Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-26
FOUR GUNMEN TO |
DIE IN THE CHAIR |
WEEK OF APRIL IS
Appeals Court Signs Death War
rants-GOyernor's CIemency
Their Only Hope.
TO TRY BECKER AGAIN:
WHITMAN MAY TESTIFY
Former Police Lieutenant May
Be Brought Back to
Tonnbs Today.

ALBANY. X. Y. Feb z6.--eyp's
the Blood. Lefty Louie Whitley
Lewis and "Dago Frank the four
gnnmen jointly convicted with for
mer Police Lieutenant Charles Beck
er, for the murder of Herman Rosen-
thai. the gambler. will be eIectrocuted
during the week beginning April 1s.
The date was fixed by the court of
appeals today when the judges
signed the four death warrants.
The exercise of executive clemancy
by Governor Glynn now is ali that
can prevent the death of the gunmen.
No appeals for pardon have been re-
ceived by the Governor
NEW YORK, Feb. zs.-eharies
Becker will be back in the Tombs
within the next twentv-four hours
directing the movements for his lib
Grafton and vindication. II the trans-
fer order from the Court of Appeals
reaches Sing Sing in time the ex-
police lieutenant, who has Spent the
last seventeen months in the shadow
in the shadow of the electric chair.
VIII be brought down the river late
this afternoon or tonight II the
order Is delayed Sheriff Grifenhaeer
will not undertake tho transfer before
tomorrow morning.
Becker was more firmly convinced
than ever today that he would be =
free man within a very few weeks
despite District Attorney wlitnaan's
ayerred determination to bring him
TO a second trial on the murder charge
a soon raazefn1o
Whitman May Testify.
II may be that Mr.. Whitman will
be one Of his own chief witnesses
al the new trial Indeed. il is barely
possible that he may be compelled to
agree to take the stand in order to
have the man charged with bringing
about the murder of Herman Rosen-
thai arraigned again. A melton to
squash the Indictment would un-
doubtedly sustained unless it were
met with representations of new eFi<
ldence. The prosecution put all ths
material witnesses IL could muster
against Becker on the stand Al the
4 former trial, and II any new sourcee
of Information have be.a opened uf5
since liar. .-.stich a fact has NOT bse11
revealed. Indeed, there has been no
apparent occasion for the prosecutor
| and his aids to bother themselves
any further in the case. The convic-
ton of the four gunmen who were
accused of carrying out Becker's COM
mand for the murder seemed TO clinch
| the case.
Mr.. Whitman denies emphaticaily
that he has any intention OF ar
raigning Becker on charges of graft
or extortion in the event of a COLI
| lapse of his plans for new trial on
/ the murder charge
THE man has never been indicted
en- any such charge he said when
| questioned on this rumor.
New state Laws Effect.
Jack Rose, Harry Nallon and Sam
Schepps have all sent District Attpr-
ney Whitman word of their willing
ness TO appear against Becker in the
I event of a new trial of the case,
Bridge Webber, the fourth member
of the States star quarter, is yet 70
be heard from. Mr. Whitman feels no
anxiety on his score. despite the hints
from the Becker side that he may
have different story to tell. If he Is
called to the stand again
incidentally, WALTON came out today
with a rather vigorous reply to Beck
! ers broadside charging him with mr.
/ ing the shot that killed Rosenthal he
counters with the charge that Becker
\ is merely shaping up his fences 10
keep the four gunner from confessing
and insuring his conyiction in a Sec
ond trial