The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-14
TO SHOW MOTIVE
FOR KILLING OF
R0SENTHAL
Whitman Will Confirm Thrilling
Story of Jack Rose
MRS. ROSENTHAL A WITNESS
Widow of Dead Gambler Called to
Prove That Becker Wanted Her
Husband Put Away.

New York, Oct 14.-Bridgie Web
Der. the noted gambler, was called as
witness today in the trial of Police
Lieutenant Becker for the murder OF
Herman Rosenthal. Weber confirm
ed the sensational testimony gwen by
Jack Rose on Saturday TO the Ell
feet that Becker was the real lnsu-
gator of the shooting. Weber even
went further than Rose and declared
that the police lieutenant, when view
ing the body of the dead gambler IN
the station, lamented the fact that ne
himself had not fired the fatal bullet
New York. Oct. 13-Mrs. Herman
Rosentbal. widow of the gambler who
was murdered on July 10, is expect
ed to be the principal witness tomor-
row when the trial of former Ponce
Lieut.. Charles Becker, accused OF
Rosenthal's murder, is resumed be-
fore Justice Golf and the jury in the
extraordinary term OF the Supreme
court. This fact was indicated To-
night by District Attorney Whitman
who will call Mrs. Rosenthal TO the
stand in expectation that she VIII
corroborate the testimony given Sat
urday by bad Jack" Rose.
Through Mrs. Rosenthals sworn
| story the county prosecutor hopes 10
| convince the jury that Becker had
motive in ordering, as alleged, the
killing of Rosenthal-"thism motive be
ing that the gambler was about to
furnish the county authorities with in
| formation which would link Becker
with a system of levying graft
| BRIDGE" Weber, a self-confessed
owner of the gambling house where
| the gang which slew Rosenthal met
on the night of the crime, also is
expected to give testimony tomorrow
IL the examination of Mrs. Rosenthal
Is concluded in time for him TO take
| the stand.
The district attorney believes that
the direct examination of Weber will
take probably not longer than an
hour. as the information which, IL Is
believed, Weber is able to supply
will not be as sweeping in character
as that given by Jack" Rose.
i Mr.. Whitman visited Bridge"
Weber this afternoon in the West
Side court prison and talked there al
so with Harry WALTON and Samuel
Schepps, two other prospective wit
nesses, and also with Rose. WALTON
and Schepps are to be called after
Mrs. Rosenthal and Weber have tes-
tilted. After them, it is expected,
Harry Pollock will be called upon to
explain Roses presence at his home
where. il is alleged, Rose after the
murder received messages. with Pol
lok's and, direct from Becker. who
| had not then been suspended from
the police force
Justice Goff. it is said, will hold
night sessions this week in an effort
to have the trial completed by Octo-
Der 81, when the extraordinary grand
| jury, which will probably begin its
hearings before him.
Jack Rose told his whole story on
the witness stand yesterday and last
night and the defence failed to catch
him in a lie.
Without hesitating. without stop
ping to weigh his words, without the
slightest emotion, he swore that Beck
er ordered and contrived the murder
of Herman Rosenthal to prevent ex-
posture as blackmailer; that Becker
gloated over the dead body as it lay
in the West Forty-seventh street sta
ton and that Becker paid for the
murder and tried for n time to pro-
tect the murderers.
The climax was Roses recital of
what he swore were Becker's own
words when the lieutenant, coming
from the West Forty-seventh street
station an hour after the murder TO
meet him and Weber at Sixth avenue
and Forty-second street, made this re
| ply to Roses question as to whether
or not he had seen the body
TT was a pleasing sight to me to
look and see that squealing
there and II IL was not for the pres
ence Of the district attorney ! would
have reached down and cut his
tongue out as warning to future
squealers"
! Nearly every man and woman in
the court room shuddered. Rose had
spoken in a quiet, absolutely express
sionless tone, which intensified the
dreadful accusation he was making
before Justice and jury. Lieut. Becker
did not blanch or quail But he was
visibly exerting strong self-control.
His jaw set like a rock One could
see the muscles stiffen. Sweat
streamed from his face. One hand
gripped his chair. the other the table
in front Of him.
At this crisis he had to sustain the
fixed inspection Of the jurors No
human being could have been subject
ed to a worse ordeal. but the accused
man faced 800 pairs OF eyes without
fiinching.