The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1914-04-17
-FOUR DIE IN CHAIR
New York Sumner 60 to Deaths
without Cunfessing.
"WHITEY" IS NEAR COLLAPSE

rent Chokes Him-Thrse SnocKs
Are Needed to Kill Louis Rosen-
bers.
OSSINING, N Y.--Just as the
dawn broke over the gray walls
Of Sing Sing prison the four young
gun men, convicted of assasslnatlng
Herman ROsenthal in front Oh the
Hotel MetrOpole in New York CITY
on the morning of July 16, 1872, were
mt TO death in the electric chair.
None of the men confessed IN the
death chamber. True to their predlc-
tons, they died game
II required just thirty-nine minutes
to execute the gun men, who went TO
their death in this order:
First. Frank Cir0fici, alias "Dago
Frank"
second. Jacob Seidenschner, alias
Frank Mueller, alias Whitley Lewis.
Third, Harry Horowitz, alias "Gyp
INC Blood
Fourth, Louis Rosenberg, alias
Lefty Louie"
"Whitey" Denounces W'theSSoS'
"Whitey Lewis" alone made state
ment in the death chamber. 1t was
a hasty, jerky assertion that the
Witnesses who swOre that he had ShOt
Rosenthal were perjurers.
"Whitey was on the verge OF cot
lanse. He suffered an emotional
broakdown in his cell. This COMPEL
ed the order of execution to be
changed at the last moment.
"Whitey'' was shaking and MS
face was ashen. Only the sounds OF
.he electricians strapping the cleo
trodes upon the condemned men
broke the deathly stiffness Of the
death house.
Warden Clancy had been told that
The gun men had something to say
bit it was not known whether or not
It was a confession. AS soon as he
was seated Seidenschner began:
Gentlemen, | am convicted OF
murder. l am not guilty of shooting
Herman ROsenthal. l did not fire the
shot. | am innocent and | am about
to be electrocuted. People who said
they saw me sb Aot Herman Rosen
thai were perjurers. want you
all"
The mans voice died away in his
throat to q choking sob, for the dead
" current had suddenly been turned
on. The body writhed in the straps
and heaved until it seemed to be
"
Witness Is Overcome.
Though the doomed men, COM
forted by ministers of their faith, be-
trayed no emotion the strain upon the
witnesses was intense.
One man collapsed and had to be
assisted from the chamber. 81 left
there because | was too sick to stay
longer" he said, as he was supported
ont Of the gate by a guard.
The official time for each execution
was Cirofici, 5:38 to 5:44; Seidensch-
ner 5:48 to 5:53; Horowitz, 5:57 to
6:O2,; Rosenberg, Cos to 6:17.
The mother and sister of Frank CT
rcfci and the father of Rosenberg ar
rived at the prison short after 4
o'clock The old man fingered out
SIDE, refusing to enter. The women
went to stay until the last moment
with the condemned so nand brother.
They had come on an early train
from Albany, where a last appeal had
been made to Governor Glynn to act.
The prison officials showed the wom-
en- to the death house. There they
remained, within a few feet of the
25rewsOme electric chair, until guards
in a kindly manner led them away
to a reception room in the office Of
the warden.
Cirofici Is First.
Frank Cirofici was the first to enter
the death chamber. He was making
an effort to walk upright, but there
seemed weight at his knees which
dragged him down. A Roman Catho-
lie priest intone dihs service quickly.
No time was lost by the four guards.
They placed the gun man in the chair
and quickly fastened on his head the
metal hood and to his limbs the
e1ectrode that completes the fatal
circuit Then the gunman lost the
bold front OF the underworld He
was utterly unmindful of the activ-
ties about him and the stares of the
SPECTATORS His face was chalk
white Two snJGns were given Giro
fici AS the prison doctor pronounced
him dead Whitley Lewis" was car
ried to the chair. The current shut
off his denunciation of the witnesses
who had sworn he fired the shot that
killed Rosenthal. Two shocks were
riven Cirofici. Horowitz was the
next gun man to go. His nerve was
better and repeating a rabbits pray
er. met death stoically.
Nine minutes were required for the
execution OF Louis Rosenberg, or
Lefty Louie" Three shocks were