Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-01
EACH 100000 FURTHER
DIVIDED AMONG UNkNOWNS
Rose Says Becker Paid Literally and Claimed
to Be the Prince of the Police Depart
ment-$2, 900 the Actual Sum Paid
Murderers of Rosenthal.

the arrest OF the mluucTers. RE, WHO
was off duty was In the Hotel Metropoe
at the time Of the shooting and led In
the pursuit of the gray automobile in
which the slayers escaped.
The version of the shooting given by
John ]. Hickey and Christian Walker,
who were with Rosenthal when he was
shot. differed in several respects from
the story told at the time. Both men
denied that the gambler was lured from
the Metropole to meet death by a mes
senger who called him from a table. An
other point brought out, from File him
self was that "Bridgie" Weber, one of
the men whose confession led to
Lieutenant Becker's arrest, entered the
hotel restaurant but a few moments be-
fore Rosenthal was shot and looked
nervously about the place. Rosenthal. 1t
was testified, was at that moment sitting
| in the restaurant with party of friends.
| There were five men In the Rosenthal
/ party, according to Hickey and Walker.
Hickey declared he was standing only
| three feet from the gambler when the as
sassins approached and began shooting.
He felt sure he could identify at least one
| of the slayers. In his story of the shoot
ing. Walker said:
| NO MESSENGER FOR ROSENTHAL
"rhe five of us were standing in the
| front of the restaurant door of the Metro
| pole and Rosenthal bought two papers.
| There was an article in one about District
| Attorney Whitman believing Rosenthars
story and Rosenthal handed the paper to
| me and said: Read that, Boh?' Then
Rosenthal bought five or six more papers
and handed them around to the rest of the
| fellows I walked over to the edge Of the
| curling and stood under an arc light read
ing the paper when the shots were fired"
"Did you see the messenger that told
Rosenthal that some one wanted to see
him outsider"
There was no messenger"
"Why did Rosenthal leave the hotel?"
"Why the five Of us decided to go home
and we lust got up and went out together.
Then Rosenthal bought the papers"
While It is claimed that File was re-
miss in not capturing the murderers. or
firing his revolver at them as they drove
away, the testimony of to-day's wit
nesses, even those called for the prosecu-
tion apparently favored the accused pa
trolman. Hickey and Walker who Were
called to testify against File said that
the patrolman had rushed out of the motel
as Rosenthal fell. holding his revolver In
his hand. When the gray automobile was
pointed out to him II was moving III
the street while the slaycrs were Chamber
ing aboard File rushed toward II aiming
, his revolver. Several people. however
rushed into the street and File lowered
| the pistol, apparently In fear that he
would shoot some spectators. File Their
rushed to a waiting taxicab and ordered
the driver to pursue the gray car but
was soon distanced
One OF the best witnesses for File was
Miss Sadie Sherman. an actress OF Now
Haven, Conn. who was one of "A party
at whose table File had been sitting ir
the Metropole. when the first shot wa:
fired, she said. they believed an auto
mobile tire had exploded. With the latel
shots. File leaped to his feet drawing
his revolver and rushed from the hotel
She added: when Officer File cam,
back he was almost heartbroken.''
, Files own story was a detailed &C
count OF his pursuit Of the slayer
, car. When his testimony had beef
completed the case was taken unde
, advisement by Commissioner Dillon.
COMMISSIONER FOSDICK RESIGNS
Another development OF to-day II
which many persons professed TO Sc
a side light upon the investigation
started as a result Of Rosenthals muir
der was the resignation of Raymon
r. Fosdick as commissioner of &c
counts Of the city In the capacity MI
. Fosdick had been the chief investiga
tor of the administration. Before hi
retirement was announced, Mr., Eos
dick made statement saying tina
y for months past he had been receivin
I az many as rs letters day alleging
u that there was graft in the varinl
y city departments
Fifty per cent. of these letters re
lated to the police department." sal
Mr.. Fosdck. "and there was n con
- slant trail of the name of Lieutenan
: Becker In these communications. Tn
= fortunately these letters were anony
- nous and general in their allegations
"On July II, the day after Rosentha
= was shot. j received lengthy list q
. alleged gambling houses which
;, transmitted to the police department
thinking that the proper place for II.
Late this afternoon Mr.. Fosdick IA
lengthy conference with Distric
Attorney Whitman. The subject G
their talk, however. was kept secre
Rumors were current to- lay tina
&c commissioner Fosdick's resgnatio
J. had been asked by Mayor Gaynor bu
y this was authoritatrvely denied. TIL
fact that nothing had come OF his re
ports of alleged discoveries of graz
II was considered in other circles as es
u planning the reason for Mr.. Fosdick
Re retirement.
GAMBLERS PRISON CHANGED
- District Attorney Whitman this at,
-, ernoon fulfilled his promise to Ros
. Webber ana WALTON. the three gambler
- who confessed yesterday, to have thel
y transferred to another prison than III
ot Tombs They were taken from III
lie criminal courts building in locke
10 and heavily guarded prison van to II
10 west side court prison. The gambler
re told Mr. Whiteman they were SUI
l. that the Tombs was filled with "sto'
he pigeons" ana they would be blacl