Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-17


and give further statements in an eff
fort to substantiate the police grating
charges.
Within three hours after the muir
der, detectives visited a garage on
Washington Square, known TO the po-
| lice as the headquarters of the Taxi
cab robbers, who recently robbed bank
messengers of $25. 900. and captured o
man describing himself as Louis Lib
by, whom they made a prisoner on the
charge of homicide. The police also
recovered an automobile that they say
was the one that figured in the muir
der.
Deputy Commissioner Dougherty as
serted that eye witnesses to the muir.
der of Rosenthal identified Libby as
one of the quintet. who drove up in
front of the hotel and, calling the
gambler from the dining room to the
| sidewalk. shot him down with a fusil-
lade of bullets and then fled in the
motor car. Rosenthal was shot five
times in the head.
Mrs. Sadie Rosenthal, widow of the
gambler, in a statement to District
Attorney Whitman. put the assassina-
ton of her husband squarely up to the
police. She said she warned her hus-
band that if he kept an appointment.
last night, he would come to violent
end. She said she had a premonition
| a tragedy would follow such con-
| ference, and she named a police off,
cial as one Of the men who was to be
present
At least two witnesses agreed that
| one or more of the men in the auto
mobile were policemen.
Rosenthal sprang suddenly into pub
lie notice, only last Friday, when he
hurried bomb into police circles by
fling affidavits charging that the po-
lice We're in league with the gamblers
throughout New York and that every
gambling house was being assessed 4
fixed sum for police protection
Rosenthal had been for sometime.
he explained. the proprietor of a
gambling establishment on West 45th
street, which was closed. April Is, aft
err raid by Police Lieut.. Becker. head
| Of the so-caled strong arm squad. ;.
This raid, Rosenthal declared, fol-
lowed misunderstanding between
himself and Becker. The later, Rosen-
thai alleged, was his partner in the
profits of the establishment.
Specifically, RosenthaIs affidavits
charged that Lieut. Becker had loan
ed him 1880 on a chattel mortgage on
furniture in the 45th street house as
share in the gambling business done
on those premises. and that Becker's
share amounted to % per cent. of the
profits
Rosenthals charges were so sensa-
tional that Police Commissioner waldo
and District Attorney Whitman. both
Oh Whom were out of town, cut short
| thelr vacations to start an inquiry.
commissioner Waldo. after making
himself acquainted with the situation.
,estefdaN, wrote formal letter to the
district attorney demanding an inves-
t.gatioR by that official rather than
through his own department. He said
1hat Rosenthars accusation was not 90
much charge of bad discipline in the
department as one of out and ont
crime, which, if worthy of serious con-
Sideration at ALL would be worthys OF
adjudication before the regularly con
stituted criminal tribunal.
District Attorney Whitman forth
with announced that he would begin
a formal investigation. The murder
OF Rosenthal before daybreak. today.
supplied the climax.
The gambler left his home. late last
night, telling his wife that he had an
appointment to meet Police Lieut.
Becker at the Hotel Metropole. at tbe
corner of Broadway and 43d street
was well known, sometime after mid
night, and sat down alone in the lob
by, smoking a cigar and whistling as
he watched the usual midnight crowd
in Times square outside.
Shortly before O'clock slate
colored automobile drew up in front.
one of its six passengers got out and
walked into the hotel. reckoning to
Rosenthal.
Herman" he called, come out here
some one wants to see you"
Rosenthal. without hesitation, walk
ed out.
He had reached a point not more
than dozen feet from the door. when
Nclley Of shOts rang out from the
siate-colored car. Four of them found
t1eif target and Rosenthal fell dead
instantly. with a bullet in his brain.
Almost before the crowd on the side
walk and in the lobby realized that a
shot had been fired. the touring car
was underway and disappearing in the
direction of Fifth avenue.
| Police Lieutenant File of the Central
| ONCE staff was dining in the Metropole
| with q party Of friends when he heard
the shots and ran out Without waiting
| for details, he jumped into a taxicab
and started in pursuit of the big slate
| colored racer. He gave chase for mile
across town before his slower machine
| dropped hnpeiessly behind
james Consadine, one Of the owners
1 of the hotel, witnessed the shooting
| from tie rear Of the lobby.
| He said: II saw Rosenthal come
from the hotel He started as though
| he was going to Broadway and then
| stopped suddenly.
Il don't know whether he saw the
men in the machine or not, but the
sudden way in which he stopped con-