The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-07-30

minutes. Becker was sentenced six
days later to die in the electric chair
during the week of December 8, 1912.
Within less than a month the four
gunner were placed on trail as the
actual slayers, found guilty and sent
to the death house.
| More than a year later, on february
"a, 1914, the Court of Appeals decided
that Becker should have a new trial
The gunmen's conviction was upheld
and they paid the penalty with their
lives ON April IA, 1914. One of the
number, "Dago Frank" confessed the
guilt of his three associates but main
tanned his own innocence. His con-
fession, made on the eve of the exc
cution, became known the day they
were put to death.
Becker was brought back to the
Tombs. His second trial was begun
May 6, 1914, and ended May %, with
verdict of guilty. He was sentenced
to die during the week of July G, 1914.
An appeal was filed, but the conyic-
ton was upheld by the higher court
in a decision handed down May 20,
last, and the date of the execution was
set for the week beginning July IL
Shortly after the court of appeals
denied Becker's third trial, W. Bourke
Cochran became Becker's chief coun-
sell He appeared before L. S. SUI
preme court Justice Hughes and argu-
ed for writ of error, which was de-
MED. During the week previous to
that in which Becker was sentenced
to die, Governor Whitman granted the
condemned man a reprieve of two
weeks as he had learned, it was stated,
new motions were to be made in
Becker's behalf.
On July 20 a $4,000 word statement
by Becker was forwarded to the gov
ernor. The statement was said to
contain new facts and made public
mention for the first time of the name
of the late Congressman Timothy D.
Sullivan in connection with the case.
The governor declined to commute
Becker's sentence after reading the
statement. Becker's attorney there
upon appealed to Supreme Court JUS
tice Philbin for a third trial and on
July % the justice signed an order
for District Attorney Perkins to shoW
cause why new trial should not be
granted. The order was returnable
before Supreme Court Justice Ford on
July 26. Justice Ford reserved deci-
sion and devoted almost all of his
time for the next two days to going
over papers in the case. Shortly after
10 o'clock the night of July %, Justice
Ford announced he had denied the
application, and Becker's only hope
remained in possible executive elem
ency by Governor Whitman.
Throughout Becker's troubles his
wife remained loyal to him and was
his constant adviser. She labored ap-
parently without firing in his behalf, |
assisting his counsel in every way
possible. She appeared to be crushed
when the Court of Appeals upheld the
second conviction but soon turned |
her energies toward eleventh-hour |
work to save him. 1t was largely at |
her urging that he Joined in the plan |
to ask Governor Whitman, his prose- |
cutor, for clemency.
There was one other woman who, if !
reports are true, followed Becker's |
career through the courts as closely |
as his own wife did. This was Her. |
man Rosenthal's widow. Soon after |
Becker's second conviction she disap- |
peared. Not long ago she was found, |
broken in health and spirit, and liv- |
ing with an old-time friend.
Il am living for only one thing" she
was quoted as saying, ito see the day |
that Becker pays the penalty"