Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-07-22
BECKER MAKES
FINAL APPEAL
FOR HIS life
Presents Governor Whitman
$4,000 Word Statement and
Request for Respite.

sentenced 70 die on July y for instigat-
inc the murder OF Herman Rosenthal.
tho gambler. was made tonight when a
Y. 600 word statement, prepared by Becker
in the Sing Sing prison death house. n
said TO contain new facts, wa placed In
the hands of Governor Whitman at AL
hanv. With the statement was a request
that the Governor grant the condemned
man a respite "in the light OF certain
facts now disclosed for the first time.
The publication of this statement here
Tonight followed the announcement dur
ing the day by Martin r. Manton Of ooun-
SCI for Becker. that within the next rev
days an application would he made ne
fore a supreme court Judge here for a new
trial for Becker, on the ground of newly
discovered evidence.
Becker's statement, done in his W
handwriting, is n chronological history
told in plain language. Of what he SAYS
we're his dealings with Rosenthal and the
others mentioned ! the murder case. This
communication was accompanied with a
copv OF the argument used by Bourke
Cochran. one of Becker's attorneys, re-
rent,y before United States Supreme
Court Justice Hughes for a writ of error.
Tho latter document was included In the
memoranda sent to the Governor In order
Tint he might know the grounds on which
NJ. cochran sought q writ of error.
The name of the late Timothy d.
sullivan. at the time of the Rosenthnl
affair n State senator. is brought into
Recker's statement at length. Becker
claims that Sullivan had iutervened with
the police in an effort to get permission
for Rosenthal to run his gambling house,
saying he was financially interested in
the house and wanted to help Rosenthal.
Later. after Rosenthal's place was raid
I'd and the latter. being angry began
publishing charges against Becker, Sui
Ivan, according to the statement, called
the police lieutenant In and said that
R~osenthaI must be induced to leave town
because if an inquiry were started It
might reach into election matters a
situation he wished to avoid. This was
not long before the assassination OF
Rosenthal.
Becker says that it is common report
that a sum of money was raised, pre-
sumablY by Rose. from the gamblers to
get Rosenthal away. Rosenthal refused
the sum offered but consented to go for
II larger sum 1t Is said that 1t was for
This larger sum that he WAS waiting at
the Metropole Hotel when he was shot.
Becker adds that If 1t could be shown
hat Rose had been entrusted with n
sum of money to be given Rosenthal it
would shed a flood of light on the whole
transaction and would explain the source
Of S,0O which he admittedly had paid
to the gunner.
The statement is accompanied by a
supplemental document; also framed by
Becker and really a part Of his story,
but revised somewhat by his attorneys,
In this second statement the condemned
man declares at one point that If he is
to die he is as ready now to meet his
tate as he has any reason to think he
ever will be. He adds that there is only
one service that can be rendered him
now, and that is aid in finding evidence
which will establish his innocence.
although it involves the unprece.
dented perhaps some would say prepos-
terous) proceeding of asking his excel
lcncy, Charles S. Whitman, Governor of
the state. to review, reverse and in SONS
respects condemn the conduct of Honor
able Charles S. Whitman. district attor'
ney of New York county, in prosecuting
an Indictment for murder against me
nevertheless that my constitutional right.
IldN ne at ltdSl dSStlltIt / dSh SobA
excellency most respectfully on the rec
ord submitted to Mr.. Justice Hughes II
forbid execution Of the capital sentenc'
pronounced on me.
81 ask your excellency further, in th'
light of certain facts. now disclosed 70
the first time. to forbid my executio,
on the ground that my guilt of thi'
murder is not established so clearly a
- ,,atff,. tha tnlinu of "a human lii
by the public eXecutioner.
Here, sir, let me say that ! do no
ask any indulgence at your hands.
IF | have actually committed tn
crime of which I have been foun'
guilty no criminal ever went to execu
tion more thoroughly deserved of tn
punishment inflicted on him"
Becker explains his association
with Jack Rose by saying that hi
"only interest was in maintainE Rose
usefulness as n stool pigeon" in sccur
ing evidence against gambling house.
He tells Of the partnership existing be
tween Rose and Rosenthal in a gam
bling house until after they had a dif
ference and became enemies. It wa
with this gambling house that Becke
connects the name of Big Tim" Sulli
flF i''' h'l llNhNE ~ CO Niih -
did not understand at any time tina
sullivan was Rosenthal's partner. bu
that the senator simply had loane
RosenthaI money with which to equi
the gambling house.
After Roscnthal's place had heC
closed. tho gambler published an art
Gle charging that Becker was the re-
owner Of a chattel mortgage on Il
gamblers furniture. Becker declar'
that he had little fear or this chars
but that senator sullivan, fearing II
possible results Of Roscnthals can
paign called Becker into a conferen'
which Rose attended, and aid tn
Rosenthal must be induced to lea'
town.
Becker declared that this could n
be done as 1t was necessary to his p
sition in the police department tn
R%osenthal's statements he faced al
be proved. To this Sullivan replied
Where a fire of this kind is star
ed, there is no knowing whore 1t W
reach. Essential has already be-
very close TO me politically and pc
sonaIly. and once inquiries start tn
may reach into election matters. A
secret investigations of elections
grand juries have always been sourc
of great trouble"
Becker replied that so far as he W
concerned Rosenthals disappearan
would be fatal if it would be suspect
that Becker had connived at