Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-16

| die, entered the chamber at 500 The
first contact was given at SOS, but 1t was
not until 6;17 that he was pronounced
| dead. Three contacts were necessary
| The only relatives OF the gunner who
were in the prison at the time of the
execution were "Dago Franks" mother
sister and brothers, John and Paul, and
whitley Lewis's" brothers, Morris and
Louis.
Mrs. Cirofci was borne to her carriage
in an almost total collapse an hour
after the electrocution
| Morris and Louis Scidenshnor remain
| Cd longer In the wardens ante cham
bers. as II held by a horrible fascina-
tion or conviction that they could still
give aid.
The convicts as they filed by the green
barred windows. shouted words of cheer
to the Seidenshner brothers as they left
To a stranger who offered to pay the
cost of "Whitey's" burial the brothers
replied that they had enough money.
All the bodies of the gunner will be
claimed by relatives.
Mrs. Cirofici remained with her son
until four o'clock this morning. She
had thought until the last moment that
the Governor would grant a reprieve
She believes in her boys innocence.
RMS. Cirofici pleaded with Frank in
Italian to confess but he said he had
told all he knew and that he was not
present when Hermann Rosenthal was
! killed. One of the last things Frank
said before he left his cell was to
Father Cashin: Take care of mother"
ne admonished
Both Mr. Riley and Mr. Clancy express
ed the opinion that nothing contained In
Cirofcfs statement would have any eff
feet on the second trial of former Police
Lieutenant Charles Becker Mr.. Clancy
| said that the statement was made only
after relatives of the condemned man
had pleaded for the truth. The warden
added that he had had no desire to make
the statement a legal record and there
fore did not take "DaEo Franks words
down in writing and had not placed him
under oath.
GLYNN REFUSED TO ACT
The last avenue OF hope for the four
Eunmen was closed six days before
their execution when Governor Glynn
refused to grant stay, pending the
second trial of Lieutenant Charles
er courts of having plotted the murder
OF Herman Rosenthal to prevent him
from making graft revelations to Dis
trict Attorney Whitman. The court Of
appeals, in reversing the decision FOR
Becker declared Itself unconvinced
that he had directed the murder, but
upheld the judgment of the lower
court that the four gunner had been
the Instruments. Motions for new
trial. on the ground of new evidence,
made by their attorney, were denied
and they were sentenced to die dur
ing the week beginning April 10.
Four days before their execution n
delegation Of New York rabbis visited
Governor Glynn and pleaded in vain
with him to postpone the execution
until after the second trial of Becker
The Governor remained fixed in the
opinion that ne had already express
ed-that Beckers guilt or innocence
could in no way affect the guilt of
the gunner who had been Judged
guilty by two courts
YOUNG WIDOWS LEFT
The real names of the men who
have been known as "Gyp the Blood"
Lefty Louie" "Dago Frank" and
Whitley Lewis" were Harry Horo-
WITT, Louis Rosenberg, Frank Cirofici
and Frank Seidenshue The youngest,
Lefty Louie, was 81. the Oldest, Dago
Frank, 81 All were Jews except
Dago Frank. AS the nickname implies
he was an Italian. Gyp the Blood and
Lefty Louie were married Their
young widows survive them
Not only during the trial but in
statements given out at Sing Sing.
three of the gunner persisted in the
declaration that Dago Frank had not
been present at the time of the MUIR
der. and was not in any way concern
ed In the plot to murder Rosenthal.
During their stay in the death house
all four maintained an attitude of mar
tyrlike innocence, tempered with an
optimism growing out of their belief
that their fate hinged upon Becker's
and that If he were not guilty, they
must be set free. The news crushing
hopes of this nature as announced by
the warden was received with stoical
calmness.
STARTED POLICE REFORM.
The crime for which the four gunner
pau the ueatn penalty started wave
or police reform, from which the ripples
have not yet subsided. Throughout the
revelations made at the time and subse-
quently' stalked the vague sinister mon
ster known as the police system"
Rosenthal was shot down early on the
morning of July l6, 1912. In front of the
Hotel Metropole In the heart of the Ten
derloin. On receiving an announcement
from man who came into the hotel he
walked out and fell dead before a fusi-
lade OF bullets The murderers leaped into
an automobile and escaped Weeks later
after Becker had been arrested the gun
men We're found in a fiat in Brooklyn
IMPLICATED BECKER.
Their conviction and Becker's were
based chiefly on the testimony of three
go-betweens who turned States evidence.
These men-Jack Rose. Bridgey Webber
and Harry Vallon-declared that they had
hired the gunner to kill the gambler
Rosenthal, at Becker's request.
Sam Schepps little gambler, corro-
borated their testimony, and was not ad-
judged an accomplice.
Becker was a police lieutenant in charge
of the strong arm squad" whose duties
were to keep In subsection the gangs
of the city and to regulate gambling
houses and places of Ill fame. Rose,
Weber and WALTON said that Becker had
made use Of his position to collect money