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

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He started quickly on his cot, threw
his arms around me. and. resting his
head upon my left shoulder up against
my face he kissed me repeatedly and
cried like child. recovered quick
ly, and with my arms around him, !
patted him on the back, and said to
him:
''oh. Mr.. Becker, IL the world only
knew you as know you. what diff
ferent opinion it would have concern.
ing you! Now, indeed. the many pray.
ers are winning out; Gods grace Is
conquering."
When, after short interval. he re-
covered his composure, he said to me:
Father, you are the only man who
could get me to forgive that man;
swore that would never forgive him;
thank God, II is now over"
Gentle As Child. 1Sy
The look OF peace and. resignation on
his face and HIS manner, gentle as that
Of a child, made 1t plainly evident
that God had won out. The rest Of
my spiritual work was easily accom-
plished. and when left him that day
he embraced me as son would embrace
his father. When babe him good-by
said to him: .a+i n
mfr. Becker, you have taught me
how to be a man and a Christian. too"
when returned to Becker Thursday
morning, the day before his electro
cution, found him a much changed
man. His strong, dark face was many
shades darker, and his eyes flashed
fire as he vigorously and continuously
wrote. wrote, wrote. There was no
need OF an explanation; understood
all. for l had already seen my morn
ing paper. The manhood within him
boiled over in indignation on account
Of the brutal cowardly attack against
him in the dispatches from Albany
published in the papers Of that morn
ing, accusing him Of having murdered
his frst wife in q bathtuh, of having
admitted his guilt in an endeavor TO
obtain plea to murder in the second
degree, and of other things.
The ringing OF Father Cashin's
alarm clock at 1925 o'clock on the
morning of Friday, July 30. warned
us that 1t was time to prepare our
selves for the dreadful ordeal. 1t was
with heavy heart that ] prepared
myself to go to the prison. -.
The reporters were still on post at
the entrance to the warden's office,
and they greeted US kindly as we
passed within the mass Of gray stone.
The guard at the first steel gate adj
mitted us readily, but closed the gate
quickly after ! had passed within.
Enter Chaplnin's ONCE. nee
Father Cashin happened to look
back at the closed gates. and saw two
men shut out, whom the keeper did
not recognize. Father Cashin did recog-
nize them, however. and said Officer,
let them in, they are the electricians -
These men then came in behind me,
and for the first time I-felt my legs
weaken under me for moment,
but the feeling passed away. quickly,
and. thank God, did not return.
Father Cashin and went at once
to the chaplain's office, where we
donned our priestly garments. and at
about o'clock or little later we
went to the cell house one long white
sheet was hung as a curtain. SO as
to hide the cells on one side OF the
place. while the cells on the other
side where Becker was confined were
shut off by individual curtains. As
we entered the place we could hear
the warden In soft, tender, sympa-
thetic tones. bidding Charlie" good
by. When the warden departed. we
entered the cell, i,f,i gs,i'l
Beckerl babe me CHEEKY good
morning when I entered the cell, and,
having given me the old, character
istic, warm handshake, we both sat
upon his cot. He was fully dressed,
except for his coat. which hung on
the rear wall of his cell. Fearing
that the brutal newspaper articles Of
the morning before had upset his
peace OF mind and had driven from
his Soul the soothing spirit Of for
giveness. leaving him in a condition
Of mind little adapted for any spirit
ual ministrations. i asked him II he
still forgave all who had wronged
him. His reply was quick one:
Indeed do, father"
To make matters stfll-more certain.
asked him II he had any hard feel
lngs against any one in the whole