The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-15
BECKER TRIAL DATE
TO Be FIXED TO-DAY
Whitman Will Ask Justice
Seabury to Name
May 5.
SHAY OUT AS COUNSEL
At Odds With Prisoners Fam.
ily-New Version Of Giro
fici Confession.
SHAY OUT AS COUNSEL

D1stTict Attorney whitman VIII ASH
justice Seabury to-day to set May as
che date for the second trial of ex-Poiice
Lieutenant Charles Becker. charged with
the murder Of Herman Rosenthal. Mr.
whitman, his assistants. James A. Dele
hanty. +. J. Groehl and John NJ. Minton.
Jr.. will have finished their preparations
BY that time.
Whether Becker will be ready for trial
then Is another question. Practically he
vas without counsel yesterday for Joseph
A. Shay who was his chief counsel on APP
peal persisted In his announcement that he
had withdrawn from the case entirely.
II Ia not known whether Martin T.
Manton. OF Cochran & Manton. will repre-
sent the defendant Mr.. Manton would
not say yesterday. He called up Mr.. Whit
mans office and made an appointment to
talk with the chief. but did not appear.
Before Becker does go to trial the Dis
trict Attorneys Office will try to get at the
truth behind the sudden appearance OF
William T.. Burwell, Karl Dresner and
Sam Kalminson last Friday when they
made afidavits In support OF motion for
a new trial for the gunner. In all likeli.
hood a Grand Jury will be the medium OF
0vestigatlon proceeding along line
which might end In indictments or an
Indictment for subornation OF perjury.
Witness's Tale Disputed.
Burwell testified that before the shoot
ing he had been going around with Man.
ming and Flynn. a song and dance team.
and left them just before the shooting.
Mr. Delehanty has a statement from Man
ming, made to the chief OF police OF Water
bury, Conn, on April H. that he had not
seen Burwell at all that nisht Burwell
also said he had made a memorandum OF
what ne saw and stuck 1t in a dictionary
at the home OF Mrs. Annie Brown at New
Haven. He had gone to New Haven on
ada fnr ha nnr nd In
gone.
Mrs. Brown has made n statement that
the only memorandum she ever saw in
the book was one in which Burwell had
written: I'm case OF accident notify
mentioning the name of relative.
Mr.. Shay declared yesterday he had
withdrawn as counsel for Becker because
his clients interests were continuously
tmperiled by the zeal Of Lieut.. John
Becker. brother of the man in the Tombs.
For more than year the policeman
had been the prey OF all kinds OF per-
sons who had gone to lin with stories,
which might aid the ma. accused OF
ordering the murder OF Herman Rosen-
thai. He had listened to the Lubans and
Margolies against Shay's advice.
The situation was so bad" said Mr..
Shay yesterday, that on June IL, 1918.
] wrote to Mrs. Becker that felt II best
for me to get out l could not AFFORD
20 remain. Reports were going about that
witnesses for the prosecution were beirg
offered large amounts to change their
testimony. There was danger that II any
one connected with the defence would
even speak to one OF these persons that
particular person would rush down to
the District Attorneys Office and swear
he had been offered all sorts Of money
BY somebody representing Becker
warning From Charles Becker.
Il know that Charles Becker warned
his brother not to be trapped. that the
wife protested and his brother Jackson
also This was TO no effect. Then came
this last affair, In which my name was
mentioned. / went to District Attorney
Whitman yesterday and explained the
matter.
II did not see these men who made the
affidav!ts presented by Judge Wahle. I
had nothing whatever to do with them
They say they were advised by John
Becker TO see me and one OF them said
he called ME up on the telephone. did
not talk TO him II he did. ! do not know
anything about It."
Was the reason you left because YOU
had demanded $4,000 as "A retainer from
Becker Mr., Shay was asked He smiled.
Becker hasn't got $4,000 or anything
Ike that" he replied. He hasn't any
money left. ! can tell you that | was
and would not take it,"
Mr.. Shay was told that the investiga-
tons and work being done for Becker
were costing some money and II Becker
was not supplying this it would be in
teresting to know who was supplying It.
II do not know where that money Is
coming from" he said Il only know
what necessary expenses have amounted
10, and these have been cut to the min
!mum and paid"
Jackson Becker was at Shay's office
yesterday afternoon. a reporter for THE
suS asked him IL II were true there was
difference OF opinion in the family over the
Zeal OF John Becker.
81 would rather not say replied Jack
con Becker.
Go on, Jackson. and tell him how John
has been acting" broke in Shay.
NO, ! would rather not say anything
WIS tho reply
jackson Becker said he was there to
talk over with Mr.. Shay the matter Of his
Withdrawing as counsel. 1t was apparent
that he wanted the young lawyer 10 re-
main.
Warden Clancy Of Sing Sing prison took
20 District Attorney Whitman last night
FIRST hand report of the eleventh hour
confession OF Frank Croncl. The warden.
who had come down from Albany pur-
posely TO see the District Attorney. went
70 Mr.. Whtman's home about 10 o'clock
AMI the two were together for several
hours
Mr. Clancy would not discuss the situa-
ton earlier in the evening. He said his
superiors in Albany knew everything he
knew, and Mr.. Whitman would also re-
cc.vc similar information Otherwise 1t
VAS "A closed incident for him.
tiroicis confession, in which he de-
'lared the four gunner went after Dollar
john LANCER the night Herman HOsenthal
was killed, had n dramatic addition yes
tsrdHy. when Mr.. Whitman received "A
message from man now in the death
lOllSs "A Sing