The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-05-23
BECKER ONCE MORE
FOUND GUILTY
OF MURDER
Jury Says He Directed the KILL
Ing Of ROsenihaI
WILL FILE ANOTHER APPEAL
Dramatic Scene in Court Room When
Verdict Was Announced BY
Jury Foreman

New York. May 23.-Twelye men
decided yesterday for the second
time that Charles Becker was the
arch conspirator responsible for the
Rosenthal murder which nearly two |
years ago awoke New York 10 a reali |
cation OF corruption in the police de-
partment and opened a new era OF
police reform. Becker. once a police |
lieutenant. was found guilty OF muir
der i'm the first degree. Only a par
don o. interference against by the
court OF appeals can save him follow
ing to the electric chair the four
| gunner" who shot Herman Rosen-
thai. the gambler. early on the morn
ing OF July 16. 1912. The jury yes
terday decided that the gunner
we're Becker's agents
One ballot decided Becker's fate.
II was taken almose Immediately az
te. the jurors returned from lunche-
on at an uptown hotel. where they
went as soon as Supreme Court JUS
tice Samuel Seabury finished his
charge. II was unanimous for con-
viction. Tears streamed down the
foreman's face as he announced the
decision and tears stood in the eyes
of several other jurors; but sympa-
thy did not warp their judgment.
Becker's counsel announced that he
would appeal, and gained a weeks
stay for the preparation of his future
campaign. The defendant was grant
ed short meeting with his wife and
brothers and then taken back TO his
cell in the Tombs.
Becker and his wife we're talking
just before 5 O'Clock in a room adjoin
ing the sheriff's office when court
attendant from the judges chambers
announced that the jury had reached
verdict. Mrs. Becker was not per.
mitted to accompany her husband to
the courtroom. The IL men filed
silently in with Foreman f. Meriden
Blagdcn at their head. All their
faces were expressionless. Justice
Seabury mounted the bench.
Becker in the room overhead was
still talking TO his wife when Justice
Soabury took his seat. Clerk Penny
called Charles Becker to the bar, "
and a baiiff was sent for the defen-
dant Becker kissed his wife and
left her. It's all right" he told
her. Don't worry. They'll free
me-" Becker entered by the door
through which the jury had passed
only a minute before. He walked
briskly TO the rail facing Justice Sea
bury and gripped 1t with both hands.
, His face was colorless. Clerk Penny
! asked the jury to rise.
"Forman." he said, have you
reached verdict?" Blagden, a
youngish man, blond and slim. brush.
ed his eyes with a handkerchief al
ready damp. I'VE have he said
softly. 1--WE find the defendant
he hesitated a moment and continued
I'm whisper I'VE find this defend
ant guilty as charged in the indict
ment; guilty of murder in the first dc
gree" Big tears welled into the
eyes of the little foreman. He wiped
them away with his hand and then
4 the clerk began to ask the questions
required by law. The roll was called
I, and each individual Juror was asked
: if guilty" was his verdict, too.
n Immediately upon this conclusion
n the clerk began to take Becker:
o pedigree" To the first questions
n Becker answered in a steady voic,
that he was 4S, was born in the Unit
cd States and that his parents haC
both been born in Germany.
Married." queried the clerk
For moment Becker did no
answer. Then almost in a whispe
he replied, yes"
AS to his occupation Becker salt
he was a former police officer in tn
city of New York Roman Catholi
and of temperate habits. Aske
whether he had ever been convicte
i. before Becker looked helplessly a
!, his counsel. Martin T. Manton. VIII
~ was standing beside him. Manto
- mumbled something. The pair shoe
~ hands.
70 whats the answer" again aske
- the clerk.
- Becker remained silent Mantor
~ however. answered for him, mo-"
10 Immediately after the court wa
adjourned Mr.. Manton said: Il ia
to see how the jury managed to col
vict Becke. in view of the confictin
evidence that was presented by tn
witnesses for the state and the test