New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-28
Never Saw Slayer Ac-
cuser Until Trial,
He Insists
PHONE
TALK TESTIMONY
Ex-Offcial Swears Man
Montimagno Killed Was
Not His Enemy

Michael A. Rofrano, who resigned as
Deputy Street Cleaning Commissioner
while under suspicion in connection
with the murder Of Michael Gaimari
and disappeared for eight months after
his indictment, took the witness stand
yesterday in his fight to escape the
electric chair.
Rofrano, son of a poor Sicilian. VINO
came to New York when he was baby
and worked his way up from a newsboy
and water boy in the Pennsylvania
mines to a place in the official family
of Mayor Mitchell, was quite pale at
first, but in a few minutes recovered
from his nervousness. With a frank
earnestness that compelled the undi-
vided attention of Justice Weeks the
Jury and the entire courtroom, the ac-
cused man told of his life, from pow
ertv 70 2 commanding financial and so
ciai nosition in the Italian colony OF
the lower East Side.
Led by the questions Of Martin "
Littleton. his counsel, Rofrano &c
sc,ibed political conditions in the OLD
ID Assembly District from the time n
fought to break Paddy DIVERS leader
shin up TO his quarrel with Foley IN
1910 He described the formation OF
the Home Rule Democratic Club IN op-
nosition TO Foley's Downtown Tammany
Club. and Of his fight to elect the fusion
ticket in 1918. The witness declared
that he was friendly with Gaimari ana
bore no grudge against him. In theif
own election district, the 7th, Kolraho
soid the fusionists in 1913 defeated
Foley. 2,O to 1s1. In 1914 the distrlc'
was ouiet, and on March 8, l9lo' wheh
caimari was shot, Rofrano said politi-
cal feeling was at low ebo.
Asked if He Had Plotted
In time Rofrano was asked several
times whether he had ever plotted
Caimari's death with Rox Cornell
Frank Fennimore, Gaetano Montimagno'
loo La Sale or Joseph Brondini. Every
,;me while the question was being
carefully framed by Mr.. Littleton' ko-
francis stocky form was bent forward
and his bright black eyes wandered
from, Mr.. Littleton to the jury. Then,
&C he settled back, he smiled-a pc
culiar smile, almost grln-as II ne
might like to laugh the charges Oh MS
accusers out of court.
positively, MOI" was his answer to
each.
"Did YOU ever talk with Montimagn'
under Brooklyn Bridge about killing
Tho Horse as Gaimari was calledF
Mr.. Littleton asked.
"I never saw him before in my life
until ne was brought into this court
room the other day to testify" replied
Rofrano with the same grin. His mar
rer was more impressive when he went
into a detailed account Of his move
ments on Election Day, 1918, in answer
90 Nontimagno's testimony that Ro-
franc that afternoon had handed out
revolvers to him and other members of
Fennimorc's gang in the Home Rule
Club. telling them TO go and use them
II Gaimari's band made any trouble.
He denied the story of the revolvers
and said he had talked in friendly
way that day with Gaimari in the 7th
District.
Is Aided by Checks
His next opportunity to furnish cir
cumstantial defence came when he ex-
plained that he had been paying money
10 Rox Cornell for long period in
1918 and 1914. According to Joe La
Sale, Cornell said Rofrano had been
giving him $50 a week to have Gaimari
murdered. Rofrano, with the aid Of
checks, explained that the payments
Continued on page 8. column S