The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-04-14
Dago Frank Breaks Down In Eleventh Hour, and
Before Mother and Sister Tells Tale of
Tragedy That Swept New York
Helped Plan the Crime,
But Didn't Do Shooting
Valon Cyp the Blood and Lefty Louie Fired the Fatal Shots
Whtey,s Gun Mishred-Four Gunner Meet Death
In Merry Way--Frank Almost Drops.


tual murder Of Herman Rosenthai,
for which the four gunner were exc
cuted thl snoring at Sing Sing. was
committed by Harry Nallon. "Gyp
the Blood and Lefty Louie" ac-
cording 10 the confession made By
'Dago Fraak" Cirofici before he was
led to the chair. This confession was
made public tonight by State Super
intendent of Prisons John b. Riley.
after Governor Glynn had read it.
The pleadings of the mother and
sister of Dago Frank, and the hope
of the young Italian. induced the con-
fession. 1t came too late, however,
and indicated that Frank was equally
guilty with the others. and for these
reasons 1t failed to save him. Fea-
that terrible consequences would re-
suit from the confession. and horror
OF impending death. caused Cirofici
TO collapse when he ended his recital
Cirofici would have confessed sew
eral days ago but for the fact that
he had been terrorized by the other
three gunner with threats of death
to his mother and sister II he told
ANYTHING. The gunner were fearful
lest he should tell, and communicated
to him these threats between the
cells in the death house
oNeFfitaFu IdIk-
Once when Father Cashin was talk
ing to Cirofici he heard the three
other gunmen talking in Jewish. The
priest understood the language, and
heard Gyp say: Frank is going t.
pieces; he's telling on the rest of us .
Warden Clancy, who spent an hour
or more with Governor Glynn tonight.
pointed out that Cirofici really thought
he was innocent, because he did not
take part in the actual shooting.
Whitley Lewis thought he was in
nocent because he did not fire shot
While Whitley claimed that he did
not shoot Rosenthal he did not deny
that he participated in the plotting.
Gyp and Louie made pretensions
that their executions would not be
justified. but they based their claims
upon the belief that evidence givet
against them was perjured. and not
sufficient TO justify conviction.
Warden Clancy, in discussing the
particular case, of which Whitley
Lewis, who was making a statement
when the electricity was shot
through his body. said that the man
was hysterical before the switch con-
trolling the death-dealing charge was
thrown. *.ff
II surely did not understand what
ne was saving, and | am certain none
of the other witnesses did"
After superintendent Riley had
given out the confession Of Cfofici
tonight he said
Il hope this will be the last exc
cution In the prison in this State.
favor the abolition of capital punish
ment in most cases. | intend 10 urge
the passage Of a bill abolishing exc
cuiions by providing that the jury
shall decide what Is the penalty for
murder. I believe that a jury shouid
he given the power TO send a MUIR
derer to prison for life. In cold. hrn-
tai murders, the death penalty might
be inflicted, but In other cases. life
imprisonment should be the penalty"
Goes to Albany.
Warden Clancy arrived at Albany
at o'clock this afternoon, and, after
comforting with Governor Glynn AMI
State superintendent of Prisons John
Il. Riley, gave out this statement:
About eight o'clock Sunday night
Rosenburg asked me to save Frank,
saying he had nothing to do with the
shooting, that he was not there.
went over and asked Frank why he
did not tell the truth. He replied
that he knew what was going on. but
was not there when the shooting took
place. | advised him to tell the whole
story. He said If he did they would
XIII his brother | asked whom he
meant by they He replied that there
were fifty men in New York he could
name. He said. I don't care about
myself, it's my family ! care for
II caused Frank Clrofici TO be
brought from the condemned cell
house to the principal keepers office
about four O'Clock Monday morning.
Tie made the following. among other.
statements, in the presence Of myself.
Principal Keeper McInerney, this
chaplain. his mother and sister. They
urged him TO tell the whole truth.
He hesitated and said:
Fears for Family.
81 don't want to make any state
ment for the public. ! do not fear
for myself, but | do fear for YOU
His sister replied. Don't have any
tear for us. we will take care OF orr
selves, God viii protect us.
.Hls mother and sister continued
10 urge him 20 tell the truth. He
said: L did not do The shooting. The
men who fired the shots were Gyp.
Louie and WALTON. He said. \ was
i've miles away at the time. So far
as know Becker had nothing 10 do
with this case 1t was gamolcrsc
fight
:. sHs mentioned several raids ~
gambling houses. and said thar thaS
story shapiro told to Commtoetomq3N
Douxhcrty was true. He sid n tA11 q
some - en IN asal.4 M a
|slapt yefE es1s VI y