New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-11
R0FRANO CALLED
VILLAIN
Ex-OfhciaI Scored by AS
SiStant Prosecutor in
Summing Up

Silence filled the courtroom yester-
day afternoon, when Assistant District
Attorney Brothers began his long sum-
ming up Of the evidence against Mich
ael A. Rofrano on trial, charged with
procuring the murder of Michael Ga
mari.
The prosecutor, referring to the ac-
cused man as a "shrewd, calculating
villain" repeatedly asked the jurors il
they believed that Rofrano, if he were
innocent, with Mayor Mitchell and other
city officials as his friends, would have
run away for eight months because he
was being Framed up" by four or
five miserable gunner.
With his intimate knowledge of the
case, gathered after nearly two years
connection with it in the District At
torney's Office. Mr.. Brothers, step by
step, took up all the assaults made
upon the prosecutors staff by Martin
W. Littleton, counsel for the former
Deputy Street Cleaning Commissioner,
who, in his address to the jury, said
ex-District Attorney Perkins had
wanted Mayor Mitchell to discharge
Rofrano, so his murderous accusers
would be more ready to commit per-
jury against him.
"Vile WheIps" His Pawns
These men whom Mr.. Lttleton calls
vile murderous whelps, who have
turned against the defendant, were his
political pawns in the I'd Assembly
District" said Mr.. Brothers. "Why
have they turned against him? Be-
cause Rofrano had boosted that his in
fuence was so great that he could get
them out of trouble if they were
caught after the murder. And Ro-
franc nearly got away with it.
these fellows, knowing they were
trapped and would be punished, began
asking themselves: why should we
go to the chair, or rot in prison all
our lives while Rofrano rides around in
city automobiles The Lord knows ne
did try TO help them, but it was of no
avail.
"Montimagno, the assassin, comes
here in the shadow Of the electric
chair He doesn't have to implicatc
Refrano in this crime. II it is commu
tation of sentence that he is looking
for, he doesn't have to implicate any
one but Joe Brondini, who is awaiting
trial as an accomplice. He is in an
awful predicament and must tell the
truth. | even doubt whether Governor
Whitman will be moved to save him
from the chair If Rofrano is convicted.
"The defence has utterly failed to
show that Montimagno has received
even hint of promise OF reward Tor
his testimony"
Dissects Rofrano's Alibis
Mr.. Brothers then dissected the alibis
Rofrano has entered in answer to the
discriminating telephone slips showing
calls between Rox Cornelfs fiat, IN
Brooklyn, and the defendants Office, in
the Municipal Building. He insinuated
that the testimony of Borough Presi-
dent Connolly of Queens. who said he
saw Rofrano in Albany on one of the
telephone dates, would not bear close
inspection.
"Why is it that this man is so fever
ish in h5 desire to get away from every
one of those half dozen telephone
calls ?" he continued. "He is always
away somewhere from his Office, yet
you'd think to hear him tell it that he
was doing the whole work of the Street
Cleaning Department.
IF these four gunner were lying,
why did he leave the city and his friend
Mayor Mitchell and Justice Freschi for
eight months? Do you think that was
the act of an innocent man? Are limo
cent men afraid of frsme-ups? And
why does he absolutely refuse TO tell
where he was all that time? Isn't it Il
fact that he is afraid 70 because he
knows we would then be able to get
some one here who would have 10 tell
something about him that would fastcn
upon him the guilt that is his y
Says Hatred Was Great
Mr.. Brothers declared that Rofrsno's
hatred Of ex-Sheriff Tom Foley and OF
his right-hand man, Gaimari, was so
great that when Joe La Sale was being