The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-07-25

NEW YORK Special Herman
Rosenthal, a wealthy gambler. who
maintained n Palatial establishment at
iO4 West Forty-ninth Street. was as
sassinated in front OF Hotel Metropole,
in West FOrty-second Street, early to-
day.
Four men, who escaped from the
scene in n slate colored automobile.
fired the shots which killed the we'll
known gambler in the very center OF
New Nork's white light district.
immediately following the murder,
Louis libby. n chauffeur. was arrest
ed. The police declared Libby was
the man at the steering wheel of the
motor in which the murderers fled.
Libby was locked up at the West
FOrty-seVenth Street Police Station,
charged with homicide.
The assassination of ROsenthal fol-
lowed revelations which he had made
TO District Attorney Whitman of a full
scale of prices charged by the pO-
lice for the operation of all kinds
of gambling of New York.
ROsenthal had further charged that
Charles A. Becker, police heuten-
ant in charge of what is generally
known as the strong arm" squad, was
partner Of ROsenthal in the conduct
OF his gambling house.
District Attorney Whitman had
summoned ten policemen and two
lawyers, the latter charged with being
Becker's counsel to appear before the
grand jury today and testify concern
ing the charges.
According to witnesses one of the
men who was in the automo bile from
which Rosenthal was shot down wore
policeman's uniform. This may
have been a ruse to attach suspicion
to the police.
The actual murderers are believed
! to have been gamblers disgruntled be-
cause revelations which Rosenthal
made have stirred up trouble for other
members of the gambling fraternity
in New York city.
Following ROsenthaIs allegations
Police Commissioner Waldo had de,
clared that gambling must be stamped
out in this city.
The shooting occurred about 2
| o'clock this morning, after Rosenthal
/ had been lured from the Metropole
Hotel by a message that "a man want
! ed to see him outside.
Followed Messenger.
! Upon being told that some one
/ wanted to see him at the front door
! of the hotel, Rosenthal followed the
/ messenger. No sooner had he reached
! the pavement than a shot rang out
] followed quickly by four others. just
as Rosenthal reached the SIDEWALK a
long gray body touring car, which
, had been standing on the opposite side
| of the street, crossed over.
The man who fired the first shot
/ and who later escaped with his COM
panions in the motor car, is believed
to be an Italian.
The prompt finding of the automo-
| bile which was used for the murder
was due to the fact that several per-
sons read the number, "41333, n. y
on the plate as it stood in the full
glare of the electric lights.
Investigation showed that the ma
chine was purchased last October from
the Finance Motor Company, by Louis
Libby. The police, after finding Lib
,by's name in the record as the owner
learned that the car was kept in &
Washington Square garage. This ga
rage was the same used to house the
taXicab which figured in the $4,000
bank messenger robbery severa
months ago.
Libby was soon found. He admit
ted having the car out early in the
evening, but denied having any par
in the murder. Despite his protesta.
tiOnS the police locked him up, anC
declared that his Identification as the
chauffeur in the case had been beyond
doubt.
While the police were at work Dis
trict Attorney Whitman, who had hur.
ried to the scene of the assassination
within two hours after the shooting
was making a personal investigation
at the Hotel Metropole. He ques
toned persons who had seen the au
tOmobile and the actual shooting wa:
given to- Mr.. Whitman as follows:
The entire shooting took place in :
twinkling, of an eye. AS Rosentha
reached the street a man appeared
AS the gambler came close the strange
suddenly flashed revolver and fired
! Essential staggered toward the door
way. AS he did so a gray AUTOMOBILE
which had been crossing the stree
drew up. Three men jumped to tn
running board, fired a volley theI
tImbled back into their seats. Rosen
thai sank back to the pavement will
the blood streaming from a number o