Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 179, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1915 — Whitman Refused to Save Becker’s Life. [ARTICLE]

Whitman Refused to Save Becker’s Life.

Charles Becker, condemned to death for instigating the murder of Herman Rosenthal, lost his last hope of having his life saved when an urgent appeal from his ever faithful wife to Governor Whitman failed. Becker’s wife has done everything in her power to save the life of her husband. It was she who had his electrocution postponed for two days in a final appeal for his life. Yesterday Becker spent most of his time preparing a statement which was mailed to the governor, in which he stated his innocence. His hair was cut this morning in the usual preparation for the electric chair. At 5:40 he was taken to the chair, the execution to come at 5:45. It was thought that 27 witnesses, prison officials, lawyers, ministers and newspaper reporters, would be present. Immediately following the execution of Becker was that of a negro convicted of murder.