Evening journal., 1914-04-11
reopen LIFE
FIGHT FOR GUNHEN
Justice Coli Receives MyS-
teriOuS Note as Hearing
on Appeal Begins
INTIMATED THAT
TT MAY BE THREAT
BY The United Press.

by The United Press.
NEW YORK, April 1.-THE hear
ing on the appeal for a new trial
for the four gunner now awaiting
death in Sing Sing for the murder of
Gambler Herman Rosenthal began
this afternoon before Justice Goff
with all the dramatics incident to
the trial proper when former Police
Lieutenant Charles Becker and the
gunmen were convicted and sentenced
to death
Justice Goa had hardly taken his
place on the bench to hear the argu-
ments in the last attempt TO save the
lives OF the gunner when a young
man entered the courtroom and hand
ed him a note. Justice Goff opened
the envelope and had only glanced at
it when he became greatly excited.
He ordered a court officer to hurry
into the corridor and bring the bear
er of the note before him. Charles
G.. f. Wahle, counsel for the gunner,
had started his opening statement
but was interrupted as the aged JUS
tice gave his instructions to the Of
ficer and the room buzzed with ex-
element
Justice Goff turned TO the newspap-
er men and said the affair was purely
a personal matter and he would make
no announcement as to the contents
of the note. He said, however. that
from the first two lines It looked like
a threat of some sort"
When the bearer of the note was
/ brought back he made straight for
D 1.sI. a H. 1a.l
/ been interested in the case of the
gunner. He conversed with him ex-
/ citedly for several minutes and fair
/ ly had to be pulled away. Justice
/ Con then ordered him to take the
witness stand Answering questions
of the court the young man said his
name was Gustav Beck and that he
lived at 657 Caldwell avenue, the
Bronx He said he was an "investi-
} gator" and was last employed by a
detective agency.
Justice Goff questioned him closely
as to the note He said it had been
/ given to him by a man outside the
! courtroom who pleaded that he
could not get in owing TO the crowd
[ Beck denied having any knowledge OF
I its contents.
Justice Goff questioned him close
+ ly on this point, but he stuck TO his
story. Rabbi Brown was then call
ed to the stand. Justice Goff showed
him the nate.
Did you ever see that note be-
fore?" asked the court
'No,' replied the rabbi. 81 never saw
Il and did not have any idea OF its con.
tents ! know of two people vino might
have written such note.
The rabbi was asked what interest hC
had IN tie gunmen's cases, and said
he had been asked by relatives of on,
of them To give such aid as be coult
m saving them. Justice Gon continues
his questions in regard to the note, anJ
Brown said "he knew something about
the matter mentioned some years ago
What tine note mentioned however
was not made known. Justice Goif toob
up the matter entirely on his own ini
tiati,t and after Brown was excused
told Wahlc TO proceed with his state
mcnt
"lhi- doe, not concern your case iI
the least. Justice Golf said in address
ine the attorney. "lt /, purely a per
scu7l matter
Wahle then took mp his interrupted
argument. He said he would call sever
witnesses 60 substantiate his claims oI
newly discovered evidence in support OF
-le motion for new trial
District Attorney Whitman person
ally conducted the states case in oppos
ING the new trial. Four of his assist
ants We're also in court. The wives o
Lefty Louie" aud "Gyp the Blood
were in court.