Newspaper Page Text
GRACE’S MOTHER TESTIFIES FOR HIM
the weather
Forecast for Atlanta and Georgia:
Fair today; showers tomorrow.
VOL. X. NO. 262.
WE LIEUT.
MEDFOR
GUMULEU'S
SUMS
Becker Arrested and Arraigned
on the Charge of Directing
Killing of Rosenthal.
THREE SUSPECTS WILL GET
IMMUNITY FOR CONFESSION
Prosecutor Now Hints at Trac
ing Responsibility to Officials
Still “Higher Up.”
NEW YORK, July 30.—Complete ex
posure of a graft system in which the
police have blackmailed gamblers and
other law-breakers and have protected
them in turn, was promised today as a
result of the Indictment and arrest of
Lieutenant Charles A. Becker on the
charge of planning and ordering the
murder of Herman Rosenthal, the in
former who was killed two weeks ago
In front of the Metropole hotel.
District Attorney Whitman is confi
dent that he will be able to fix the
crime on Becker as a result of confes
sions made by "Jack” Rose, who ad
mitted that he had been Becker's col
lector; Louis Webber, the gambler, and
Harry Vallon. the East Side gang
leader.
Thev named ttkrty Horowitz, Crank
Muller, alias "Whitey Jack" Lewis;
Louis Rosenzweig, alias “Left Louis,
and "Dago Frank” Cicerio. as the ac
tual murderers. The last named is the
only one in custody. Becker is in the
Tombs on a charge of murder in the
first degree, while every possible effort
is being made to trace the other three
men accused of firing the shots that
killed Rosenthal.
Rosenthal was assissinated just m
time to preyent him testifying before
the grand jury concerning the alliance
between the gamblers and the police
and concerning the personal alliance
between Becker and Rosenthal in one
gambling house.
"Becker Personally
Managed Killing.”
in their confessions. Rose, Webber
and Vallon declared Becker set the
stage for the murder and personally
managed its details. Each swore he
acted at the repeated direction of
Recker, and that Becker both before
and after the crime assured them of
protection.
Three men gave to District Attorney
Whitman the complete chain of facts
leading up to the asslssination. And in
doing so they’ paved the way to the
most remarkable exposition of graft
that has ever been known.
All of the statements lead to men
higher up in the official scale than
Becker. They caused District Attorney
Whitman to state that he was no
longer concerned for the little fish, but
was determined to get the bigger men
who were responsible for the direction
of Becker. The three men told the dis
trict attorney how they’ decided that
Rosenthal must die and how, in detail.
Rose became the stage manager of the
crime, with Webber acting as the man
with the bank roll.
They told how services of big
Jack Zelig's red-handed murder band
had been called in to carry’ out Beck
ers sentence of death, and how the
whole startling crime had been com
mitted under the threat from Becker
’oat if the gamblers did not murder
Rosenthal, Becker would send them to
prison under “framed up" charges.
For the telling of the murder story,
R' se, Webber and Vallon will get im
munity, They were called as witnesses
and testified before the grand jury,
liich was called In extraordinary ses
>on last night to indict Becker.
Three Men Guarded
Through the Night.
-'ll night long Rose, Webber and
' alien camped In the office of Hugh
Byrne, secretary to District Attorney
a hitman. Detectives Leigh and Russo,
"Itli Process Servers Kling and Zinn.
'>ok turns guarding them. There was
no sleep for Webber. Intensely nerv
°us by nature, the man sat In a chair
R nd smoked cigarette after cigarette,
llornately weeping, wiping his fo-er
"I frith a huge handker.nlef and
faring vacantly into space. At that
'aid that it was the first good night
h’. had posed in weeks
The Atlanta Georgian
mohmohfot
IN Jill FOB
SHOT FBW
CHURCH
Leader of Haralson County
Clan Alleged to Have Fired
on Wofford Sanders.
BULLET GRAZES HEAD
OF YOUNG MAN’S SISTER
•
Feeling Against Mormonism Is
Said to Have Led to Shoot
ing-Church Burned.
BUCHANAN, GA., July 30.—Charged
with having fired two shots from the
Mormon church, four miles north of
Buchanan, in an effort to kill Wofford
Sanders, son of a wealthy’ Haralson
county’ farmer, W. F. C. Brannon, a
well-to-do farmer of that section, has
been arrested and brought to Jail here.
