The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-10-07
Police Lieutenant Who Is Charged
With the Murder of Gambler Ros-
enthal in New
York City.
SUIT COURT ROOM GUARDED
Extraordinary Precautions Are Taken
by the Authorities to Prevent
Trouble of Any
Character.

United Press Leased Wire Service.l
NEW YORK, Oct. with Justice
John W. Goff presiding, the extraor
binary term of the criminal branch of
the supreme court got down to bust
ness here today. Although the trial
of Police Lieutenant Becker for the
murder of Gambler Rosenthal was
the chief program of the event the
impaneling of the special grand jury
which will probe the case, the result
of whose work Is expected to be the
Indictment Of many high police Off
cials and gamblers, also took place.
/ Selection of the grand jury will be
the first duty today, and while the
venerable Justice summoned the 5000
from whose number he is to select
/ itwenty-three, Becker fumed anxiously
in his cell. Many and varied were
! the excuses presented by the men
drawn, most of them well known
business men, but Goff is veteran
criminal presiding justice and only
! excuses those that have the ring of
4 truth.
Extraordinary precautions had
/ been taken by the authorities. The
space within the rail had been appor-
4 toned to the press associations, news
4 paper reporters and attorneys, and
4 only those bearing credentials were
I admitted. Every person admitted to
the small section of the room given
ever to spectators was carefully scrut-
inized
Justice Goff will hold night ses
sions in his court in order to expedi-
ate the trial
District Attorney Whitman appear
ed with Frank Moss, his chief assis-
tant. The defense was in charge OF
John F. Mcintyre, one of the leaders
of the criminal branch of the bar.
Whitman admitted today that the
murder of big Jack" Zelig Saturday
night removed one of his most impor
, tant witnesses, but he insisted that
his death would not materially weak
en- the case against Police Lieutenan,
: Becker.
}, A special panel of $50 talesmer
, from the "struck jury" list was or
hand when the Becker trial was
called.
Just before the Becker case was
) called. Attorney Mcintyre stated tha
! he would ask for postponement be
$ cause John w Hart, who is attorney
Of record in the case, has been sud
denly stricken with bronchitis.
Mcintyre declared that the deatf
of Zelig was blow to the defense
He said that Zelig would have con
= tradicted Bald Jack" Roses state
! ment that he applied to Zelig for gun
men to kill Rosenthal at Becker's re
: quest.
d Both Sides Claim Loss.
g NEW YORK, Oct with botl
: the prosecution and the defense claim
ing the murder of big Jack" Zelii
J. was blow to them as he would hav,
h been a material witness for thei
l. SIDE the trial of Police Lieutenan
Becker for the murder of Gamble
Herman Rosenthal got under way to
day. The actual calling of Becke
r to the bar was delayed several hours
d while a special grand jury was eS
n body will sit simultaneously with tn
4 trial of Becker and witnesses, calle
'. in the Becker trial, will be sent d
rectly to the grand jury room whe
they have finished talking, shoul
their evidence throw light on tn
!. relations between the underworld an
the New York police
y y A score of police and fully as man
: plain clothes men were on duty i
y the corridors and they drove into th
street number of east side gunme
and hangers-on who tried to get int
y the court room to watch the proceed
. ings.
Justice Goff denied the motion {
Attorney Mcintyre for a postpone
a ment because of the illness of John Y
X, Hart, one of six attorneys for the d.
fense.
= A motion by District Attorney Viii
man to have Becker, who was indie
'r ed jointly with the gunmen, trie
ar separately, was granted by Justic
ar Goff and then the defense's motion
dismiss the Indictment was denie
The work of selecting the jury wa
begun just prior to the luncheon +
cess. 1t is expected it will take Sc
eral days to secure the needed twelN
men.