The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-25
WITNESSES FEAR
NEW YORK GANGS
Reluctant to Testify Against
Rosenthal's Slayers
-
HEARING is DRAMATIC
Reisler First Testifies He Saw Web
Der Running After Shooting
and Then He Does
Not Know
HEARING is DRAMATIC

New York, July 2f--Fear of revenge
at the hands of East Side gangsters
ever present In the minds of witnesses
in the Rosenthal murder investigation
today, temporarily blocked efforts OF
District Attorney Whitman TO draw
closer the lines about the men who as
sassinated Rosenthal eight days ago
Apparently awed by the presence of
gangsters in the coroner's court, John
Reisler a barber known to the sport
ing fraternity as John the Barber"
retracted at the coroner's examination
a statement he Is alleged to have made
a few minutes earlier to Mr.. Whit
man that he had seen "Bridgie" Web
Der, now under arrest. running from
the scene Of the murder. After Reisler
had denied his earlier statement he
was arrested on a charge of perjury.
Examine Weber and Paul
The coroner's hearing this afternoon
was in the nature of an examination
of ''Bridgie" Weber and Sam Paul,
both of whom are charged with com
plicity in the murder. The prosecution
charges 1t was In Webber's gambling
house near the scene of the murder
that the gang congregated TO go to
the place OF the killing. 1t was to
connect Weber more closely with the
case that John the Barber" was placed
on the stand.
Having failed In his attempts to get
desired statements from the witnesses,
District Attorney Whitman obtained an
adjournment of Webbers examination
for 4S hours. Thu examination of Sam
Paul likewise was put over.
1t is at the door of the police sys-
tenn that the district attorney places
the responsibility for the murder of
the man who had charged tho police
were exacting. tribute from gamblers
and Mr. whitman has admitted he will
make it easy for those under arrest
il he can get the evidence which he
desires against the police.
The proceedings this afternoon we're
sensational Reisler was the first wit
ness called against Weber, having
just come from a conference in the dis
trict attorneys offices. He declared he
had seen Weber in Broadway near
the scene of the murder after Rosen-
thai was slain.
Witness Shifts Uneasily
WAS he running" asked Mr. Whit
man.
The witness shifted uneasly in his
chair and let his eyes drift toward
Il
sitting.
II don't know" he replied.
Didn't you tell me 10 minutes ago
that he was, in your own words, run
ming like ---?'
II was excited and don't remember"
said Reisler.
Reisler denied he had said he was
afraid to tell of the case; that he was
afraid he would be killed.
- Assistant District ATTORNEY Moss
then took the stand and said that Just
before the hearing Reisler had told
him and Mr.. Whitman that he had seen
Weber running like -" but did
not want to talk about the case for
fear of being injured by friends OF
the murderers.
Reisler, again placed on the stand,
declared the Moss story untrue. When
pressed with questions as TO whether
he had seen Weber at all, he hest
tated. made several false starts and
then said he thought he had seen him.
Reisler denied he had said any man
who testified against Weber would be
killed.