New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-13
MURDER OF RIVAL
LAID TO ROFRANO
La Sale Accuses Him OF
Wanting Giamari's
Lights Put Out"

Michael A. Rofrsno, former Deputy
Street Cleaning Commissioner. was d.
rectly accused at his trial yesterday OF
instigsting the murder Of Michael
Gismari, his political rival In the "a
Assembly District Joseph La Sale, one
Of the murder conspirators. went even
further in duplicating Rofrano than
when he testified against Gaetano
Montimagno, the actual slayer OF
Giamari.
Referring to telephone messages to
Rofrano in the Municipal Building from
the home Of Rox Cornell, in New
Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn, where, it is
alleged, the plot was Matched, La Sale
said:
"Rox called the Municipal Building
and said: We'll, we've got this Fellow
Montimagno over here and we got nm
stiffened up He said TO the man on the
other end Of the wire: Bring over the
rnonev-we need il. This is our chance
10 get "The Horse" (Giamari) out OF
the way
after talking with Rofrano over the
telephone" continued La Sale, Kox
;old Frank Fennimore Rotrano SAID the
only way 70 get any money was 70 put
Giamari's lights out. Once The horse
is dead we can get all the money we
want, he said
Phone Talks Discussed
La Sale explained sometimes NIKE
Campbell answered the telephone IN
Pofrano's Office. Martin W. Littleton,
counsel for the defendant, objected 70
the testimony about conversations with
Pofrano on the ground that there was
no proof that the ex-city official was ct
the other end Of the wire. The prosecu-
ton will produce telephone Slips 10
prove the calls were made as La sane
says. a,
Rofrano discussed the killing OF The
Horse" with Cornell and Fennlmore IN
the Home Rule Democratic Ciub, IN
Madison Street, on several occasions be
fore Wavor Mitchel's election, in 1915,
and later. in 1914, La Sale testified.
"Once. when Rofrano was alone with
me in his private Office III the CLUB
house. he saws: What's the matter Win
Ron and Fennimore? They've been after
.Tbe Horse" and they can't get NM
I've been giving Rox $50 week for
year and a half" La Sale swore.
During La Salle's cross-examinationi
Nr Tittieton turned upon him, asking II
Ie had taken any cocaine during the
afternoon recess. La Sale insisted
he had not and Justice Weeks, who
regarded Mr.. Littleton's question as q
reflection on the convicts guard, loon
La Sale TO his chambers In the pres
ence Of Mr.. Littleton and had MN
searched, but no narcotic was iounu
on him After that Mr.. Littleton vain
w strove 10 wiring an admission from
La Sale that ne was an habitusi user
Of cocaine and heroin.
Tells OF Gambling Feud.
Testimony in support Of the theory
of the defence that Giamarl was sho'
70 please Fennimore, one OF his gam
bling rivals, was given ate yesteIqa!
bv La Sale after he admitted tha'
since AL and John ("Buster') Glamari'
brothers Of the murdered man, were
acquitted Of murder charge IN isl4,
Cornell and Fennimore were opllged
TO stay in Brooklyn.
Bit by bit La Sale unwillingly ad-
nnitted that Fennimore ran q gambling
house at SO Madison Street before
"The Horse" was stabbed in December,
1918. There was a rival house at Al
Oliver Street, he added, but he said
he didn't know "The Horse" ran it.
He insisted that the feud between
Giamari and Fennimore began before
the election in 1918 and was caused
when Fennimore and Rox Cornell
Joined Rofrano's Home Rule Club.
1.-The Horse promised il Rofrano
would get the principal witness against
Al and Buster Giamari TO change his
story and acquit them he'd bring 100
members into the Home Rule Club
La Sale testified. ale didn't keep his
word and Rofrano said to me and Fen
nimore and Cornell that The Horse
put one over on him and that Rox and
Fennimore must get him.
"Rofrano criticised Tom Foley 80
much that he said he could almost 60
out and get him himself II 1t wasn't
that Foley was so old" the witness
testified.
The trial will continue to-day