Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-31

lector, walked into the Criminal
Courts building the day after the
murder and surrendered to the Dis
trict Attorney, declaring he had moth
ing 10 fear. Harry WALTON and Bird
, gle Webber, gamblers and friends Of
Rose and Becker, were arrested as
witnesses. The Grand Jury began it's
investigation.
Rose lay in prison twelve days with
| out word from Becker, and, believing
his chief had deserted him, confessed.
Vallcn and Weber corroborated his
story. He told of his long association
| with Becker. of police corruption
| which existed as Rosenthal had charg-
ed, of thousands collected by Becker
for police protection and, finally, of his
commission by Becker to arrange to
have Rosenthal killed by gunmen-a
commission he executed.
That night. July 29 1912, District At
torney Whitman summoned the Grand
Jury by telephone and telegraph, laid
his evidence before it and within two
hours obtained the indictment Of
Becker on a charge of murder
Four East Side ganssters were in
! dicted as the actual murderers. Rose
had testified that these men were as
signed by Big Jack" Zelig, gang
leader who had been arrested by Beck
er's men on trumped-up charge, to
do the murder. They were to receive
$1,000 and Zelig was to be released. 'Ze-
lig's orders had been issued from the
Tombs to the gunner.
These gunmen-known in the streets
of the East Side as "Gyp the Blood"
| fiorowitz, Lefty Louie" Rosenberg,
"Dago Frank" Cirofici and 'ANhitey"
Lewis--were rounded up one by one.
The last two were arrested, "Gyp the
Blood and Lefty Louie" were not
found till September, hiding in
Brooklyn fiat With them were found
their young wives who to divert sus-
picion. had dyed their light hair black.
10 give standing to the testimony of
beckers three accomplices who had
! turned lnformers--Rose, Weber and
\allon-a corroborating witness who
! was not implicated was needed. Sam
| ochepps. dapper little gambler who
mad fled the city, was the man who
could do this. He was found at Hot
| springs, Ark. brought back to New
YORK and the Peoples case against
| Charles Becker was complete. 1t went
to trial on October I, 1912.
| verdict Of guilty Of first degree
murder was returned at midnight Oc-
tober "a, 1912. after the jury had de-
liberated seven hours and fifty-seven
minutes. Becker was sentenced six
Gays later to die in the electric chair
during the week of December 9, 1912.
Within less than a month the four
gunner were placed on trial as the
actual slayers, found guilty and sent
to the death house.
More than year later, on February
"a, 1914. the Court Of Appeals decided
that Becker should have a new trial
The sunmen's conviction was upheld
ana they paid the penalty with their
lives on April IA. 1914. One Of the
number. "Dago Frank" confessed the
guilt OF his three associates but main
tanned his own innocence His con-
ression, made on the eve of the exc
cution, became known the day they
were put to death.
Becker was brought back to the
Iombs. His second trial was begun
May q, 1914. and ended May %, with
verdict OF guilty. He was sentenced
70 Ole during the week of July 6, 1914.
An appeal was fled. but the convic-
ton was upheld by the higher court in
decision handed down May rs, last.
and the date of the execution was
set for the week beginning July 1e.
| shortly after the court Of appeals
| denied Rockor
cochran became Becker's chief coun-
sci. He appeared before United States
Supreme Court Judge Hughes and ar
gued for writ of error, which was
denied.
/ During the week previous to that in
which Becker was sentenced to die
Governor Whitman granted the con-
demned man a reprieve Of two weeks
as he had learned, it was stated, new
motions were to be made in Becker's
behalf. ..
On July 20 a $4,000 word statement
by Becker was forwarded to the gov
ernor. The statement was said to con-
| tain new facts and made public men,
ton Tor the first time Of the name Of
the late Congressman Timothy D. Sui
Ivan in connection with the case.
The governor declined to commute
Becker's sentence after reading the
statement. .'H.
Becker's attorneys thereupon ap-
pealed to Supreme Court Justice Phil
bin for a third trial, and on July %
the justice signed an order for Dis
trict Attorney Perkins to show cause
why new trial should not be grant,
al o. 80
Supreme Court Justice Ford, July rs.
Thu fnStica altar oosi~ txuy4