New-York tribune., 1920-01-30
Dies
Came; Cries
Here Coes!'
Eobber Who Killed Two i'm
Bank Hold-Up Here Faces
Death Smilingly, With
Cigarette Between Lips

Gordon Fawcett Handy. cigarette
between his lips, walked blithcly into
the death chamber at Sing Sing prison
shortly after II o'clock last night and
paid the penalty for the murder of De
witt {. Peale. paying teller of the East
Brooklyn Savings Bank, which Handy
and a confederate, who has never been
captured, held up and robbed Of $13, 500
on December Is, 1918. Handy also
Killed another man during the robbery
lie went to the chair without spirit
ual consolation. Just as he had cour-
teously asked the prison chaplains dur
ing his stay in the death house to re-
fraln from attempts to discuss religion
with him. he civilly requested them at
the last to let him go to his Maker
without their prayers
"Fll Stand Like a Man," He Says
81 shall stand before Him like a
man he told the Rev. Dr. A. N. Peter
son, Protestant chaplain, "and take my
medicine like a man. You're too good
friend Of mine, doctor, to go in there
with me. | know you won't go" He
was accompanied to the chair by Prin-
cipal Keeper Martin J. Dceleysand two
guards.
A woman, Mrs. Nellie Seaman, bet
ter known under her pen name Of
"Nellc Bly, saw him die. Mrs. Sea-
man. who writes for the Hearst papers,
strovo to the last moment to have Gov
crnor Smith reprieve the condemned
man. She walked arm in arm with
- | I Eo
the solemn little procession. Handy
came next. He walked the few PAGES to
the death chamber with a firm, un-
falterng tread. His slow, even puffs
at his cigarette spoke Of iron nerve.
Two keepers brought up the rear of
the death march.
The doomed mans companions of the
death house, their gaze mercifully cur
taincd off, managed nevertheless to
catch Il glimpse of Handy. or as they,
in Difference to his wishes, always
called him, Jay B. Allen.
Good by, Jay" one shouted Good
by, good by" the confraternty Of
killers took up the cry.
The Last Look a Smile
Handy had reached the threshold
of the chamber. He paused, smiled,
looked back over his shoulder.
III ere goes. ne called. GOOD by,
every one"
The door closed behind him.
1t was six minutes after eleven when
he came to halt beside the grim con-
trivancc by which the state exacts its
utmost punishment. Handy glanced at
the chair with a sort of appraising
curiosity. Mrs. Seaman covered her
face up to her eyes with her muii
Thus she saw the end
Handy let his eyes wander over the
thirty or so witnesses. mostly news
paper men and physicians, and then
turned to Warden Lawcs.
. MAY ! say something's he asked.
"Of course" Lawcs replied.
81 want to thank you, warden" the
doomed man said in voice that, al
though q trihc husky, was noticeably
firm, "for all you have done for me
while have been here. And | also
want to say, regardless Of whatever
has been said by any ono who ever had
the misfortune and it was a lways a
misfortune hnanciaily-to be in front
of j. b. Aliens gun he always had a
chance, and good chance"
This finished, the condemned man
submitted quietly, unconccrncdly to be
ing adjusted in the electric chair and
did not appear to voluntarily move a
muscle from then until the current was
switched on.
The indifference to his fate that