The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-04-14
DAao FRANKS STORY

Remarks He Made Before Being
Electrocuted. Only Strength
ems Case Against
Becker.
UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.]
NEW YORK, April 14.-"Dago
Frank" Ciroici's dying confession as
to the sensational murder Of Gambler
Herman Rosenthal will aid materially
in sending former Police Lieutenant
Chas. Becker to the chair as the mas
ter mind in the slaught sr plot, accord.
ing to the view of District Attorney
Whitman expressNl today.
Whitman declared that in no essen
tial detail had Cirohci'c ante mortem
staten mt contradicted stories of 9TH
er informers. He said it almost abb
solutely confirmed statements of the
tragedy told by BALD Jack" Rose,
the principal alleged go-b stween for
Becker and the gunmen who slew.
Tomorrow the district attorney will
move to have Becker's second trial
set for the first Monday in May.
Thsre may be opposition to this
but it is believed that date in May
is certain for the op sning OF Beck
er's last fight for life.
No Importance was attached by
Whitman to CiroHci's declaration that
he chad been told that Harry Val
Ion, one Of ths informers, aided in
the shooting when Rosentbal fell.
Neither was the district attorney Inn
pressed with the dying gunman's dec
/ laration that 80 far as he knew
Becker had nothing to do with the
murder plot.
Whitman has taken no steps to ar
rest vallon nor, it is said, will he do
so. vallon himself admitted he was
present when Rosenthal was killed in
front OF the Metropolis hotel and the
only two men who can swear he fired,
one Of the fatal shots are dead. They,
Harrowitz and Rosenberg, are believ-
ed in thu light of all that has trans
pired, were the actual murderers OF
the gambler. whose squealing to
Whitman caused his murder. AS to
rCiroficis statement aiding Becker,
/ ths district attorneys ONCE pointed
out that at no time was it believed
the band of gunmen who died yester-
day in the chair had any direct deal
ings with Becker. The former char
acter OF the tenderloin. it Is said,
dealt only with Rose. Webber and
Vallon and the four actual killers
simply went forth to slay on the re-
quest of men to whom Whitman al
leges Becker had given the word that
Rosenthal must die.
that Joseph A. Shay, Becker's counsel
may retire from the case, following
sch sduled interview in the Ton,bs
with his client. Just at what hour
this was to take place was not known
but it was expected before night. Shay
refused to say why he contemplated
retiring and would in no way com.
ment on Cirofci's confession.
Certain things havs occurred
which are not to my liking" was as
far as Shay would go in explanation.
Becker in the Tombs so far abso-
lutely has refused to discuss the gun
men or their fate. He is busy with
evidence adduced at the final hearing
in their behalf before Justice Goff
searching, searching, searching, in
the hope that some shred of aid for
himself may be found.
Trouble With Lawyer.
NEW YORK, April 14.-Chas.
Becker's proposed defense at his Sec
ond trial for the murder of Herman
Rosenthal was SO jeopardized this
afternoon that his chief counsel, Shay,
practically announced his withdraw
al and Becker himself ordered his
brother, John, to keep out OF the
case. Becker was SO angered today
after two and half hour conference
with Shay that he told his counsel II
he could get his fists through the
bars he would punch his brother
through the prison wall.
The trouble, according to Shay, was
started by John Becker, at present a
police lieutenant here, who has been
receiving with open arms every Tom.
Dick and Harry who has come to him
with stories alleged to be in Charles
favor.
II have refused to see any Of them
because | believe when the truth is
told about the Rosenthal murder,
Charlie will walk on. Of court free
man." said Shay. II have new wit
nesses. Ross story WAS vile con-