The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-05-23
GUILTY,
FIRST DEGREE.
Verdict Was Given Late
Yesterday = Appeal
Taken
PRISONER EXPECTED
TO GET ACQUITTAL
One Ballot All That Was Needed to
Decide Fate of New York Police
Lieutenant-Held to be Instigator of
Rosenthal's Death-Tense Scene.

Z
Lieutenant to be Instigator of
Rosenthal's Death-Tense Scene.
NEW YORK, May 23.-Twelve men
decided yesterday for the second time
that Charles Becker was the arch con
spirator responsible for the Rosenthal
murder which nearly two years ago
awoke New York to realization of
corruption in the police department and |
opened new era of police reform. |
Becker, once a police lieutenant, was
found guilty of murder in the first de
gree. Only pardon or interference
again by the court of appeals can save
him following to the electric chair the
four 'tgunmen who shot Herman
Rosenthal, the gambler, early on the
morning of July 10, 1912. The jury
yesterday decided that the ''gunmen =
were Becker S agents.
One ballot decided Becker S fate 1t
was taken almost Immediately after
the jurors returned from luncheon at
an uptown hotel where they went as
soon as Supreme Court Justice Sam
uel Seabury finished his charge. 1t was
unanimous for conviction. Tears stream
ed down the foreman S face as he an
nounced the decision and tears stood
in the eyes of several other jurors;
but sympathy did not warp their judg
ment. They had agreed that the cor
roboration which the district attorney
failed to present at the first trial to
support the stories of Rose, WALTON and
Weber, the three accomplices who
turned informers, had been furnished
| by the new witnesses at the second.
| Becker s counsel announced that he
would appeal, and gained week S stay
| for the preparation Of his future cam
paign. The defendant was granted a
short meeting with his wife and his
brothers and then taken back TO his
cell in the Tombs.
Jurors Faces Reveal Nothing.
Becker and his wife were talking just
before ) clock in a room adjoining
the sheriff 5 Office when a court attend
ant from the Judge 5 chambers an
nounced that the jury had reached ;
. verdict. Mrs. Becker was not permit
ted to accompany her husband to the
court room. Newspaper men, court at
tendants. counsel for the defense anC
District Attorney Whitman and hi
staff were the only other persons al
lowed admission. The defendant :
two brothers, Jackson and John Beck
err, the latter a detective lieutenant
hurried to a side entrance, where the
stood awaiting the verdict. All othe
} doors to the court room were locked
: When the little group IN the court room
, had found seats a door at the bac
was opened to admit the Jury. The /
men fled silently in with Foreman I
, Meriden Blagden at their head. a
their faces were expressionless. Justic
Seabury mounted the bench. He glance
f quickly at the faces of the jurors, bu
: he learned nothing there. Old court a.
p tendants who declared that long prat
J tice had made them able usually to t,
I. the verdict by the Jurors looks at
:, mitted that on this occasion they wer
: at a loss.
Becker in the room overhead Wa
i still talking to his wife when Justic
& Seabury took his seat. Clerk Penn
l. called s'Charles Becker to the bar,
3 and baiIiff was sent for the defen'
: ant. Becker kissed his wife and let
Y her cts all right, he told he
= Don t worry. They II free me.
:, Becker entered by the door throus
- which the jury had passed only mi
- ute before. He walked briskly to I'll
rail facing Justice Seabury and grippe
: it with both hands. His face was &c
orless. He glanced hopefully at Il
n jury, his gaze resting upon the ia
n of each man for fraction of a sc
y, ond. But to all outward appearance
A the jury did not even know the defen
o ant was in the room. Clerk PEN
&c n clxnd tho iury tO rise
- The Verdict Delivered.
s'Foreman, = he said, . you reach
- verdict?'' Blagden, youngish ma
n blond and slim, brushed his eyes wi
a handkerchief already damp. ssy
II have, he said softly. eve find t
II defendant" he hesitated a nome
H and continued in a whisper: We fl
II this defendant guilty as charged in t
II Indictment; guilty of murder in t
first degree Big tears welled il
II the eyes of the little foreman.
II wiped them away with his hand a
i then the clerk began to ask the gu
II tions required by law The roll W
called and each endividual Juror "
II asked if guilty was his verdict. t
ii Immediately after the court was
II journed Mr.. Manton said: 81 fail to ,
. how the jury managed to convict Be,
. er in view of the conflicting evidei
that was presented by the witness
the state and the testimony that
a witnesses gave. However, it has be
done. | will Immediately set to WI
to prepare an appeal We will fight a
. arU tight hard to have Becker cleared