The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-16

name would be indicated, but when
l am dead ! shall be forgotten by
everybody. Who will care for Becker
then?"
Priest Beckers Friend.
All through his trouble was Beck
er's friend. 1t has been said that my
activity in his case was the price /
paid for Becker's conversion to my
faith. never once asked Becker to
believe in my faith, and did not in
struct him for entrance into the church
OF my faith. Whatever was done in
that direction was done by Father
Cashin, the good chaplain of Sing Sing,
at Becker's request, without hint either
from flasher Cashin Or from me.
owed Becker absolutely nothing for
anything he ever did for me, spiritual
or temporal. The devoted services Of
my leisure hours was given to his case
because l believed, as still do firmly
believe, that Becker was innocent of
the crime wherewith he was charged.
IL am not an angel, father" one
day he said to me. "but never did a
mean turn to any man in my whole
life, and there is not q man in the
whole world that l cannot look at
straight in the eye." The Becker as
painted by the press would never have
given utterance to the following state
ment: 1.-THE judgments of God are in
comprehensive, and His ways are I'M
searchable; have often thought that
in permitting me, an innocent man, to
go to the chair, God has some deep de-
sign and purpose; what 1t Is, l do not
know; 1t may be to expose the meth
DDS which have been employed to send
me TO my death, and so to serve hui
manity and to save some other poor
unfortunates from death like mine"
Forgave His Enemies.
On the Friday preceding his cleo
tracution began the proximate prep
aration Of Mr.. Becker to meet his
death.
Now | had before me a responsible
and necessary duty, yea, 1t seemed to
me 1t would be an impossible task. No
one knew better than / did the deep
resentment which Becker fell against
the one man. not Rose, on whose soul
he placed the responsibility for his
coming death in the chair.
He spoke to me many times against
that one man, and whenever he talked
his strong, dark face would become
darker and darker as the longer he
dwelt on that subject. Never for a
moment did he yield point as to his
innocence during the three years of
my friendship with him. and the more
vehemently he protested that he was
innocent of this crime, the deeper and
the deeper grew his resentmnt against
this one man.
(Note by the editor.-Father
Curry has preferred not to name
the man. 1t is understood that
the man referred to is Governor
Whitman, who, as district attor-
ney, prosecuted Becker, and later
on, as governor, declined to inter-
fere with the execution OF the
law.)
Becker could not be allowed to die
with this feeling of resentment so
deeply imbedded In his soul; he could
not be allowed to meet his God with
his soul filled with hatred and revenge
whatever the provocation might be.
To drive this spirit from his soul was
the task now before me, and ap-
preached it with some misgiying.
This task, however, must be accom-
plished. and began the work at once.
Die Like Christ. l
"Mr. Becker. you wish to die as a
good Christian, don't your
Indeed do. father" he replied.
Then YOU must die as Christ did.
who forgavc his enemies-you must
forgive that man.
We sat shoulder to shoulder upon
his cot At my last words a quick
turn OF his head brought us closer face
to face. Through his eyes l could see
the tumult of his soul.
"Must I forgive him, father?' he
asked. ~ /, si6 ,.t ~. .3,-
eyes" I replied, "as Christ dying
on His cross forgave those who cru
Gifted Him. and Stephen forgave and
prayed for those who stoned him to
death. as David forgaye his unnatural
sons"
Then in tone unusually soft and
gentle. he asked me:
I ...Do you tell me to do so. father?.
] could scarcely talk. yes, Mr.
Becker" ] said, then broke down