New Britain herald., 1926-03-29
MANY ANXIOUS ID
 WATCH EXECUTION
Warden Gets Numerous Requests
 to See Chapman Hang
DECENT BURIAL ASSURED
Prison Priest Will Pay If None 9th CTS Do--Chapman, Once Agnostic Apparently Has Religion EN- ecutioner To Get S50 Fec.

Wetherstie!d, Conn, March 29 -- The one man who has bcen closest 10 Gerald Chapman during ihe year h" has been held in tho state prison here awaiting cxecrtlon for murder will claim the body Of the notorious criminal in tn" event Of hanging if it is unclaimed by others.
 Rev. M. r. Barry. rector of the Sacred Heart church and prison chaplain. who has been the spiritual advisor for the condemned bandit, has declared that Chapman's hody will never go to the Yale Medical school for dissection purposes.
 Stating that he would see that the man convicted Of Killing Policeman Skelly of New Britain is given "a decent burial" the priest said. Its the least I could do for friend Of mine, or for any Catholic"
 Was An Agnostic Father Barry has refused 10 dis cuss what passes between him and Chapman during the visits he makes to the latter's cell and would not en- large on his statement to explain whether he meant by flor any Cath ollie" that Chapman has sought re- ligious consolation, When Chapman vas brought here a year ago he was known to have been an agnostic.
 Should Chapman hang on April G. Father Barry will accompany him 70 the gallows.
 It will be possible for Father Bar ". under the law, to claim the body of Chapman and save it from being turned over 10 professor of anal ogy at Yale Medical school as is done with the bodies of criminals who die in state prison and are un- claimed.
 Must Ask For Funeral
 The law provides that tho warden or his deputy shall cause the body of any executed criminal Ito be de- gently and quietly buried" in any county in the state that may be designated by the relatives or friends of the executed person. provided a request for such burial is made 10 the warden or his deputy on or be- fore the date of execution. In the case the body is not claimed by any rcla Nves CT friends on or before the Jay af execution then the warden or deputy shall dispose of 1t according 70 law. The expenses and burial shall not exceed $50.
 Those At Execution
 Father Barry will attend Chapman in the execution chamber by virtne of the law which designates the number of persons who may attend. The warden or his deputy and as many guards as may be required may he present at the execution and the following. but no others: The sheriff of the county in which the prisoner was held and convicted, the board of directors ard the physician of the Connecticut state prison, the clergyman in attendance upon the prisoner, and such other persons, adult males, as the prisoner may designate, not exceeding three in number, representatives of not ex- ceeding five newspapers in the coun- ty where the crime was committee and one reporter for each daily newspaper published in the city Of Hartford"
 The requests for permission to at tend the hanging which have come to Warden Scott have been many and from far and near.
 Many Would Attend
 Most of the requests are from ob- scure persons and few gave any req son for making the request. On the other hand there have been no ro- quests made for permission 10 sec the condemned man. Aside from Father Barry and his counsel, Chap man has seen only those Tn the prison whose duties required thom 10 see him. while in his cell, and his only glimpse of fellow beings has been when he was taken to court held In the board of pardon room in the prison.
 Money a Mystery
 A number of letters have bcen re- ceived at the prison addressed to hapman but the contents of these has not been revealed. Delivery was
 (Continued on Pspe ISl