Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-11-08
Four Members of Big
Jack Zelig's Gang
Brought Before
Jury Together.
NO ALIBI TO BE OFFERED
BY ACCUSED GANGSTERS
Climax in Tragedy at Hotel
MetropoIe Expected to Be
Ended Within Short Time.
vaIlon May Be Made Goat

NEW YORK, Nov S.-The four So
called gunmen charged with the act
ual murder of Herman Rosenthai for
instigating which Charles Becker has
been sentenced to the electric chair.
were placed on trial today before Su-.
prcme Court Justice Goff. The exam
nation of talesmen was begun short
~ before 2:30 o'clock
Until last night counsel for the four
men had insisted on separate trial
for each, but an eleventh. hour deci-
sion resulted In an agreement to try
them together. 1t is expected that all
four will take the stand in their own
behalf. The States chief witnesses
will be BALD Jack" Rose. "Bridgie"
Webber and the other informers, who
figured so prominently in the Becker
trial
Crowds Mt Court House.
Crowds swarmed about the Criminal
Courts building. where the four gun
men will be brought to trial In the
room made famous by the proceedings
against Charles Becker, Harry X.
Thaw Roland B. Molineux, Albert
Patrick and other famous prisoners.
The scenes at the opening of the
Becker trial were repeated. There
was an enormous demand for admit
tance. many women being among
those who tried to get permission to
enter New chapters in the sinuous
life of the great city's underworld
will be spread on the record in the
next few days as prosecutor and coun-
sci for the defense bring scores of
witnesses to the stand In their fight
over the personnel Of the men who
took part in the fusillade under the
bright lights of the Metropole Hotel
on the morning of July 16.
Suspect Each Other.
Because they are said to be secret
~ suspicious of each other. Whitley"
Lewis, Lefty Louie" "Gyp the
Blood" and "Dago Frank" asked that
they be tried together before Justice
Goff for the assassination of Herman
Rosenthal
The originaf plan of the district
attorney agreed to by former Magis-
trate Charles G. F. Wahle, the gun
IHeH CouuSti, WdS tndI WHltey
should be tried first. This is said to
have been acceptable to Whitley"
but caused Lefty Louie" 'Gyp the
Blood and "Dago Frank" to become
very much worried.
The request for a joint trial for the
four gangsters was made by Mr..
Wahlc,, and District Attorney Whit
man replied that he was entirely will
ing. The explanation offered by Law
yer Wahle for asking that all four be
brought to the bar together was that
!, It would take less time
Schepps Looks Ill.
Schepps was brought into court
looking very Ill. His clothes were
neatly pressed and a silk haiidker-
chief peeped from his coat pocket,
but his features were drawn and
sallow and his eyes dull. His lawyer
pleaded that Schepps either be re-
leased or be sent to a hospital. He
stated that when Sehepps went to
Hot Springs 1t was for treatment of
a malady that he had been suffering
from for some time
The strongest witness for the prose-
cution will be William Shapiro,
chauffeur. who will identify all four
gunmen as the occupants of his car.
Shapiro. however, still says he did not
see the shooting and does not know
which one of the four actually did the
killing. Accordingly, Shapiro's story
will be accepted by the defense as fit
ting In with the explanations of the
gangsters, that they were near, but
did not take part in the shooting.
Rose, Vallon. Webber and Schepps
will be called to testify to the en-
ployment and pay of the gunmen.
Their stories will be much the same
as they related at the Becker trial.
THE boys want to get out in time
to eat their Thanksgiving dinners at
home" he said. "Ali are supremely
confident of acquittal l had a four
hour talk with them and they
appeared to be In the happiest frame
of mind. l tell you these lads did
not commit murder. We will show
that conclusively. 1 expect to have
twenty or more witnesses to prove
these boys did not kill Rosenthal."
Although Mr.. Wahle would not dis
close his line of defense. 1t was re-
ported that the gunmen will not
try to establish alibis but stick
to The story that they were brought
to the Metropole for the purpose of
cheating up" Rosenthal and that
while they were waiting for the vic
tim to come out of the hotel Harry
Vallon came along. Boob" Walker
ard two other men were near by.
Suddenly four shots were fired and
Rosenthal fell. The four youths.
frightened by the murder perpetrated
under their noses. ran for Shapiro's
automobile and. naturally enough.