New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-21
Driver of Murder Car Tells
Counsel "Some One in Tombs"
Urged Him to Take Stand
for Lieutenant.
DEFENDANT WILL TESTIFY
Belief Prevails He Will Admit
Being a CRATER but Deny he
Is a Murderer-Whitman
to Attack Witnesses
for Accused.

l
| William Shapiro, chauffeur Of ths
murder car, it was learned yesterday BY
District Attorney Whitman, has beer
tampered with by emissaries Of the
system while a prisoner in the Tombs.
This was partly corroborated by let
ter written by Shapiro to his counsel,
Aaron J. Levy. on Saturday. saying he
| had been asked by some one in the
| Tombs" to be a witness for Becker.
Who this some one is the District At.
torney is endeavoring to find out.
Lieutenant Charles Becker will take
| the stand in his own behalf, according
to his counsel, John F. Mcintyre Ac-
cording TO others Becker's testimony in
sentence will be, Il am CRATER. but
| / had no hand in the murder of Her
man RosenthaL" And some Of these
think it not unlikely that Becker, to
save his neck, may reveal the whole
system of police graft.
| Mr.. Mcintyre said he had about
! twenty witnesses yet to be put on the
stand, and the belief of both sides is
that the case will go to the jury
Thursday or Friday night.
Defence May Call Chauffeur.
Mr. Mcintyre said he would probably
call Shapiro, who would testify that
Vallon and Schepps were among the
five men who escaped in the murder
car, and one of them. he is not sure
which, held a smoking revolver in his
hand AS he ran from the PROSTATE
body OF Herman Rosenthal.
Whoever had the revolver. Shapiro
will testify. held it against his head
and told him to drive like hell"
District Attorney w tman said IL
Shapiro took the stand and told any
such story he could tear II 10 pieces.
He said he would confront Shapiro with
his own affidavit, in which the chauf-
feur swore he could not identify any
Of the men who escap ped in the murder
car. and said he did not identify Rose.
Vallon, Schepps, Weber or any of the
four gunmen
The District Attorney has found four
witnesses who will contradict the tes-
timony Of Police Lieutenant Patrick r.
Shea and his wife. The lieutenant and
his wife swore they were at Becker's
home the night Schepps said he called
there as a messenger from Roseswheu
Rose was hiding at Harry Pollol's
home.
Thomas Coupe, the clerk in the Elks'
Club who witnessed the murder and
was driven 10 his home i'm England by
threats. is living at the New Weston
Hotel Madison avenue and 49th street
He has beer under guard since he was
brought back to this country by AS
sistant District Attorney De Ford, and
is registered under the name of william
Allen. His guard is posing as his sec.
retary.
Sees Boldness Of "the System"
The tampering with William Shapiro
Is regarded by District Attorney Whit.
man as one of the boldest moves played
by 1.-THE system" in its efforts 10 save
Lieutenant Becker from. paying thu
penalty for the death OF the gambler.
informer, which tho state lays at hi.
door.
Shapiro as admitted in a letter tc
his counsel, Aaron J. Levy, was ap.
preached by some one In the Tombs'
and asked to be witness for Becker.
II received such a letter." said Mr.
Levy last night, "and IL Is now locked
up in my office. I will see my client
to morrow morning and talk TO hin.
about IT,"
Shapiro. il was learned by the Dis
trict Attorney, has constantly been in
the receipt Of messages purporting 10
come from Becker. While II is not
likely that Becker has had an opportu-
nifty to talk to Shapiro or any OF the
other men accused Of murder, II would
be the easiest thing In the world for :.
him to send a message to the chauffeur
of the murder car.
When District Attorney Whitman
was told that Shapiro would probably
be called for the defence ne said he did
not fear any story he might tell.
IF Shapiro testifes that Yalon and
Schepps escaped in the murder car"
said the District Attorney, II will tear
his story TO pieces. | will confront him
with his own affidavit, in which he
syore that he did not know who the
men were who escaped In the car, and
also that he could not identify any OF
the men under arrest as participants IN
the murder.
When Vallon. Schepps, Weber, Rose
and the four gunner were lined up be-
fore him and he was asked II he coul
pick out any Of the men who escaped
in the murder car he said he could not
identify any OF them, and he said he
could not even identify any OF them a,
having been at the scene of the mur.
der"
II Becker fakes the stand, and moth
ing but a radical change in the presen
plans of the defence will prevent him
he will be asked by the District Attor
new about the large bank deposits h
made during the eight months he wa
at the head Of the strong arm" squad