Evening star., 1914-04-13

ability of having Frank further disturbed.
Gunman's Father Breaks Down.
Lefty Louie's' father underwent a
nervous breakdown in the warden's Of
fee and left without seeing his son. He
had started from his home in New York
with his wife, but Mrs. Rosenberg was
taken i'll on the way and returned to her
home. Mr.. Rosenberg decided. after
changing his mind a number of times,
that his first duty was to care for her.
and hurried back to New York without
entering the death house.
The condemned mems last word from
their chief counsel. C. G. Wahle, came in
the form of a telegram from Albany tell
ing of the governors final refusal to In
tercede. 1t was shortly after when the
message reached the prison.
"Grieved to inform you it said. that
the governor has refused to intercede-
We pleaded with him for nearly two
hours"
Having been told the hour that Mr..
WahIe was to make this last appeal, the
four spent the interval in prayer.
Just before dusk two automobiles from
New York swept up the driveway In
front of the prison. There were In the
party ten men and two women. All were
decked in Easter finery. They crowded
into the prison reception room and an
nounced that they were relatives or
friends Of "Gyp,'' Lefty" and Whitley"
Lewis.
All were denied admission to the death
house and they departed disappointed.
Hope Dispelled by Gov. Glynn.
The last avenue of hope for the four
gunmen was closed six days before
their execution when Gov. Glynn re-
ond trial of Lieut.. Charles Becker, who
was convicted in the lower courts Of
having plotted the murder of Herman
Rosenthal to prevent him from making
graft revelations 20 District Attorney
Whitman. The court of appeals, in re-
clared itself unconvinced that he had
directed the murder, but upheld the
Judgment of the lower court that the
four gunmen had been the instruments.
Motions for new trial, on the ground
of new evidence. made by their attor-
ney. were denied, and they were sem
fenced to die during the week begin
ming April 13.
Four days before their execution a
delegation of New York rabbis visited
Gov. 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
he had already expressed-that Becker's
guilt or innocence could In no way af-
feet the, guilt of the gunmen who had
been judged guilty by two courts.
The. real names of the men who have
been known as 'Gyp the Blood" Lefty
Louie "Dago Frank, and Whitley
Rosenberg. Frank cirofici and Frank
Seidenshner. The youngest, Left Louis
was twenty one; the oldest, Dago
Frank. twenty-seven. All were Jews
implies. he was an italian. Gyp the
Blood and Lefty Louie were married.
Their young wives survive them.
Exonerate "Dago Frank"
Not only during the trial, but in state
ments given out at Sing Sing, three of
the g'1nmen persisted In the declaration
that Dago Frank had not been present
at the time of the murder, and was not
In any way concerned in the plot to mur-
der Rosenthal. During their stay in
the death house all four maintained an
attitude of martyrlike innocence, tenn
pered 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 crush
ing hopes of this nature as announced
by the warden was received with stoical
calmness.
The Rosenthal Murder.
The crime for which the four gunmen
paid the death penalty started wave
of police reform, from which the ripples
have not yet subsided. Throughout the
revelations made at the time, and SUBJ
sequently, stalked the vague, sinister
monster known as the police system"
Rosenthal was shot down early on the
morning OF July 16, 1912. in front Of
Broadway In New York. On receiving
an announcement from a man who came
into the hotel he walked out and fell
dead before a fusillade of bullets. The
murderers leaped into an automobile and
escaped. Weeks later after Becker had
been arrested the gunner were found in
a fiat in Brooklyn.
Go-Betweens Volunteer Evidence,
Their conviction and Beckers were
based chiefly on the testimony of three
go-betweens who turned states evil
dence. These men-Jack Rose. Bridgey
webber and Harry vallon-declared
that they had hired the gunmen to
kill the gambler. Rosenthal, at
Becker's request
Sam schepps, little gambler. cor
roborated their testimony. and was not
adjudged an accomplice.
Becker was a police lieutenant in
charge of the 'strong-arm squad"
whose duties were to keep in subjee
tion the gangs of the city and to regu-
late gambling houses and places Of Ill
fame. Rose. Webber and Vallon said
that Becker had made use of his posi-
tion to collect money from these
houses Rosenthal. according to these
same witnesses. having grievance
against Becker. was about to give evil
dence against Becker to the district at
torney.
Becker was arrested July 2s. 1912, but
nearly two months elapsed before the
apprehension of the gunmen. Their
trial before Justice Con marked a
record of speed In criminal procedure.
Albany Hears of Confession.
ALBANY, N. Y, April 13.-Some of the
four gunmen who were executed at Sing
Sing prison this morning for the murder
of Herman Rosenthal are believed to
have confessed before they died.
Superintendent John B. Riley Of the
state prison department said today that
statements would arrive from Ossining
today which would show that no injus-
tice had been done by the executions"
He knew nothing of the nature Of the
statement The statement Is declared to
implicate no one but the men who died
today.
Governor Glynn declined to discuss the
statement. although 1t is known that the
contents of 1t has been made known to
him.
The governor is declared to be satisfied
were guilty.
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