Arizona republican., 1912-07-25
A Witness Upon Whom District Attorney Whit man Had Counted to Draw Police Net About Murders of Rosenthal
EYES OF GANGSTERS
 WERE UPON HIM
Ten Minutes After He Had Told the District Attor- ney What He Wanted to Know, He Retracted It in Coroner's Court
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPATCH1

NEW 4OHh, July Z4-Fear Ot re- venge at the hands of East Side gangsters, ever present in the minds of witnesses in the Rosenthal murder investigation today temporarily block ed the efforts of the district attor- ney to draw closer the lines about the men who assassinated the gam bier eight days ago
 Apparently awed by the presence of gangsters in the corners of the court room, John Reisler, a barber, known in the sporting world as John the Barber retracted at the coron- CTS examination a statement he is alleged to have made a few minutes earlier to Whitman, that he had seen "Bridgie" Webber running from the scene of the murder. After Reisler denied his earlier statement he was arrested on a charge of perjury.
 The coroner's hearing this after noon was in the nature of an examin- ation of "Bridgie" Webber and sam Paul, both charged with complicity in the murder. The prosecutor charges that it was in Webber's gambling house that the murder gang congre- gated. It was to connect Webber more closely with the case that John the Barber" was placed on the stand. It is believed that Whitman is lay ing his lines to force from Webber statement which will duplicate those higher up in the case. It is at the door of the police system" that the district attorney places the responsi bility for the murder of the man who had charged the police with eXacting tribute from the gamblers.
 The proceedings this afternoon were sensational. Reisler was the first witness called against Webber having just come from conference in the district attorneys office. He declared that he had seen Webber on Broad way near the scene of the murder after Rosenthal was slain.
 Was he runnng?" asked Whitman. The witness shifted uneasily in his chair and let his eyes drift toward Webber, Paul and others.
 T don't know" he replied.
 Did not you tell me ten minutes ago that he was, in your own words, running like h-?'"
 T was excited I don't remember" said Reisler.
 Did not you tell me in my office in the presence of MT Moss that you were afraid to tell of the case, and that you knew the gang you were up against and that you were afraid you would be killed?" asked Whitman.
 No" replied the witness in a fright ened manner
 Whitman then placed Assistant Dis trict Attorney Moss on the stand. Moss said that just before the hearing Reisler had told him and Whitman that he came from the subway at Times Square about 2 o'clock, and in front of the Cadillac he saw Weber running like. ........."
 He then heard of the murder Moss said Reisler did not want to talk about the case for fear of being injured.
 Reisler was again placed on the stand and declared that Moss story was not true When pressed with questions whether he had ben Web Der at all, he hesitated that he was not afraid of being killed himself but he did not want to connect his fam fly with the affair as the men in the case were bad"
 Did not you say that the man who testified against Webber would be kiled?" persisted the district at torney. The witness denied this. and the questioning was brought to a close As Reisler was about to leave the court room he was arrested for perjury Reisler requested later that the dis trict attorney call on him in prison as he wanted to talk" but Whitman will not see him until tomorrow
 The district attorney has issued sub- poenaes forl al the attendants at the Lafayette Baths, where it has beer stated Harry Vallon, "Bridgie' Web Der. Sam Paul and Bald Jack Rose appeared shortly after the assassina- tion and remained for the night Whitman said he has not yet received an answer to his letters requesting tn, three detectives. Lieutenants Becker Riley and Costigan. to appear as vol untary witnesses before the grand jury.
 If Becker cOmes," said Whitman 'I will ask him if he had a conver sation over the telephone with Jacl Rose the night of the shooting and may say the telephone company vii furnish us with calls from Webber' and the baths the nights in question