The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-12


In giving out the general story ~ the
work leading up to tho indictments Mr.
Lord said that 1t was Commissioners
Woods who hit upon the means Of
rounding up the gangs.
Dopey Benny. to relate briefly the cir
cumstances leading to his confession and
the arrests OF last night after long
criminal career of which the police have
record for almost hfteen years back
started out following the shooting of
Big Jack selig to grasp the remunera-
tive gang leadership left vacant by tho
death Of Zelig after the Rosenthal muir
der
For some time Dopey Benny had as a
bitter rival for the honor OF king Of
the gangsters Joe the Greaser 'Joseph
Rosensweig), but up to the time Dopey
Benny was arrested last September
Dopey was head and shoulders above
Joe the Greaser in gangdom. Dopey
was cleaning UP $4,000 "A year aud get
ting at least sl2 a day for a Job Joe
never got higher than $3.50 a day for
beating up a non-unionist.
IItimatum sent 70 Gang.
On September l6 last Dopey Benny
was arrested on plant OF Lieut..
had complained to the police that
friend OF his. Benjamin \. Solomonowitz.
had been threatened with death by
Dopcy Benny's crowd unless he paid
over blaickmail money. Salomonowitz
finally. AT the suggestion of the police,
met Benny and handed over $50 to
Benny in marked bills.
Benny was grabbed and taken to the
Tombs, where he stayed under $500
ia ttaiI a..
ueglectiul in raising the bail money.
whereupUn Benny sent forth an ult-
matum.
III you guys don't raise the ba
money by next Saturday night" Dopey
Benny sent word To his followers months
ago. I'm squeaL"
Through Henry u. Sayer of the Dis
ttict Attorneys office some word of
things as they were was conveyed lust
at this time to Judge William H. Wad.
hams. About the time the gang outside
had raised most OF the money for the
bail bond DOpcy's bail was raised by
Judge Wadhams to $1,000. Tho gdug
either couldn't or wouldn't get so much
money together.
Thercupon Dopey Kenny "squealed."
He pleaded guilty to the cxtortiln
charge against him, but before starting
for Sing Sing he decided to get even
with unfaithful followers by telling all
he knew.
one murder-the killing Of Herman
Lieberwitz at the headquarters, at So
East Fourth street. of the picket com
mittec OF the striking cloak and shirt
makers during the general strike in 1910
early was gone into by Dopey Benny.
the police say.
Three suspects we're indicted shortly
after that murder and We're reindicted
nj
They ave labor agitators named Solo
mon Metz, Morris Sigman and Morris
Stu.niCker The unusual proceeding OF
releasing man indicted for murder In
the first degree on habeas corpus pro-
ceedngs was followed and tie three
were enjoying unmolested liberty until
the reindict'nents handed down against
them caused the authorities to send out
officials to gather them Ia.
Thanks to Bennys disclosures. five
others Mere also indicted for the muir
der. The murdered man. member of
the union had lef' Manhattan az the
beginning Of the strike and went to
work at his trade IN Hunter. y Y. 4
committee Of union men was sent after
him and two others with directions to
induce Lieb'rNitz and hs two COM
panions to give up their jobs and re-
turn 80 this city
Lieherwit2 came back to town and
entered the pis kct committees had
quarters ~ he left the place he was
sci upon and Killed
Attempted eNtort,ou and assault ar"
charged against three men i'm what the
authorities, tor convenience sake, called
Indictment number =. An indictment 70,
the assault and robbery by m,u anil
ated with the cloak and skirt Makers
Union IN March, 1918. is charged in