The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-05-28
BAMBERe, S. c., THURSDAY, MAY %, 1914.
BECKER FOUND GUILTY.
For Second Time New York Police
officer is Convicted.

| that Charles Becker was the arch
conspirator responsible for the muir
der of Herman Rosenthal, the gamb-
Ter, which nearly two years ago
awoke New York to a realization of
I corruption in the police department
and opened a new era of police re-
form.
Becker, once police lieutenant,
was found guilty of murder in the
first degree. Only pardon or inter-
| ference again by the court of appeals
can save him from following to the
electric chair the four gunner who
shot Herman Rosenthal, the gambler,
early on the morning of July 16,
1912. The jury to-day decided that
the gunner were Becker's agents.
One ballot decided Becker's fate.
It was taken almost Immediately af-
ter the jurors returned from luncheon
at an uptown hotel where they went
when Supreme Court Justice Samuel
Seabury had finished his charging.
It was unanimous for conviction.
| Tears streamed down the foreman's
| face as he announced the decision
and tears stood in the eyes of sew
eral other jurymen. They had agreed
that the corroboration which the dis
trict attorney failed to present at
| the first trial to support the stories
of Rose, Vallon and Weber, the
three accomplices who turned in
formers, had been furnished by new
witnesses at the second.
| Weeks Stay for Appeal.
Becker's counsel announced that
he would appeal and gained a weeks
stay for the preparation of his fu-
ture campaign. The defendant was
granted a short meeting with his
wife and his brothers and then was
taken back 10 his cell in the Tombs.
Becker and his wife were talking
| shortly before 5 o'clock in room
adjoining the sheriff's office, when a
court attendant announced that the
| jury had reached a verdict. Mrs.
| Becker was not permitted to accom-
| pany her husband to the court room.
| Newspaper men, Court attendants,
| cSahsel for the defence and District
| Attorney Whitman and his staff were
| the only other persons admitted. The
defendants two brothers, Jackson
and John Becker, the latter a de-
tective, a lieutenant, hurried to a
side entrance where they stood await
| ing the verdict.
When the little group in the court
room had found seats the twelve
| men who alone knew Becker's fate
filed silently in with Foreman F.
| Meriden Blagden at their head. All
| twelve faces were expressionless.
Justice Seabury mounted the
bench. He glanced quickly at the
! faces of the jurors, but he learned
nothing there. Old court attendants
who declared long practice had made
them able usually to tell the verdict
! by the Jurors looks, admitted that
on this occasion they were at loss.
Becker in the room overhead was
still talking to his wife when JUS
tice Seabury took his seat. A bailiff
was sent for the defendant. Becker
kissed his wife as he left her.
Its all right he told her; don't
worry. They'll free me-"
Becker walked briskly through
the court room to the rail facing
Justice Seabury and gripped it with
both hands. His face was colorless.
He glanced hopefully at the jury, but
he didn't catch the eye of a single
| man. To all outward appearances
the jury did not even know the de-
fendant was in the room. The clerk
asked the jury to rise.
Foreman" he said, "have you
reached a verdict?"
Blagden, youngish man, blonde
and slim, brushed his eyes with a
handkerchief, already damp. I'VE
have" he said softly. eve find the
defendant -" he hesitated mo-
ment and continued in a whisper, we
find this defendant guilty, as charg-
ed in the indictment-gu guilty of muir
der in the first degree
Becker's face was gray as he grip
ped the bar in front of him with all
his strength. The big muscles in
his neck jumped out in heavy rolls.
The veins at his temples swelled. His
great frame swayed and dropped;
then with quick control he became
himself again.
The Foreman Wept.
Big tears welded into the eyes OF
| ~. 1:t41. Win66 them