Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-04-15
GUNNER EXECUTED
At NEW YORK PRISON
Four Men Who Slew Gambler
Pay Penalty.
"GYP THE BLOOD" GOES FIRST
Eleventh Hour Plea for Slayers of
Herman RosenthaI Denied by JUS
tice Goff-Asserted New Evil
dence Was Insufficient.

Ossining, N. Y, April 13.-The four
gunner, Lefty Louie" Rosenberg;
Whitley Lewis" Seidenshner, "Gyp the
Blood" Borowitz and "Dago Frank
Cirofci, were executed in the electric
chair early today for the murder Of
Herman Rosenthal, the gambler, who
was shot to death in the early morn
ing of July 16, 1912. The first three
men are Jews and every effort was
made to have the date of their execu-
ton extended as today is the begin
ming of the Jewish feast of the Pass
over, a Jewish holiday. The quadruple
execution cast shadow over the day
for the Jews of New York and the
usual festivities were not as elaborate
as is generally the custom.
They were led from the death house
to the electric chair one after an
other, beginning at quarter before
five o'clock, and in as rapid succession
as proved physically possible. The
first to die was Harry Harawitz,
"Gyp the Blood" because his name
was first in the list which named the
four in the official order of execution.
E. L. Davis, the state electrician, ar
rived at the prison and prepared the
apparatus which was used to electro
cute the four.
Doomed Men Get News.
A quarter of an hour before the
news of Justice Goff's adverse decision
was flashed to the prison the gunner
were laughing and chatting freely
with Rabbi Mayer Kopfstein, Lefty
Louie's" old spiritual adviser. With
the rabbi seated at small table near
the cells, the Passover feast had just
been celebrated, the rabbi explaining
the lessons taught by the feast.
The gunner were in state of mind
which the rabbi described as ethereal
lied" when the bad news was brought
to them.
Warden Clancy entered the death
house with the press dispatch, just re-
ceived, announcing Justice COTS de-
cision adverse to the gunner.
Men Ask Particulars.
When the telegram had been read
| to the men they wanted particulars as
| to where it came from, hoping there
might be a mistake, it is thought.
| They then asked the warden for the
| grounds on which Justice Golf had
based his refusal, but were told that
| they would have to wait until morn
ing.
What can you think of judge who
| in a case like this wastes time inyesti-
eating threatening letters? No Grim
inal case would ever be finished if all
threatening letters were investigated"
commented Whitley Lewis"
After a Commute visit with the
gunner the warden came out with a
statement from Lefty Louie"
I'VE again ask Governor Glynn in
all fairness" it read, ito grant us
reprieve pending the trial of Lieuten-
ant Becker, when the truth will be
known"
This was signed by all except "Dago
Frank" who had no statement to
| make.
Whitman Wins His Fight.
New York, April 13-The last hope
of the four gunner was blasted. Su-
| preme Court Justice John w. Golf, to
whom a final appeal for new trial
had been made, declined to reopen the
case.
At a prolonged hearing Justice Golf,
who was the presiding judge at the
trial of the gunner, listened to the
testimony Of new witnesses produced
at the last moment by counsel for the
doomed men.
The hearing of the new witnesses
| presented in support of the motion for
a new trial for the condemned gun
men" was held in the county court
| house.
| District Attorney Whitman, who ar
rived from Chicago a short time before
the hearing, was amply prepared with
witnesses to meet the testimony of
| fered. His cross-eXamination appar-
entity riddled much of the evidence,
| destroyed it's value where it did not
put the witness himself on the de-
| fensive.