New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-06
big TIM,' DEAD,
TO HELP BECKER
FIGHT FOR LIFE
New Inquiry Into Leaders
Fate Will Follow Plea
for Writ of Error.
HOPE LIES IN WORDS
OF TRIAL WITNESSES
Sullivan Planned Revelations to
Save Ex-Police Lieutenant
Mcintyre Offers Aid.

Mcintyre Offers Aid.
The death of Big Tim Sullivan is
to be made the basis of en- unusual
LEGAL move TO keep Charles Becker
from the electric chair.
Either to-day or tomorrow, applica-
tion for writ of error will be entered
with the United States Supreme Court
by W. Bourke Cochran, chief counsel
for Becker. After that paper has been
taken to Washington, Mr.. Cochran will
ask some-it is impossible to be specific
now-judicial officer to hear John Doe
proceedings in the death Of Sullivan,
whose body was found beside the rail
road tracks near Pelham on August 81,
1918.
The purpose of this proceeding will
be to bring into court as witnesses
some Of the witnesses who testified at
both Becker trials, and draw from them
admissions which, 1t is thought, they
will be willing to make in Becker's be-
half If they are guaranteed immunity
from prosecution.
In the application FOR John Doe
hearing it will be alleged, according to
information gathered yesterday, that
the death of Sullivan is linked with the
murder OF Rosenthal, and it will be said,
further, that Sullivan was in possession
Of the facts in the Rosenthal killing,
which it was his purpose to reveal in
the event that the possibility Of saving
Becker and the gunmen seemed to be
past.
Sullivan TO Reveal Secrets.
Becker was convicted on the first
trial on October %, 1912. Sullivan
was then alive. Had he lived TO see
the gunmen denied a second trial and
Becker a third, il was said yesterday,
he would have come forward with
story which he thought would GER
tainly save Becker and might save the
gunner.
"Big Tim" believed at the start that
no jury would agree that either Becker
or the four gunmen were guilty. He
=
five were convicted in the 1912 trials
he was confident that the findings of
the juries would be reversed by the
Court Of Appeals. That court, on
February %, 1914, upheld the gun
mems conviction and ordered q new
trial for Becker. The gunmen were
executed on April 13, 1914. Becker
was convicted a second time on May
%, 1914
So, before Sullivan had opportunity
to do what he counted on doing at
to him-the proper time, he was
killed. After many Investigations it
was decided that a train was the ac-
cidental agency of death, but this new
move will dispute that finding and
will, il is said, seek to point out that
"Big Tins" elimination at that time
removed danger from persons vitally
interested in placing the responsibility
for Rosenthal's death on Becker's
shoulders.
Power in Police World.
Sullivan, no one will question. was
so high 4 power in the Police Depart
ment that, though to the public his
hand was unseen in police manipula-
ton, he was credited with being, at
times, the directing head of the de-
partment. He granted fayOrs to police
men and guided them when trouble
threatened. He was at least friendly
to big gambling interests, and when
gamblers wanted TO open up and re-
main open, undisrurbed by raidinC po-
lice officers, Sullivan was generally ap-
pealed to for advice and action. And,
enjoying an authority over gangsters,
big Tim" was in a position of undis-
putable power and influence.
Becker's notes, mentioned In The
Tribune yesterday morning, take in
this feature. II is Becker's story that
Rosenthal went to Sullivan for permis-
sion to open his gambling house, and
was told by the political leader that he
could do so without hindrance by the
police.
When Rosenthal told this 70 Becker
the then police raider asked Rosenthal
If matters had been adjusted else
where. and was told that they had.
Shortly after this Rosenthal and Rose
quarrelled; a few weeks after that
Becker and Rosenthal disagreed. Then
came RosenthaPs death.
Leaders Testimony Heard.
Il will be argued that the fact Of the
five convictions and the revelations that
attended the prosecutions contributed
70 the unbalancing of Big Tins" mind
and that when he left the sanatorium.
presumably sane, he was threatening
figure 10 those persons he knew 70 have
been behind the ordering Of Rosenthal's
killing. Very little time was consumed
in the period between Sulliyan's de-
parture from the asylum and his death.
Present indications are that IN the
move 10 the United States Supreme
Court II will be contended that because
Governor Whitman was Becker's prose-
cutor he could not, as Governor, give
Becker full advantage of his constitu-
tinal rirhts II viii be poLnted ont.