Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-05-06
BECKER COUNSEL
DENIED MOTIONS
AS TRIAL STARTS
-
Cochran Asked Court to Ad-
judge District Attorney Whit
man in Contempt.
DEFENSE PLEA FOR CHANGE
OF VENUE Is REFUSED
Lawyers Spring Opening Day
Sensations-Crowds Jam
Court Corridors.
Especial to the Evening start

NEW YORK, May 6.-Prompt denial
of change of venue to former Police
Lieutenant Charles Becker, accused
of plotting Herman Rosenthafs muir
der. came from Superior Justice Sea-
bury here today, shortly after court
opened, and subsequent to an at
tempt by Becker'S counsel to nave
District Attorney Whitman declared
in contempt of court. On the latter
phase of the fight, which was put
into the form of motion by Martin
T. Manton, Becker's attorney JUS
tice Seabury promised to rule by L
O'Clock this afternoon.
The attack on the district-attorney
came as soon as court convened. Be
fore the room filled with talesmen
and with Mrs. Becker the only wom-
an present, the second trial of the
man accused of plotting Rosenthafs s
death opened.
"Charles Becker to the Bar"
"Charles Becker to the bar" thun-
dered the court crier just after JUS
tice Seabury was seated, and through
a door at the rear of the court room
came the brawny figure of the man
who was once the czar of New York. s
underworld. Becker'S face was an
absolute repose, as guarded by only
one policeman he strobe to the front
of the room. He greeted his coun-
sci, Martin T. Manton and Bourke
Cochran, with a quick smile and sat
down.
Cochran then arose and addressed
tho court with a demand that Dis
trict Attorney Whitman be adjudged
in contempt Of court for having in
spired newspaper stories prejudicial
to the defense.
Cochran, on being required to do SO,
put his demand in the form of a
: motion, which Justice Seabury prom
ised to pass nat l o'clock. Cock
rams motion was based on newspaper
reports, said to have been inspired
by Whitman, to the effect that Carl
Dressner, a confessed perjurer, had
conspired with John Becker, the de-
fendant, and brought here in such a
way as to prejudice Becker's case
Cochran produced affidavits by news
paper men in support of his position,
and was waxing eloquent when re-
strained by the court.
whitman Puts in Defense.
Whitman, who then arose to adj
dress the court declared that he had
given out nothing improper. He said
Becker had had opportunity to give
out statements from both the Tombs
and from Sing Sing and that as a
matter of fact he had given out such
statements some of which were dis
tinctly prejudicial to the case of the
people.
After Justice Seabury's decision to
rule on the contempt question later,
Cochran moved for a change of
venue. This request Justice Seabury
promptly denied. Cochran then asked
for appointment on the ground of
popular prejudice Justice SeaburV
replied that appointment would be
granted before the case began.
William Murdick, the first tales
man called, was excused by Wkit-
man. Only a few words were needed
to show that Murdick had IAN un-
shrakable opinion and he was ex-
cused
During Murdick's examination
Becker motioned to his wife. Sae
arose and came near him. She was
dressed neatly in black and her face
showed wan and pale.
Hector Rosenfeld, a manufacturer,
was the second talesman called.