New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-22
Accused Lieutenant'S Lawyers
Seem To Be Desperate, or at
Least Prompted to Take
Long Chances.
POLICE BL0TTER DAMAGING
Defendants Taking Stand in His
Own Behalf Still Undecided
Several Friends Give Testi-
mony That Actually Aids
Prosecutions Case.

a
the trial of Lieutenant Charles Becker
for the murder of Herman RosenthaI
yesterday. At times it appeared tina;
Becker's lawyers were prompted nv =
spirit OF desperation, or at least taking
long chances, in calling witnesses who
helped their cause little and in some
instances seemed 10 weaken the case
Tor the defendant. Though twenty
one witnesses testified. the sum total
of the days work was comparatively
nil for the defence.
In some instances the cross-exami-
nation Of the defences witnesses
brought out testimony that apparently
! strengthened the case for the prosecu-
tion. Any benefit which the defence
might have gained from these wit
nesses was apparently outweighed by
| the resourCefulness Of the District At
torney and his assistant, Mr. Moss, in
! turning the tide their way on tn"
/ cross-examination
Two or thre" witnesses proved 10 be
entirely incompetent from legal point
| of view, and the court did not permit
| them to testify regarding matters on
| which Becker's counsel intended TO ex-
anime them. The testimony Of several
! witnesses was clearly a surprise and a
disappointment TO counsel for the ac-
! cused lieutenant.
! Tonbs Furnishes Witnesses.
The witnesses called by the defence
| yesterday did not measure up well. as
a class. Three 81 them were prisoners
/ from the Tombs, two of whom are
awaiting trial for murder or burglary
| and the third "trusty." The criminal
records Of the Tombs witnesses rs
| brought out by District Attorney Whit
man. probably entirely dlscredited their
testimony with the jury.
/ Then there were seven police wit
nesses. whose testimony on It's face
might be open 10 prejudice in favor Of
| the defendant because Of his associa-
| ton with the Police Department. Tw"
Of these witnesses. however, furnished
| testimony on cross examination whicE
materially helped the prosecution. -Four
Of the policemen called were former
members Of Lieutenant Beckers
strong arm" squad.
The defence called several character
witnesses for Becker at intervals dur
ing the days proceedings. They all
gave him a good reputation for peace
and quiet" With hardly an exception
tho character witnesses admitted I'm
answer to questions by Mr. Moss that
they never had heard any one discuss-
ing the particular characteristics OF
"peacefulness' and "Quietness' rela-
tive IN Recker. Some Of them had not
heard Becker's character discussed AT
all nrior TO the time he was indicted
for the murder OF Rosenthal.
The defence called Lieutenant Ernest
Won Deizelska, who was on desk
dutv at the West 47th street police sta
tion on the morning Of July ~ In an
effort TO support the testimony OF
nreyious witness CHawley), who testi-
fed that Becker was at the police sta
tim practically all the time from $50
,o & m. and could not have met
poee and Weber at dawn and con-
oratuIated them on the taking of OF
Rosenthal, as they testified. Won
DeizeIska had the police blotter with
the entries in his own handwriting 10
ev tho time Of Becker's arrival and
stav at the station, and his testimony
tended TO discredit further Hawley's
story
BIotter Tears Down Testimony.
The Ueutenant's entry showed that
Rocker arrived at 4:2J instead of 3:3O
m The witness said he saw BECK
or around the station little after that
time, but did not know where he went.
HawIey had placed the time of the eN-
amation Of the gray murder car In
front of the station at about dawn,
uhen Becker was present, so he could
not have met Rose and Weber about
that time. as the latter testified. Lieu
tenant Won Deizelska referred to the
b,otter again and discovered that the
car had been examined shortly after
q o'clock" which is considerably after
dawn ON a summers morning In the
middle Of July.
Patrolman William J. File, who was
in the Metropole when Rosenthal was
shot and was witness for the prose-
cution. was called by the defence yes-
terday. In answer to the questions Of
John r Mcintyre, Becker's counsel.
no denied that he saw Jack Sulli-
van. Louie Krause or Morris Luban.
who. except Sullivan, are important
witnesses for the state. at the scene of
the shooting. on cross examination
he admitted. however, that he did not
pet out of the MetropOle In time to
identify any OF the men who did the
shooting. and his attention was riveted
on them as they sped away in the
murder car" which he and other po-
Iicemen chased in taxicab.
MIR. Mcintyre qualified his former
statement last night as TO the decision
Continued m si'ih marc. secaud cnIumn.