The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-08


an from cot in "Murderer's Row." as
the death house" is commonly called,
listening nonchalantly to the prison
chaplain preparing his soul for The
Creator. His eyes seemed wan and
restless and his cheeks. hollow from
the long confinement, were coated
with the inevitable prison paIlor. His
taoe. shorn of its placid cain, was
buried in the palms Of his hands, and
his thoughts lost in an overwhelming
emptiness that animated his features
A half smoked cigarette was dangling
between his dry bps He wasn't
thinking. He had already reached
that stage where a man ceases to
think. Mere phantops Of conceptions
that once were ideas darted slowly
thru his head. Beside htm lay an
Italian translation Of Dostoyeysky's
Crime and Punishment" into which
he would peep occasiona1ty and turn
dejectediy away.
He was now waiting Cor th0 prison
keepers 10 pass along and draw the
heavy green curtains over the cells;
in an attempt to cover ths fatal pro
cession from the view of other prison
ers. What a humanitarian thought?
This idea of hiding the death march
from curious eyes. Worthy to Be an
offspring of william Jennings Bry-
ans noble cause.
Grey clad guards, their faces lined
with indifference would then enter his
cell and lead him thru a little green
door into the bleak execution cham
Der. A silver haired priest, with head
bowed, will walk slowly behind him
His thin hands clasped together and
his mumbhng lips will offer a htany
to his inviolable Gods. While in the
anteroom, his friends, comrades, in
the movement for better world viii
weep for him. They were there now,
whole delegation of workers come
to bid him good bye. How they
worked to free him. Labor turnout
the world rallied to his support. He
had read of protest meetings held in
his behalf. Funds were raised for
fruitless appeal and resolutions pass
ed By workers condemning the deci-
sion. No effort was spared to save
him. His friends pounded heavily
against the steel wall OF justice only
to ind their knuckles bruised and
bleeding from the effort. He spared
them the pain Of seeing him now; q
ghost, soon to ride out Of this world a
corpse, ON the wings of illusion.
In the vault-like death room, the
guards will stand idly by as others,
paid Wallets TO the pet upholder of law
and order viii strap him to that high
wooden chair. What an interesting
procedure? Worthy of our philoso-
piers attention. Funny how they
slit the lower part of your trousers
with keen edged scissors and then
leather straps go winding around your
chest, legs and wrists, as il they'd
think you'd run. Before his eyes will
be bandaged by black cloth, an CT
ficial witness, as sensitive as a Mus
solini hangman, will step over and
ask him whether he has anything to
say. Yes, he would have something
to say. He'd tell them that the blood
OF innocent men add fuel to the fires
OF unrest; that he was ready to die
for his cause. Then the priest will
step over and place an ivory crucifx
to his lips, so that he may kiss the
effigy Of Christ and die contented.
Finally a coper-lined death cap will
be fitted over his head. That capi
God, how men feared to wear 1t! AZ
ter that he'd know-yes, he'd know
no more, and in such manner do men
retrace their steps to oblivion.
A sudden dimming of the electric
lights in the other cells will act as a
silent signal to the inmates whose
turn to walk thru the little green door
had not yet come, that the death vol
tage was on. A few seconds later, a
second and then a third and final dim
ming will inform the occupants that