The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-31
Becker Is Ready

DtAhCi - tAtaug
Becker rose to his feet when he SAW
johnson and took erucifix from the hand
of the prison priest To Father Curry
Becker gave his last message as he took
his place at the head of the little file of
men that marched to the room of death.
Beckers message, which he uttered to the
priest, was:
II not guilty by deed or cOnspir-
acy, or In any other way. Of the death
Of RosenthaI. / am sacrificed TO my
friends. Bear this message to the world
and my friends. Amen"
The one-t time police officer hesitated DIS
he entered the execution room. 1t seemed
to the witnesses as if he was startled that
the death chair was SO near at hand. lie
looked quickly at the double row of Wit
nesses, glanced at the floor swept with
his eyes the Whtened walls of the room
and then suddenly, as if coming to him
self, walked brislllN over the rubber mat
and seated himself in the electric chair.
Behind Becker followed the prison
priests, chanting the prayer of death,
which was repeated by the condemned
man.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, have mercy on
my SOUL. nervously spoke Becker as
deputy wardens stepped forward and adj
justed the electrodes. Hardly a minute
elapsed before the electrode was applied
to the right leg, slit having been pre-
viously cut in the trouser leg from the
knee down. After the electrode had been
firmly adjusted against shaver spot on
the back of the condemned mans head,
the state eXecutioner looked at Deputy
Warden johnson, who surveyed the figure
that was still mumbling the death prayer
in the chair Johnson half turned his head
and the executioner damned the switch.
Shock of One Minute
The first shock lasted a full minute
and the executioner said that 1t was 1850
volts and 10 amperes in strength. 1t came
while Becker was still commencing his
soul to his Maker.
The two prison physicians stepped for
ward to examine the collapsed figure
that sat supported in the death chair
by the thick black leather straps. The
stetoseope was applied to the heart and
DR.. Charles FAIR, the prison physician,
pressed his finger against an artery in
the neck. There was still feeble flut-
tering Of the heart.
The physician stepped back from the
rubber mat and again the electric cur
rent pulsated through the body. The
shock lasted seven seconds and the cur
rent was then turned off. After hasty
examination, DR., Farr asked that a third
shock be given. This lasted five seconds.
An examination that took several minutes
followed Three physicians among the
witnesses then made an examination and
DR.. Farr, at 5.55 o'clock. quietly an
nounced
II pronounce this man dead"
During the night Becker penciled on
a piece of paper what he captioned: MY
Dying Declaration" 1t was taken to the
wardens office where two typewriter
copies were taken Becker signed it in a
bold hand with his fountain pen.
Gives Away Pen
To Deputy Warden Johnson, who had
charge of the execution in place of War
den Thomas Mott Osborne, who does not
believe in the death penalty, the one-tme
police lieutenant gave his fountain pen
as a gift.
1T is the last thing that I have to give
away, and | want you to have it."
After his wife had said farewell shortly
after midnight Becker maintained a
casual conversation with Deputy Warden
Johnson, who sat beside the screen in
front of his cell. Sometimes he smoked
cigars, and at other times he would let
his head fall upon his hand and gaze
reflectively at the concrete floor for min
utes at a time. Dawn found him seated
on the edge of his cot carefully pinning
a photograph of his wife on his white
shirt just over his heart. Then. as If
he desired to have her all to himself
Becker put on a thin black alpaca coat
which he tightly buttoned. The photo
sraph was not seen by the witnesses
until the prison physician opened his coat
as he sat in the death chair.
Becker was put to death by the state
executioner whose name Is unknown to