The shooting took place at night
while Sanders, with his sister and sev
eral other young people, were return
ing home from an ice cream supper.
One shot wounded Sanders’ mule and
another barely grazed his sister’s head.
Sheriff Parker, who was summoned,
arrested Brannon and four companions
in a thicket near the church.
The shooting is said to be the result
of feeling in thia section against the
Mormon church. Several months ago
the Mormon house of worship was
burned. Recently a new concrete struc
ture replaced it. Brannon, a leader of
the Mormon clan, is said to have kept
nightly guard over the new church.
FOREIGNRISK FIRMS
FIGHT BILL TO KEEP
FUNDS IN GEORGIA
A hot fight is being waged before the
bouse judiciary’ committee over the bill
of Senator Mann, which provides that
all life insurance companies doing
business in this state shall invest at
least 35 per cent of their state premium
income in Georgia securities.
The hearing yesterday’
afternoon was continued over until this
afternoon, and it may run over into
Wednesday.
This bill is being supported generally
and vigorously by the Georgia compa
nies, and is being fought with consid
erable bitterness by some out-of-the
state companies.
The bill already’ has passed the sen
ate. and upon the report of the house
committee depends its ultimate fate.
YOUNG ATLANTAN IS
DROWNED IN ETOWAH
RIVER AT KINGSTON
Frank Woodruff, of Atlanta, was
drowned yesterday as he waded out to
a fish trap in the Etowah river, two
miles from Kingston, Ga. The body
had not been recovered this morning.
Woodruff, a son of W. W. Woodruff,
well known formerly’ as an expert box
er, disappeared under the water while
a friend waded ahead of him. When
his companion looked around he was
gone and a hurried trip back to the
camp where they were stopping with a
party of friends confirmed his fears.
The widow of the victim and his
mother were prostrated by the tragedy.
Mr. Woodruff's father left for Kingston
today.
FIRST BALE OF 1912
COTTON RECEIVED AT
SAVANNAH EXCHANGE
SAVANNAH. GA., July 30.—The first
new bale of cotton for the season
raised in Georgia was received here to
day by’ the Heyward-Williams Com
pany and was Immediately sold at pub
lic auction before the entrance to the
cotton exchange. The bale was grown
and ginned by A. P. Petway, operating
the Petway seed farm at Eastman.
This bale is four days behind the first
arrival for the season of 1911, but five
days earlier than the first bale of 1910.
The earliest bale yet received came in
on July 18, 1908.
eightUonvicts sentenced.
PERRY. GA.. July 30. —Eight prison
ers have been convicted and sentenced
to work in Houston county chaingang
by the city court this month. All con
victions for selling whisky and larceny
from the house get sentences without
fines.
Read For Profit —GEORGIAN WANT ADS —Use For Results
ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, JULY 30. 1912.
MRS. GRACE, CONFIDENT, LEAVING HOME
Photographed by a Georgian Photographer.
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NEW MIKADO DN
JWS THRONE
Yoshohito Takes Oath, Suc
ceeding His Dead Father.
Progressives to Front.
TOKIO, JAPAN. July.3o.—Yoshohito,
the new emperor of Japan, took the
oath of office this afternoon as succes
sor to his father, Mutsuhito. The sol
emn ceremony, in which the young
ruler swore to uphold the glory of the
ancient empire, was performed in the
throne room of the palace. Earlier in
the day the religious ceremonies con
nected with his accession to the throne
were held in the Imperia Shinto sanc
tuary.
The voice of the emperor broke as
he took the solemn vow to perform the
duties which the death of his father
had imposed on him, and there were
tears in the eyes of the privy council
and cabinet members. The oath was
administered by Prince Aritomo Yama.
gata, president of the privy council,
who had worked practically all his life
time with the late emperor.
While the envoys were calling at the
palace the cabinet held a conference
and decided to call a special session of
the parliament.
There is expected to be no change
of the policy of the new ruler. The
progressive leaders, who have been
checked by their love and respect for
Mutushito, will now force their ideas
to the front and try to overthrow the
established order of things.
