Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-07-20
GAMBLER SLAIN
IN THE Street
Shot In New York by Five
Men In Motor.
SEVERAL SUSPECTS ARRESTED
Herman Rosenthal. Who Accused Po.
lice Of Graft, Is Murdered Before
Charges Could BE Probed.

I
Charges Could BE Probed.
Herman Rosenthal. proprietor of a
gambling house on West Forty-fifth
street, New York city, whose sensa-
| tional charges that the police were
| guilty OF grating and oppression were
to be investigated by the grand jury.
was shot down and killed in front OF
the Hotel Metropole. on West Forty
| third street. By Ave men. who escaped
In a large gray touring car.
Rosenthal was shot four times In
| the head He was murdered only q
few hours before he was to appear In
| the home OF District Attorney Whit
man and give further statements In an
effort to substantiate the police graft
ing charges. In his statement he said
Becker, n police lieutenant. was Q
partner in his gambling house.
Within three hours after the murder
detectives visited garage on Wash.
ington Square. known to the police as
the headquarters of the taxicab rob-
bers who recently robbed bank mes.
sengers OF $4,000 in the financial dis
trict
There they captured a man describ-
ing himself as Louis Lippy. whom they
arrested on the charge OF homicide.
The police also recovered an automo-
bile which they say was the one that
figured In the murder.
The efforts OF the police TO run
| down the five men resulted in the ar.
rest OF three persons. The identity OF
only one OF them. Libby. as a member
OF the party who did the shooting has
been established TO the satisfaction OF
the police Libby was arraigned be-
fore the coroner and charged with the
murder. but refused TO make a state.
ment.
One OF the other two prisoners Is
man whom the police call John Doe.
because of his refusal TO tell his name
or give any information. although. ac.
cording to the police. he was in the
hotel at the time. The other prisoner
was William s. Shapiro, said to be
partner of Libby. and who was arrest
ed at the garage where the automobile
was found
Although evidence as to the motive
OF the shooting as thus far learned
seems to show that Rosenthal had
| feared death at the hands OF the po
lice. the theory was brought forward
that Rosenthal had really been the
| victim of the so-called gambling fra
ternity." which took the opportunity
afforded by Rosenthal's activity
against the police to seek revenge fof
his ''sauealng on them. II has been
was to get his" was current amona
freauenters OF various Tenderloin re.
sorts and n subject OF common discus
| sion some time before the shooting
| took place.
James Dougherty. the deputy police
commissioner. asserted that witnesses
Of the murder OF Rosenthal identified
| Libby as one OF the five who drove
up In front OF the hotel. called the
gambler from the dining room to the
sidewalk, shot him down and then fed
in the motor car.
Mrs. Sadie Rosenthal. widow OF the
gambler. in statement TO the dis
| trict attorney, put the assassination OF
her husband squarely up to the police.
She said she warned her husband that
II he kept the appointment with Dis
trict Attorney Whitman he would come
| TO n violent end She said she had a
premonition tragedy would follow
such a conference. and she named a
police Official as one OF the men who
was To he present.
Mrs. Rosenthal was driven almost
| frantic when messenger told her
that her husband had been slain.
This Is the police agan," she ex
planned "lt is just what ] expected.
stayed up fearing that Herman
would not get back safe.
Rosenthal. as the proprietor OF a
gambling house, several days ago ap
| piled for warrants for two leading
members OF the police department
charging oppression. He made an af'
fidavit declaring that a lieutenant
Becker. OF the police department. was
silent partner in his gambling es'
tahlishment in Forty-fifth street
He declared that. after quarre'
! with Becker. the police officials had
caused the permanent stationing OF 8
police officer before the gambling
house. In the rear Of which was his
home. His efforts to have the police
man oustcd were unavailing. The filins
Of the afiidavits caused the promise oi
a thorough investigation OF the police
department by District Attorney Whit
man.