League who went there SundaI
lights to sing not TO talk TO any u
the condemned men.
Murphy received these Instruction.
Why he was permitted 10 break them
will be the subject OF a thorough ]"
vestigation. ~
At the close of the interview Muir
phv was taken back to Sing Sing, al