New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-07
DOUGHERTY IN QUANDARY
Perplexed to Account for Fe-
rocity of Man Not Known as
Killer" Coincidence Of :
Becker Trial Also Hard
Nut for Him to Crack.
IDENTIFIED AS POLICE GUN
Patrolman Says He Lost It-Prisoner
Bought 1t in Jersey City Pawn
shop-Apparently He Manu-
factured Quarrel-Con-
fession Expected.

shop-Apparently He Manu-
factured Quarrel-Con-
fession Expected.
Who hired "Red Phil" Davidson, who
has lived by the white slave" traffic
for eight years, to murder big Jack
zeis, the gang leader who supplied the
assassins for Herman Rossnthaps muir
der?
This is the question that has melted
District Attorney Whitman to put forth
his best efforts in investigating the
shooting Of Zelig, which took place
thirty seven hours before tho time set
for starting Lieutenant Becker's trial,
at which the slain gangman was to
have been a vital witness for the peo-
pie.
Scarcely any one who has keenly
looked into tho case believes that Zelig
was slain by Davidson on his own IN
itiative; opinion incIines to the view
rather that Davidson merely acted as
an agent Of parties interested in put
ting Zelig out Of the way, just as Her
man Rosenthal was dispatched by as.
sassins alleged to have been hired by
interested parties a few hours before
the Tenderloin gambler was to have
revealed the secrets Of "the System" to
District Attorney Whitman.
Davidson, who has related several
stories since his arrest, each one con-
tradictine the others, will probably tell
the truth with the electric chair star
ing him in the face, before he has been
in the Tombs many hours longer.
This is the hope Of the District At
torney, and what Davidson may tell
when he has had time to understand
his position more clearly may result in
revelations showing an alliance be-
tween the criminal element and some
Of the powers that be in this city that
will make the NeapoIitan Camorra look
like a Oorcas society in comparison.
There are many striking condolences
in the murders Of RosenthaI and Zelig.
The gang leader was done to death by
a trafficker in white slaves" who
could have been arrested by the police
at any moment. Rosentha was MUIR
dered by men who were known GRIM
inaIs, and who, the suspicion exists,
could have been imprisoned at pleasure
by tho police. And both murdered men
were killed a few hours before they
were to have told what they knew
about "she system
Little progress was made by the au-
thorities yesterday in searching for 4
motive for the murder OF big Jack"
Zelig. The confessed murderer of the
gangman insisted that he shot Zelig on
Saturday night on Second avenue
car because Zelig had robbed him o.
SIS, but hardly any one credited the
story.
When Deputy Police Commissioner
Doughcrty was asked last night II he
believed that Davidson had acted on
his own volition or was acting for
>,
swer:
Il am not prepared to say that
Davidson acted voluntarily OF was in
spired by another. I'm not satisfied
with all that ! have heard. It's curl
Gus, TO say the least, that Zelig was
killed on the eve of Beckers trial; and
what makes me doubt that he killed
Zelig over trifing SIS is that he Is
not a glngster or a killer by profess
sion"
This, too, was the opinion OF Big
Jack" Zelig's lawyer, Judge Charles G.
+. Wahle, who is also the counsel to
Whitley" Lewis. "Gyp" the Blood.
Lefty" Louie and "Dago" Frank Ciro-
fici. Likewise it was the opinion Of
these four gangsters, who gave .
lengthy interview to group of news
paper men. And It was also the opin-
ion OF such OF Zelig's fellow gangsters
who are still out Of Jail. But none
would tell the man or men they sus-
pected OF hiring Davidson. though
"Gyp" and Lefty" promised that 1t
would all come out later"
Davidson boasted of his deed to the
reporters, saying he believed he had
done a good job. and remarking that
the police told him he had.
Revolver Traced.
Another incident OF the day that
created considerable discussion was the
discovery that Patrolman Christopher
Maher. OF the 5th avenue police sta
ton. In Brooklyn, had been clear In his
statement concerning the revolver with
which Zelig was killed.
This revolver. No. 4,S12, had been the
property of Maher. He told Commits
sioner Dougherty Saturday night, when
II was found that II was his revolver
that figured In the case. that he had