The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1915-07-22
BECKER DIES IN
ELECTRIC CHAIR
TALKS TO Death Chamber With
Prayer on Lips
DECLARES HE is INNOCENT
Former Policeman Was On Verge of
Collapse When Electric Current
Silenced Him Forever-Pays
Tribute TO His Wife.

New York.-Charles Becker was put
to death in the electric chair at Sing
Sing soon after dawn Friday morning
for the murder OF a states witness.
Herman Rosenthal.
During the sleepless night which
preceded his death Becker had signed
a formal declaration of innocence
which he was to have delivered orally
to the witnesses who faced him as he
sat in the death chair. But as he led
the way in a dazed manner into the
death chamber. his drawn cheeks a
grayish olive tinge. those who had to
be there to watch him die felt that he
had been well advised by good friends
who finally had persuaded him while
he was awaiting dawn not to try to
speak his thoughts to the rows of
young men whose eyes he met for a
moment as he shambled into the
room.
Terror showed in his rowing eyes.
He walked steadily enough, but fright
seemed to have dulled a bit his sense
of place and direction. He stepped
somewhat too far out in front of the
electric chair, murmuring brief relig-
lous aspirations in a voice that grew
weaker and more uncertain as frac-
tons OF seconds dragged on: and then
with an uncertain. undulating move
ment of his head he found the chair
with a backward glance and slightly
to his right, and sat down in it, Most
Of all, the quaver in his voice showed
!, al Ii. IL
collapse.
Jesus. Mary and Joseph, assist me
in my last agony" he echoed the
little prayer the priests near him
were saying Lord have mercy on
us! Christ have mercy on us!" He
repeated and repeated in a short,
choppy way
His voice grew huskier as il be-
came less audible He tried TO clear
it with a short, hard cough as the
black-robed arm of Father Cashin ad-
vanced across the chair to place a
crucifiX momentarily against the
doomed mans lips.
Jesus, have mercy on mel" he
said brokenly at last, the face straps
which now shut out the light from
his eyes forever adding to terror in
muffling his words In a last supreme
effort he gasped, Into Thine Hands,
Oh Lord, / commend my"
On the instant there was a green
fash and his great chest shot forward
and he was voiceless before he could
say the final word soul" For a full
minute a trickle of smoke arose. He
sank back then as if from a slow
sagging within himself. shot forward
a second time while the crucifix grip
ped in his right hand slanted out
ward. sagged and strained a third
time and was pronounced dead.
Just before he entered the death
chamber Becker declared to Father
Curry:
81 am not guilty by deed, conspi-
racy or in any other way, of the
death Of Herman Rosenthal. am
sacrificed for my friends"
Previously the former police lieu
tenant, at a. m, had issued: My
dying statement" 1t was a passion
ate reiteration of innocence, and it
left as his only legacy to his wife his
declaration:
81 declare to the world that I am
proud to have been the husband of
the purest, noblest woman that ever
lived. Helen Becker"
On Becker's own request made a
few days before his death he was
permitted to die in the chair ahead Of
the mulatto, Sam Haynes who was
put to death less than 10 minutes
after Becker's limp body had been
carried out to the autopsy room
Becker was officially declared dead
st 5:53 o'clock a. m. and carried
away.