The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1912-10-30
FIRST DECREE
BECKER VERDICT
Jury Finds New York Policeman
Guilty Of Murder
DELIBERATED NEARLY 8 HOURS
Three Minutes Before Midnight Yer
dict Is Rendered by Jury In ceie.
brated case-AppeaI VIII Be Taken.

dict Is Rendered by Jury In cele.
brated case-AppesI viii Be Taken.
Guilty OF murder in the first de-
gree" was the verdict in the case of
former Police Lieutenant Charles
Becker, charged with instigating the
murder OF Herman Rosenthal, a
gambler. In New York city
The jury had been out exactly seven
hours and fifty-seven minutes. The
length OF It's deliberation and the fire.
quency OF its requests for exhibits, to-
gether with unmistakable signs OF hot
arguments in the jury room had led
most OF those who waited late at the
criminal court building to believe that
there would be no agreement
So that when the blow finally fell
upon the defendant its force was all
the more crushing. Even the district
attorney himself few minutes before
midnight had said II looked like dis
agreement. Becker's lawyers had
grown more confident as the hours
sped. Becker himself, chatting pleas
antly with his wife, the Pitt brothers
and a former reporter, Frederick S.
Hawley, who had testified in his be-
half, was serenely confident that there
sould be no answer from the jury room
rave mot guilty"
The convicted man bore up under
the shock with the grimness that had
characterized him all through the trial.
When the momentous announcement
came and the question OF the clerk OF
the court Gentlemen have you agreed
upon a verdict" the lieutenant turned
calmly toward Harold B. Skinner, the
foreman. and displayed no emotion
whatever as Mr.. Skinner pronounced
a few short words that spelled his
fate. The only sign OF agitation, the
only visible appearance OF shock was
grayness that spread over his dark
face and the narrowing OF the fierce
eyes and a contraction OF the muscles
OF the throat.
Presently when he lifted his right
hand and gave oath to the facts OF his
age there was not culver of the arm
or waver OF finger His voice failed.
He could answer the formal questions
put to him only in husky tones barely
audible few feet from where he
stood at the bar OF the court,
No less remarkable was the forti-
tude with which the wife OF the con-
victed man withstood the worst OF
news. She had come to wait in the
chambers Of Justice Goff. When the
verdict was delivered she was in sight
and hearing of the spokesman for the
jury. She did not finch, she uttered no
sound Her right hand went swiftly
to her breast. paused there for
moment and fell to her lap. But she
looked calmly at her husband as he
stood at the bar and even summoned
smile for his encouragement. II
was later thought that she succumbed
to the natural reaction. The bitterest
OF disappointments broke down her
strength-she tainted.
Justice Goff's charge was a shock
to the defense. In effect, 1t expressed
doubt that Jack Rose could have in
vented such a story as he told against
Lieutenant Becker and that there was
no evidence to show that Sam Schepps
was an accomplice.
Lieutenant Becker, under sentence
OF death, will await in Sing Sing pris-
on the decision OF the court of ap-
peals as to whether or not he Is en-
titled to 4 new trial No action by
counsel can prevent sentence being
pronounced by Judge Goff next Wed.
nesday but the appeal will act as a
stay OF execution.
Becker's chief counsel, J. F. McIn
tyre, whose desperate fight to save a
bad case persevered until the words
were uttered that pronounced Becker
the real murderer OF Rosenthal, seems
confident that out of more than foul
thousand exceptions he had taken tC
the rulings OF Justice Goff sufficient
grounds would be found to justify 9
new trial. District Attorney Whitman
and Justice Goff feel that Becker hat
fair trial.