Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-10-26
JURORS WILL
NOT DISCUSS
BECKER CASE
Men Who Found Lieutenant
Guilty of Murder are ST.
lent; Attorney Hopes for
Stay Of Execution.

New York, Oct. Io,- Twelve Aheh'
who refused today to discuss their de-
liberations, returned at two minutes
after IL o'clock this morning verdict
Of first degree murder against Police
Lieut.. Charles Becker, the first or
seven men to be tried for the murder
OF Herman Rosenthal. On Wednesday,
October 30. Supreme Court Justice
Goff will fix the time for the prison
er's death in the electric chair.
Exhausted by the ordeal OF the
trial, John F. Mcintyre, chief counsel
for the defense, nevertheless began
today the preliminary steps looking to
an appeal and a stay Of execution TOT
his client. The case will be fought 70
the court OF appeals and Becker, pac-
ing his cell in the Tombs, expresses
hope of the outcome. At the same
time he denounces what he styles the
rigorous partiality of Justice Goff IN
his charge to the jury and his conduct
Of the trial.
Mrs. Becker, who tainted in the cor.
ridors of the criminal court pulldins
when q breathless messenger spring.
ing for a telephone shouted Guilty!
is under the care Of relatives az her
home in the Bronx. Like her husband,
she never dreamed of first degree
murder verdict, but rather counted on
disagreement. Justice Goff, 1t IS nn-
derstood, has gone to the country lot
rest over the week end.
One Of the first places to which
news of the verdict was taken was
the west side prison. where are quart
cred the informers. Jack Rose, Sam
Schepps. "Bridgie" Webber and Harry
Vallon. The four apparently expected
a disagreement, however, LOT tney
were all asleep with the exception OF
HSchepps He was at first suspicious
when told that a first degree verd1ct
had been returned, then remarked
llaconically, "Mr. Whitman 1s smart
man" Keepers at the Tombs say that
Becker did not sleep last night. he
was to confer with his lawyers today
and declined to give out an EXTENDED
interview. His fellow prisoners heard
the verdict almost the instant 1t was
pronounced. In some mysterious man
ner the message flashed from cell 10
cell and when Becker tramped back
along the corridor, faces were pressed
at the bars to watch him. Yet no one
spoke to him. He gazed neither 70
right nor left and his set face invited
no cheering comments from his COM
panions. Not word had come today
from the four gunmen and the two al
legged accomplices, "Jack" Sullivan
and William Shapiro-who are also to
be tried for Rosenthal's death. The
dates for their trials, which probaoly
will be separate, have not been an
nounced. -,
Inasmuch as their testimony Will be
used at the trials to come, the inform
ers doubtless will remain in jail as
material witnesses. In view OF their
confessions and the threats against
them, they have expressed no desire
for liberty.
Charles Becker enlisted In the New
York police department November l,
1898. when he was % years old. His
father is dead. but his mother, now IN
her eighty-third year, lives In New
York and is overcome at his convic-
tion.
District Attorney Whitman said to-
day the four gunmen. accused of shoot
ing Rosenthal will go to trial early In
November.