The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-20
SEVEN WITNESSES TESTIFY
IN BEHALF OF BECKER
Effort To Prove Accused Nun IL Victim
of "Frnmc-Up" Intchcd
by Jnck Rose.
LATTER TRIED TO SAVE 111MsELF
Defense About one-Third Completed
when Court AdJourncd-Itoscnthn
Dcnth Due to Gnmblcrs' Wnr.

New York. May l9.--Seven witnesses
to-day testified for Charles Becker In
an effort 10 prove the or e-time head OF
the Strong Arm Squad" was the vic
tim Of frame up" matched by Bald
Jack" Rose. the lntormcr. as Il means
OF saving himself. and his companions,
Bridge" webber. Harry Vallon and
sam Schcpps. from being placed on
trial for the murder OF Herman Rosen-
thai, the gambler who "squealed" to
the district attorney. The defense
probably was one third completed when
court was adjourned until tomorrow.
Roscnthal. the defense IS trying 10
prove. came TO his death as the result
of gamblers war. Several OF the
dcfense's witnesses wer4 used to dis
credit the testimony offered by Rose,
Weber and Nallon. to show that Web
Der had repeatedly exp Iessed sorrow
Tor having taken part In the frame
up.' and that on many occasions he
had said Becker had nothing to do
with the murder.
Isidore Fishnan. who said he had
known Weber, Jack Rose. Vallon and
KOsenthal for from ten TO twenty-five
years. WAS a witness.
"Webber told me In the Tombs he
was renorscful," said Fishman.
The day after Rose appeared before
the grand jury Webbcr told me Rose
had put all the blame on Becker's
shoulders"
Fishman said he was walking with
Weber through the City Hail Park
last summer when they met Jack Sui
livan's brother Charlie. He said Web
ber told Charlie ne would make an
affidavit setting forth Becker's limo
cence, and was sorry ne had helped
frame up" on Becker
WEHHER SORRY FOR PART
IN ALLEGED "ERAME-UI'o
Norris Beecher. an attorney, test!-
He'd Webber had told him lie was sorry
he had taken part In the alleged
framing up" OF Becker.
R"siyn -. Whytoch. a ship news re-
porter. testified about AN interview he
obtained from Webber. In which Web
Der was represented as saying there
never was any intention that Rosen-
thal should be killed. but that two OF
the Eunrnen. instructed to scare the
gambler. hnd got drunk and "mate
fools OF themselves" Richard H.
kooney another reporter, gave similar
testimony
Charles Reich, known as Charlie
sullivan" brother of Jack sullivan,
said he visited his brother In the West
Sloe prison and told of many conver-
Sat'ons there. In which Webber told
him that Becker was innocent
Frederick H. Hawley, formerly a
reporter, considered to be tho star wit
ness for the defcnse. testified that on
the morning of the murder, about n
haif hour after II occurred, lie called
liechcr's house twice on tho telephone.
IL had been shown by the prosecution
that two calls went to Becker that
morning from pay station near the
sccno OF the crime. He said no told
Gecker To hurry down. and that after
he arrived he remained with him until
o'clock in the morning. He said nj
no time was Becker on Forty-second
street. nor did he meet Jack Rose after
he came downtown.
This story. If true. IS most valuable,
as it directly contradicts the testimony
given by both Jack Rcsc and "Bridgie"
Weber as to the alleged conference
they held with Becker in Forty-second
street near sixth Avenue just before
daylight on the morning OF the muir
der