The body of the late emperor lay to
day in the room in which he died,
guarded by Shinto priests. It will be
embalmed and laid In a temporary vault
foi* a month, and then taken to Kioto
for burial. The coronation ceremonies
| for Yoshohito will be held at Kioto in
June. 1913, according to present plans.
OROZCO ADMITS HE
ISSUED ORDERS TO
DISARM AMERICANS
EL PASO. TEXAS, July 30.—General
Pasquel Orozco, head of the Mexican
revolution, has admitted that he issued
the orders which have resulted in tak
ing arms from hundreds of Americans
in northern Mexico. The order was is
su< d. according to the rebel chief, be
cause the United States shut off the
supply of arms and ammunition for the
rebel forces that was being transported
across the international border.
If the United States had permitted
him to import supplies of ammunition,
he asserted, he would have agreed to
protect Americans, but without arms
and cartridges he could not keep such
a guarantee.
The arms seized by the rebels have
been for the most part from members of
the Mormon colonies. »
WOODMEN PLEDGED
TO KEEP SHOOTING IN
LODGE ROOM SECRET
ANDERSON, S. <’., July 30.—The
members of Eriendship lodge, Woodmen
of the World, in whose hall S. Milton
Taylor was fatally wounded Friday
night by Furman Bagwell, had pledged
themselves to keep the affair a secret.
"We were not going to say anything
about it," said a member; "but since it
has leaked out we do not deny it ”
The members of the lodge feared the
incident would hurt the order, and they
went at once to prominent Woodmen
residing in this city, among them for
mer Adjutant General M. L. Bonham,
and asked their opinion about it. In
the meantime the newspaper men ob
tained the facts in the case and it be
came public property.
It is stated that the blank cartridge
portion of the Woodmen's initiations
will likely be abolished as a result of
the Anderson county incident.
The first case of its kind ever brought
in this state was begun today when
steps were taken to place Bagwell un
der arrest.
Although the body has been interred
and no inquest held, investigation of
the case was begun today by the coro
ner and a warrant will be issued later
in the day.
The coroner went directly against the
laws of this state when he yielded to
the request of Taylor's father not to
hold an inquest hete.
HOOSE IN FAVOR
OF MILEAGE BILL
Committee Reports Against
Three-Fourths Jury Verdict
and Indictment Measure.
The railroad committee has reported
favorably to the house the bill of Rep
resentative Watts, of Randolph, re
quiring railroads in this, state to "pull”
mileage on trains.
The general judiciary committee has
reported unfavorably the bill of Mr.
McElreath. of Fulton, providing that
three-fourths of a civil jury may return
a verdict in certain cases; the bill of
Mr. Massengale, of Warren, to prescribe
the measure of damages for failure to
deliver telegrams, and the bill of Mr.
White, of Screven, to provide for
amendments to bills of indictment and
special presentments of grand Juries.
The bill of the Fulton delegation
which provides for closing the Forsyth
street underpass likely will be re|x>rted
favorably from the commltte on muni
cipal government, notwithstanding the
opposition of Mr. Hall, of Bibb, who
blocked a report late yesterday after
noon.
The bill to provide for the annexa
tion of Ormewood to the city of Atlanta
has been set as a special order for
Wednesday afternoon.
EATONTON WOMAN HURT
IN AUTOMOBILE WRECK
EATONTON, GA., July 30.—While
returning from an outing at Oconee
Springs, about fifteen miles east of
this place, the auto of 1. K Norman be
came unmanageable in climbing a steep
hill and backed into an embankment,
painfully injuring Mrs. Norman. The
other occupants of the car, Dr. ami
Mis. Frank E. Hearn and Miss Marie
Kerr, jumped from the machine before
the smash-up occurred. Mrs Norman
was pinioned between the car and the
embankment and was severely bruised
before relief could be had.
MBS.GRACESAIDNEGRD
SHOT GAME, IF ME
DIO, ASSERTS KBS. BILL
Jury Listens Intently to Her Graphic
Story, Told in Soft, Soothing- Tones.
Mrs. Grace Said Gene Had Threat
ened to Whip Servant--Wounded
Man in Court Again on Stretcher.
In the soft soothing tones she might have used comforting the
son who lay helpless on a stretcher a few feet from her, Mrs. S. L.
