New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-15
SHAY QUITS BECKER;
TOO MUCH BROTHER
Detective Overzealous, Says
Lawyer Retiring Before
New Trial.
MANTON TO TAKE
PLACE, 1T IS SAID
Whitman Investigating Witnesses
for Gunner with View to
Prosecution.

After a long conference with Charles
Becker in the Tombs yesterday Joseph A
Shay, the lawyer who obtained new
trial for him, announced his withdrawal
from the case. Shay said he was leaving
I the case because OF the meddlesome at
titude OF John Becker. the defendants
brother, who is a detective attached to
/ the West 30th st. station.
Martin T. Manton, OF Cochran & Man
ton, OF 81 Nassau St, will probably sue
coed Shay as counsel District Attorney
Whitman said yesterday that he had not
been informed OF Manton's coming into
I the case. but that he had received a tele-
phone communication from the lawyer and
expected TO see him to-day.
Meanwhile the District Attorney is in
vestigating the testimony Of the Wit
nesses, Burwel. Dresner. kalmanson and
"Pinky' Rao. who made aflidavits To sup
port the motion for new trial for the
four gunner before Justice Golf on Sat
urday. Shay denied yesterday that he
had anything 10 do with them, and said
Il was John Becker who discovered the
witnesses Burwell and Dresner.
The inquiry may lead to a grand Jury
investigation and indictments for perjury
or bribery Assistant District Attorney
Delehanty said that they already had evil
dence OF the falsity OF the testimony OF
Burwell, Dresner and Rao.
The District Attorneys ONCE communi-
Gated with the Mrs. Brown, Of Pough-
keepsie. to whom Burwell swore he gave
a memorandum book in which he had
made notes Of What he saw OF the Rosen-
thai shooting and she replied that no
such notes were in the book when Bur
well gave Il 10 her. Burwell produced the
book at the hearing before Justice Con
and explained the absence OF the notes by
saving that some Of the leaves had be-
come loosened and fallen out. The Dis
trict Attorney has also been In touch with
tho actor Manning. whom Burwell testi-
fed he was with for some time on the
night OF the shooting. 1t IS understood
Manning has denied his part in Burweil s
story
"Pinky" Rao testified that he delivered
a note TO "Dago Frank" from Jean Cor
con at the Seventh ave. fat where Frank
lived, telling of her arrest, on the night
Posenthal was shot. The District Attor-
ney has information 10 refute the posi-
bility of Rao delivering the note as early
as he said he did and showing that It
/ did not reach the Seventh ave. place until
3 o'clock a. m, or later.
In giving his reasons for Withdrawing
from the Becker case Mr.. Shay said that
ever since he had taken the case he had
been harassed and bothered BY the over
zealousness OF John Becker AS long ago
as June. 1918, he said, he had written
letter 10 Mrs Charles Becker telling her
ne would have 20 withdraw. because the
conduct of John Becker was menace TO
his brothers case.
/ Shay said that ne had been to District
Attorney Whitman several times to
straightcn out his own position in the
case because OF some compromising and
embarrassing thing that John Becker mad
done.
"'Charlle' and Mrs. Becker begged me
10 reconsider my withdrawal" said Shay
but T told them the attitude Of John
Becker was likely 10 reflect on the hon
est conduct or tne trlal hnO lndl 1 HdHl-
ed no part in II. OF course, he's Charles
brother, and no doubt thinks everything
he does is for the best, but he mas been
indiscreet and shows an absolute lack OF
Judgment John Beckers eagerness 70
help is likely to create a false impression
at his brothers trial. believe
Shay said that he had taken John Beck
er TO District Attorney Whitman's Office
on one occasion, In order TO "cxhonorate'
himself.
II don't remember any such call. 1t
sounds like nonsense. / never 'exhonor-
ated' Shay. and 7 have never made any
charges against him." said Mr.. Whitman
when told what Shay had said.
/ When John Becker was told what Shay
| had said about him he insisted that he
would not comment on anything Shay
might say.