The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-07-30

Bridgfe Weber, gamblers and friends
Of Rose and Becker, were arrested as
Witnesses. The Grand Jury began its
investigation.
Rose lay In prison twelve days with
out word from Becker. and, believing
his chief had deserted him. confessed.
vallon and Weber corroborated his
story He told Of his long association
with Becker, OF police corruption
which existed as Rosenthal had
charged, OF thousands collected by
Becker for police protection and, f.
nally, OF his commission BY Becker
to arrange TO have Rosenthal killed
by gunmen-a commission he execu'
ted.
That night, July 20. 1912, District
Attorney Whitman summoned the
Grand Jury by telephone and tele.
graph. laid his evidence before It and
within two hours obtained the indict-
nent of Becker on charge OF murder.
Four East Side gangsters were in
dIcted as the actual murderers. Rose
had testified that these men were as
signed by big Jack" Zelig, a gang
leader who had been arrested by
Becker's men on trumped.up charge.
10 do the murder. They we're TO re-
ceiye $1,000 and Zelig was TO be re-
leased. Zelig's orders had been Is
sued from the Tomb's to the gunner.
These gunner = known in the
streets OF the East Side as "Gyp the
Blood" Horowitz, Lefty Louis" Ros-
enberg. "Dago Frank" Cirofci and
whitney" Lewis-were rounded up
one by one. The last two were ar
rested, "Gyp the Blood" and Lefty
Louis" were not found till September
hiding in a Brooklyn fat. With them
we're found their young wives who, TO
divert suspicion, had died their light
hair black.
To give standing to the testimony
OF Becker's three accompIices VINO
had turned informers-Rose. Weboer
and Vallon-a corroborating witness
who was not implicated was needed.
Sam Schepps, a dapper little gamo-er
who had fed 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.
| II went to trial on october I, 1917.
A verdict Of guilty Of first degree
murder was returned at midnight DC
tober "a, 1872 after the jury had de-
/ liberated seven hours and htty-seEeh
minutes. Becker was sentenced SIX
days later 80 die in the electric chair
during the week Of December 3, 1Sl=.
Within less than a month the 1our
gunner were placed on trial as the
actual slayers, found guilty ana sent
/ to the death house.
| More than a year later. on teoru'
airy "a. 1914. the Court Of Appeals De
cided that Becker should have a new
trial. The gunmen's conviction was
upheld and 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
maintained his own innocence. ms
! confession, made on the eve Oh the
execution, became known the DAY
they were put TO death.
! Becker was brought back TO the
! Tombs. His second trial was begun
NAV s. 1914, and ended May %. with
a verdict of guilty. He was sentenced
I 10 die during the week Of July 8. 1914.
An appeal was filed. but the conVic'
ton was upheld by the higher court
in a decision handed down May %
last, and the date Of the execution
was set for the week beginning July
IL. -.
| Throughout Becker's troubles ms
wife remained loyal to him and was
his constant adviser. She labored APP
parentiy without firing in his behalf
/ assisting his counsel in every wap
possible. She appeared to be crushed
when the Court of Appeals upheld ms
second conviction. but soon turned
her energies toward eleyenth.hour
work to save him. 1t was largely at
her urging that he joined in the plan
! TO ask Governor Whitman, his pros
ecutor, for clemency.
There was one other woman VINO
I If reports are true. followed Becker S
career through the courts as closely
as his own wife did. This was Herman
! Rosenthal's widow. Soon after BECK
4 er's second conviction she disap,
reared. Not long ago she was touno
broken in health and spirit, ana Nv
ing with an oldtime friend.
q am living for only one thing
she was quoted as saying, Ito see the