The evening world., 1911-03-22
GANGSTERS SEE
JOHNNY SPANISH
HELD AS SLAYER
Thug Leader Caught After
Chase Since Last August
for Killing Girl.
OTHER GRIMES CHARGED
Is Suspected of Shooting Young
Woman and His Rival for
Her Affections.
OTHER GRIMES CHARGED

Johnny Spanish. insolently sullen and
with the angry glare OF a corner-i rat
IN his eyes. stood up In General Sessions
to-day and heard himself accused OF
murder. Back of the rail a score Of
other young men with bad faces watched
Johnny spanixh's first orderly conflict
with the law.
Johnny Spanish. son OF an Italian
father and a. spanish mother. looked
the personincation of the informal po-
lice description OF him: "a sneak and
a coward. who never shot a man who
was armed or slngly robbed n man un-
der 90 years OF age. who wouldn't dare
show hts face OF Tenth avenue for fear
somebody born in the Unlted States
would take his gun away and jam It
down his throat"
None the less. the police believe
Johnny Spanish guilty OF AZ least three
murders and uncounted robberles.
Captain Of a Gang.
The charge for which Johnny Spanish
was indicted and arrested Is the murder
OF Sadie Rothen Of No. % Forsyth street
last August. lie was A captain OF ruff
fians-tbe most notorious. reckless and
wicked since the days Of Monk East
man Paul Kelly and Yake-YaKe Brady.
. Al the head OF his particular band OF
thugs ne was leading a revolver charge
on the crew OF Hyman Benjamin, n less
or leader. one OF the shots struck sadie
.kothen as she was fleeing INTO her
hone The police believe that he bull
let was from the gun OF Johnny Span
NH.
A. any rate he ran away and the de-
t~eciivcs hunted for him for many
months in many cities In vain. After
he had gone some OF his followers. who
would not have dared talk were he in
town. began 20 tell things.
; Beatrice kaplan was found dying on n
lonely road near Maspeth last summer.
She had long been a friend OF Johnny
spanish. she had gone 10 Maspeth with
him TO attend a frolic OF 4 band OF
Brownsville toughs. she lived Ions
enough TO murmur that Johnny had
nothing TO do with the shooting and was
not in sight at the time. The police at
the time got hold OF the name OF kid
Dropper.'' a nickname he had earned for
his prowess in dropping his Victims
ana foes with knife, gun and slunsshot.
Killed In Vengeance.
But Kid Dropper was not to be found
for q week. Then he was found dead.
lie had been shot. There was no trace
OF the man who had shot him. The po-
lice ssume that he had been killed in
vengeance for the death OF Beatrice
Ksplan.
From the gossip they picked up after
Johnny Spanish went sway they now
believe differently. Kid Dropper was
Johnny Spanish's rival for the earnings
and incidentally the stfections) OF Bes-
trioe. Johnny Spanish suspected them.
And as his former followers put II.
They both got theirs."
-Four Central Ofios detectives were
pun to work . week ago on an under
world rumor that Johnny spanish was
hack from his Western hiding place and
was living under cover In Brooklyn.
They we're Glidden, Bloom. Driver and
Caputo. none OF Them men known TO him
by sight. though they had studied his
evil features until { v Knew him well.
TNhsy found him..
Didn't Flight | ona.
And as he was stepping from a Graham
avenue car at Grand and Columbia ave-
nues. Maspeth. they crowded around
him. just rs he and his com panions had
frequently crowded around . man from
whom they meant TO steal q pocket
book. and closed IN on him. lie fought
only for 4 minute.
"oh. we'll" ne said relaxing when he
looked them over. ~ there's four o.
you. It's no use"
Have you got = gun, Johnnyr' asked
Glidden.
Nav" he snsered. do you thini
Id take q pinch as easy as this n
had q gum I'd crosked one or two o
youse IN croak myself too"
When he was %arralgned in Genera
Sessions and Clerk Cowins read the in
dlctment charging him with murder, tn
pale scar which runs up from the lief
side OF his mouth across his cheek an
ends In a crinkly hole turned purple 10
a minute There was no other sign Q
feeling. lie drawled a request for tim
IA which 20 get counsel, which was =
lowed.
Girl Will Get Lawyer.
I'm going 10 send TO a girl / kno
who viii get the right swell mouth be.
llawyerl for me. he said. "Only
o be Abe Levy. He's the guy tn
got Benjamin let out for the killing
the same gin and was the cause OF IN
being put on me. Shes a wise girl"
In tho ahdaNts accompanying john
spsnish's Indictment Il IS stated IN
he recc4voo money while he was
hiding from "Dopcy Al" doorkeep
of Webster Han. u place OF toul
dances. and from Noble Cohen. an ed
side girl who hangs about Sixth a,
nue. and Twenty-eighth street,
The rumor Johnny spanish Is bach
the detectives said. started when a s
lloon In Norfolk street was ralded
three Young roaghs last Saturday mig
lThey nourished reyolvers and took s
from the TIL and escaped. Sam Gree
berg. who was arrested with John
Spanish. Is being investigated In !