The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1912-07-24


Men to Scene Says He Was Told by
Party That the Police Were "Fixed."
Herman Rosenthal, a gambler, was
shot dead on the street in front Of the
Hotel Metropole, New York, few
hours before he was TO be called be
fore the district attorney and tell what
he knew of the relations between the
police department and the gamblers.
The murderers drove up to the ho-
tel in an automobile and easily made
their escape after the shooting
Several men are under arrest, in
cluding the owner and driver Of the
motorcar.
After the Burns men questioned Will
liam Shapiro, driver of the car used
by the killers, and conferred with the
district attorney they went to work
believing that Rosenthal was slain by
gang with the knowledge or the ap-
proval of policeman.
From Shapiro, who is trying to save
himself, they secured the most aston
ishing information yet obtained Sha-
piro says now that the assassination
was a leisurely affair, that the killers
did not leap desperately at their work
at all and that they lounged in front
Rosenthal with no apparent fear OF
arrest.
The gray cars owner cursed his pas
sengers for dragging him into the mur.
der and sat down and told in detail all
that he processes to know about the
murder He was pressed hard to clear
up certain points that have been only
vaguely referred to. But Shapiro, re-
membering the threats made by
Rosenthals murderers that they would
kill him, threw himself altogether
upon the protection of the district at
torney and swore that he was walking
the straight line of truth,
81 am innocent, so help me God" he
said with emotion. 81 had no more
idea that my car was going to be
used for murder than | thought | was
going to jump in the river.
"Rose has been an old customer Of
ours. But he has not paid for Mon
day nights ride and we would like
to have the $50"
Because of its importance much OF
Shapiros story was withheld by the
authorities Relating the scene after
the shooting Shapiro said;
"The men that shot Rosenthal
walked away from him with their re-
volvers in their hands, They put the
guns in their pockets without any rush
and they stood in the middle Of the
street half a minute before they start
ed back toward me. They strolled
back, walking slowly and they got in
the car as easy and quiet as you could
imagine
81 thought sure that policemen
would appear and grab us all and |
hoped they would So | stalled with
the motor until | got a wallop along
side the head that made me see
stars"
Going up Fifth avenue" Shapiro
continued, "the man who had banged
me over the head told me was a
fool to get scared. He said that no
body was going to get into trouble be-
cause the job had been fixed and that
the police weren't doing anything. And
then was warned to keep from talk,
ing If | didn't want to get hole
bored into me-"
District Attorney Whitman sug,
gested that the elimination of Rosen-
thai was of so much advantage to
what he termed police system" that
the death must be laid at the door OF
police terrorlsts. Mr.. Whitman said
that whether or not gamblers killed
Rosenthal he could not believe other
wise than that the responsibility lay
elsewhere
The killing of Rosenthal will not
cause the investigation to be dropped,
said Mr.. Whitman. He had already
obtained from Rosenthal the names of
ten gamblers and they will be ex-
amined. And Mrs. Rosenthal, the dis
trict attorney says, stands ready to
supply the grand jury with intimate
details of her husbands business
Police Commissioner Waldo an
nounced the suspension of Policeman
William ]. File, who was in the Hotel
Metropole at the time of the murder.