New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-11-06

Tut ROtHStelH, Oh int WllHeS8 8tAuu
was uncommunicative.
S1Dcnce Characteristic
His silence was characteristic. He
was never voauble about the init.
mate details Of his life. His exact
age was not known. He has said
he would be ~ years but he looked
ten years younger.
The son of prosperous New York
cotton goods merchant he learned
playing billiards with his fathers
employees that he could pick UP
money easier that way than b,
working for it. He gravitated to the
race track and then took up other
forms OF gambling.
Early in life. he achieved the
reputation of being = square shoot
err his formula was: "Don't
think you can get rich by being
crooked. 1t takes brains to get rich
In the years that followed. Roth
stein handled big sums of money
his wealth and his fame increased
Former Mayor John F. Hylan, iE
one OF his political campaigns, dub.
bed him THE King of the Pc OIL
rooms"
Worth Millions
As his wealth increased. he reach.
ed out for substantial Investments
He owned hotel in Seventy-See md
street, valued at $e,oOO,000. end
other real estate. Altogether 1t was
estimated he was worth several mil
lion dollars.
In bed at the Polytechnic hos
pital he lived on even after the doc
tors had despaired Of his life. Some
blood other than his own beat In
his wrists, watched so closely by the
doctors. But they admitted that
those long years when he said No
thanks" az the drinks were passed
around, were responsible for hts liv-
ing as long as he did.
Then, helping him too, was the
iron nerve which carried him
through from the room in the Park
Central hotel where a pistol was the
answer to his refusal to pay a quar-
ter million gambling debt, to the
lobby and a quiet request that a
hall boy Call q cab"
He's no sQuealer either, this lone
wolf of the gambling pack.
You know me better than that
Paddy" he told Detective Patrick
Flood of the white light district
when he-was questioned as to whose
finger pulled the trigger.
Working without his aid the police
have reconstructed what they believe
is the story of what led up to the
shooting and the actual scene in the
room in the Park Central when
Rothstein walked in Sunday night in
response to a telephone call.
Early in September six men gath
cred in an apartment in the West
tifties. There were Rothstein, George
Hump McManus. Niger Nate
Raymond of San Francisco, Meyer
Boston from the Hub. Max and
Dude, and u man known only as
Titanic" who came east from Chi
cago with the reputation of q
plunger.
Stud Poker
The game was stud poker, one
card face down, four up. the most
Iethal of all varieties Of card games
where money is at stake. Betting
began gently, 500. a century. being
standard. 1t rose as the hours went
on to $1,000, a grand. But the luck
was even, the others drank, smoked,
swore softly. Rothstein smiled, said
No thanks" spoke little and then
ohly in soft purr as he made his
bets. But he was impatient.
Thousand on Spade
"A thousand hold higher spade
than you, Titanic" he said softly.
Done" He won.
The game had started early in the
evening. Dawn came, day passed
the night came down. Still the
game went on. 1t was 6 o'clock on
the second morning when Rothstein
stood up. For how much have you
boys taken me?" he asked. No
money had passed hands. only
up to now. They fig
ured it at close to 100000.
Turns Crooked
That's about $4,000 in stakes
and the rest in side bets" he said.
He paid them what he had, about
$4,000 it was rumored, and then.
still softly told them the high
spade" turns were crooked, that
they could whistle for their money.
He hired two bodyguards. Then
two more. His creditors of the game
became insistent. Then things SEEM
ed to settle down.
The bodyguards became irksome.
He dismissed them
Sunday night he was sitting at the
corner table in Lindy's restaurant at
Fiftieth street and Broadway, a table
always reserved for him when
telephone call came.
"Mc Manus wants me over at the
Park Central" he said. A few mo-
ments later he staggered down the
stairs at the hotel bullet hole in
his side.
Whiskey Bottles
Tn a room at the hotel police
found two whiskey bottles, one half
full, several glasses, an overcoas
with McManus' name in the pocket,
There was a hole in the screen.
Outside in the street the gun had
been found. a warm cartridge in its
chamber.
One man was picked up last night
and questioned. Some say it was
Niger Nate" Broadway heard
that McManUs sent word to the
police he would go to headquarters
if Rothstein died. What that means
no one would say. although It was
Whispered that McManus had been
trying to act as peacemaker. That
he was Rothsteins friend. HE
knows who shot Rothst Elm and will
tell if he dies say the whispers.
Friends Of Rothstein say he wasn't
the fixer of the world series Of 1919,
4 l.. l.