Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-08-21
zEL|z GET MEN
FOR SHOOTING
Says He Was Fearful of
Becksr's Wrath.

Charles Becker, Jack Sullivan, William
Shapiro, Louis Rosenberg, Frank Null
er, Frank Cirofci and Harry Horo-
WITT were indicted for the murder of
Herman Rosenthal. Rosenberg and
Horowitz are still at large.
The indictments were fled after the
grand jury had received from Sam
Schepps perfect corroboration Of Jack
Roses confession accusing Becker and
after hearing big Jack" Zelig, the
gang leader, testify that he furnished
the crew Of murderers to please Becker
and to keep Becker from sending him
to Sing Sing for fourteen years on a
charge Of carrying concealed weapons.
The indictments would have been re-
turned ever If Schepps and Zelis had
not appeared. Their testimony cltnched
the cases.
The appearance Of Zelig was une1-
pected. On Monday Zelig was arrested
In Providence as a suspicious person"
The arrest was made against the
wishes Of District Attorney Whitman.
The district attorney had made an
agreement with former Magistrate
Wahle, Zelig's lawyer, which required
the presence Of Zelig whenever the dis
trict attorney wanted him. That ar
rangement was known to George 8.
Dougherty, second deputy commission
er of police. On several occasions
Dougherty asked Mr.. Whitman II he
wanted Zelig to be arrested. The dis
trict attorney said no, that he could
have Zelig whenever he needed him.
Nevertheless. acting under instructions
from the police department here. tho
Providence police arrested Zelig Mon
day and held him under 1900 bail, an
unusually large amount for the kind Of
case.
Police Ars Aeoused.
AS soon as this news got to the dis
trict attorneys Office Assistant District
Attorney Frank Moss, Mr.. Whitman's
aid in the murder prosecution, made
the charge that the police had nce
more attempted to interfere with the
work of the district attorney and that
they had attempted to interpose new OBJ
stacles. The district attorney himself
characterized the proceedings as stupid
Or worse.
At any rate, no attempt was made to
prevent Zelig's appearance here before
the grand jury. His counsel saw to 1t
that bail was furnished Zelig went
1T nee to the district attorneys office
and had a long talk with the district
attorney. He outlined what he would
tell the jury. His story dovetails ex-
actly with the stories Of Rose, Weber,
Vallon and Schepps, and is further
eorroborated by five witnesses who
have no connection whatever with the
murder case.
Zelig's story 10 that after he fought
with the Thicker and Cirrocco men In
Chinatown he was arrested in Siegel's
by Detectives White and Steinert of
Lieutenant Becker's staff. They charg-
ed him with carrying a concealed
A-&aapon- They produced in the Fifth
street station house a loaded revolver
which they said they had found in Ze-
lig's pocket, and later they swore in
court that Zelig had been carrying the
weapon.
Heard Becker Was to Job Him.
The gang leader had been warned
some time previous to his arrest that
Becker intended to put up a job on
him. Rose and Weber knew that
Becker needed Zelig. They said that
he would stop at nothing in making
Zelig his creature. They were friends
Of Zelig and naturally they saw to 1t
that Zelig had an inkling of what vas
to come. Zelig was prepared. He saw
to it that he was surrounded by friends
wherever he was. On May IL Zelig
was in the Siegel cafe with George A.
Greenberg, Louis Gold, Joseph Siegel,
the proprietor, and Robert Mendelock.
Detectives White and Steinert of
Becker's staff entered the place and
walked toward the table. Zelig knew
what to expect, he says. He promptly
arose, threw his coat back, turned his
pockets inside out and laughed at the
detectives. Zelig said to his friends:
Il want you people to watch now.
/ have no gun on me, but these fellows
will try to plant one. Now, all OF you
look. You see 1 have no gun"
White and Ste1nert arrested him.
took him to the station house and had
him locked up for carrying a pistol.
In court they made the necessary
statements. Zelig was held for trial
on $4,000 bail. His position was very
serious. 1t was the second time he
had been charged with pistol carrying
md a conviction meant a term of four
teen years. He knew, he says, that
Becker had gripped him.