The sun., 1917-07-03
MURDER CAR DRIVER
NAMES BAFF SLAYER
Terrara. Brought From Death
House, Identifies RizOtti on
witness Stand.
SAYS HE PAID HIM $3.50
Tito. Other Gunman, He
Never Saw After Flight
of the Assassins.
SAYS HE PAID HIM $3.50

Immediately groomed and with pink
polish on his finger nails, a Eangster
stood before Justice 'Tompkins and a
Jury in the Supreme Court yesterday.
where the four defendants are on trial
for the murder OF Barnett Bar. and
trimmed insolently when Frank Ferrara.
sntenced to die in the electric chair. as
driver Of the murder car, identified him
A. being the shorter Of the two gunmen
who fired the shots into the poultry
mans back.
The identification followed the testi-
mony Of Ferrara, who related his jour-
rey with the gunmen to the scene Of the,
killing, telling the names OF the actual
assassins and Identifying their photo
graphs. The police name Of the man
Identified yesterday is Jack Rizotti, but
the witness said he knew him as Charles
Dragnia and his murder partner as
Tito
When Ferrara was called as a wit
ness for the State, having been brought
nom the death house in Sing Sing, and
examined by James O'Malley. he ad-
mitted having been convicted Of COM
picity in the Baff murder and SEN
fenced to death. He answered all ques-
tons with frankness, and later In the
day, when under cross-examination by
Frank Moss counsel for the defence, ad-
mitted with utmost candor his perjury
at former trial when he alleged that
another set Of gunmen were guilty Of
Bars death.
How Car Was Engaged.
Ferrara eaid that the gunman whom
he later identified and knew as Charlie
Bragnia first approached him about the
murder in November, 1914, when he was
employed in the Market Auto Garage, at
i55 East 104th street. Ferrara said he
told him he wanted a closed car to go
down to West Washington Market to
shoot rich poultry dealer and that
there was 5000 in 1t for him. The gun
man, said the witness, told him that
the murder was to be done from the
inside Of the car with a rife equipped
with a silencer.
The witness said he made arrange
ments with a driver he called John to
be ready the following day with a ma
chine. He then testified he met Dragnia
and the other gunman, whom he called
Tito, the following day. Both gunmen
objected because he had brought an
other man with him. Ferrara siIenced
their objections by saying that as they
were going to do the shooting from the
inside OF the car with q noiseless rifle he
wouldn't know anything.
The photographs of the alleged gun
men were then produced by the State
and the convict identified them as the
two men who had met him this day and
gone with him to West Washington
Market After arrival at the market
Ferrara testified. Dragnia left the ma
chine at Tenth avenue and Fourteenth
street and walked west. The taller gun
man remained in the car. Dragnia re-
turned later and all returned to Harlem
without communicating the murder.
How Murder Was Done.
Ferrara said Dragnia came to him
again on November 90. the day before
the murder, and asked him to have the
tpeediest car he could procure ready for
the following day. He met the two gum
men the next day and drove them to
Tenth avenue and Fourteenth street and
then was directed to drive TO Fifteenth
street. opposite the factory OF the Ma
AO'AoA ASAoOuiI company EtOIn Kunmen
left the car and returned fifteen min
utes later, giving him instructions TO
drive them to West Washington Mar
tet, stopping at Thirteenth avenue and
Gansevoort street.
The gunmen left the car and he waited
IN the seat, with engine running, About
Ten minutes later. he said he heard two
shots and saw them running toward his
car Tito, the taller Of the gunner. got
IN nrst, Dragnia jumping on the running
board OF the machine as the car started.
He said he started east. but had diff
Guilty in steering clear Of two trucks
which were coming toward him.
Ferrara took the gunmen back to East
loIth street in Harlem, where he said
tney gave him $12 for the use of his car.
He then drove the machine back to the
garage and handed the money over to
fatsy Gorafola, the owner, who returned
N4s as his commission on the order.
The next time he saw Dragnia, Fer
rara testified, was on Thanksgiving eve,
when boy entered the garage and told
= nm some one wished TO talk to him on
Thlrd avenue. Following the boys in
Hructions. he said he saw DraRnia, who
gave him $3.50, $50 Of which was to pay
me cars owner for a new coat of
paint" Ferrara said he didn't want TO
make trouble for the owner who was
not In the conspiracy. and did not give
MN the money to which he said DraRnia
agreed, saying. "slt tight and II any
uing comes up we win protect you"
Never Saw Tito Again.
The witness said that he saw Dragnka
again, and received another $50 from
MIN in a hallway. The Eunman. the
witness testified, told him to be a good
Iehow and keep your mouth shut as the
papers are printing a lot about this. I'll
Uy and get you some more money"
rerrara testified that he never saw
nitto the taller OF the gunmen, after
the night OF the murder.
At the afternoon session the State
called Thomas Lennon, driver Of one OF
ue automobile trucks, which Ferrara
tesuned he encountered after the shoot
ms when he was getting the murder
car away from the scene. Lennon cor
rooorated Ferrara's testimony, sayina
ne saw the car waiting for the gunrnen
and witnessed the murderers getting into
atter the shooting, but when Rizzotti
was brought before him was unable to
TIehtlry him. When Mr. Moss opened
s battery OF questions in the cross.
,amlnation OF Ferrara, he was mercl.
Iees, asking the witness whether he had
offered TO testify for the State because
ne thought he might have his death
penalty commuted. Ferrara, withou,
any attempt at the dramatic. said ht
noped that his testifyinE to the truth
YOU'D help him, but that he left 1,
10 God Almighty"
Mr, Moss then read 10 the witness ths
Topographic record of his testimony a,
ms own trial. In placing the blame fol
we conception and execution Of ths