Hill, the sweet-faced mother of Eugene H. Grace, told the jury in
Judge Roan’s court today the story Mrs. Daisy Grace told her after
the shooting which led to the wife’s arrest.
‘‘Mrs. Grace declared that if any one had shot ’Gene it was J. C.
(meaning Ruffin, the wounded man’s negro servant),” said Mrs. Hill.
The jury leaned forward, in
tense interest written on every
face, as the little woman, pleasant
faced and pleasant spoken, told
her graphic story. She said that
Mrs. (I race had to hi her Eugene
and Ruffin had quarreled. ’Gene
had threatened to whip the negro
within an inch of his life if he ever
beat his wife. Martha, again.
Mrs. Grace Dressed
In Black Today.
Mrs, Grace entered the roqm at 8:55
o’clock, accompanied, as on yesterday,
by ('. W. Burke, a private detective.
She wore a large white panama hat
with a black velvet ribbon around it.
Her dress was of black silk, with low
shoes to match. Diamonds flashed in
her ears. A bracelet with the Insignia
of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity
was oh her left wrist. She wore white
silk gloves and wielded a palm leaf fan
vigorously. Her face wore the marks
of the long ordeal she had gone through
the day before. She took her seat so
that her back would be turned toward
the spot which Grace’s cot had occu
pied on the previous day.
"Oh, yes; I slept very well last night,"
she said. "No; I'm not worried a bit.
Os course, one's nerves suffer under
the strain of such a day. But the heat
was the worst of all. There never was
such awful heat before.”
Grace was borne into the court room
at 9:22 o’clock and placed In the same
position as on yesterday, looking to
ward the jury and away from his wife's
seat. Mrs. Grace had retired from the
room for the recess and was not pres
ent when her husband was borne into
the room.
Mrs. Grace came In a moment later,
but did not glance toward her husband.
Hamilton Hill, Grace’s half-brother,
who was on the stand when the case
closed for the first day, was not present
when called today. Neither was Mrs.
Lewis Hill, and the officers of the court
explained that the train from Newnan
was late and the witnesses would be
heard later. It was then decided to
take a recess for a few minutes, and
the jury was sent back to its room for
the Interim.
Hamilton Hill Again
On Witness Stand.
At 9:30 o’clock the court was again
called to order and Hamilton Hill re
sumed the witness stand. The crowd
was giving a great deal of trouble to
the attorneys. Mr. Rosser Insisted that
spectators be moved away from the
jury.
Mr. Rosser resumed his cross-exami
nation of young Hill relative to the
home life of the Graces.
Pistol Mrs. Grace
Gave Boy Shown.
The tiny pistol which Mrs. Grace
gave the boy at Newnan. Just before
her return to Atlanta on receipt of the
news that Grace was shot was pro
duced again. Mr. Rosser called it a
"sparrow gun,” but the boy Insisted
he never shot sparrows and knew little
about guns. He said Mrs. Grace gave
him the little pistol in the presence of
his mother and several others, with no
effort at concealment, saying It made
her satchel too full. It was wrapped
up in a handkerchief. The boy was
evidently very antagonistic toward Mrs.
Grace and whenever an opportunity
arose he made his answers as unfavor
able toward her as the facts permitted.
Whether or not Mrs Grace's hand
satchel was really too full to hold the
pistol easily became the basis of a dis.
pute, Mr. Rosser trying to draw from
the boy his admission that he did not
know what was in the satchel. If it
could be shown that there was room in
• the bag so: the pistol the state would
IXTRA
2 uCNTS EVERYWHERE |^V O
use the fact that Mrs. Grace got rid of
the weapon »to show that she feared ar
rest and thought the pistol would be
evidence against her, though It had nut
been fired.
The boy said he returned to Atlanta
with Mrs. Grace and his mother and
went to the police station.
On continuous questioning the boy
said he couldn’t exactly describe the
condition of the satchel. It wasn’t
bulged out, it was flat. The boy ’’didn’t
think” it was too full to hold the pistol.
The boy retained his self-possession
throughout the gruelling fire of ques
tions.
Grace’s Mother
Takes the Stand.
Mrs. S. L. Hill, the mother of Eugene
Grace, next took the stand. She wore a
flower-covered straw hat, a white shirt
waist, black gloves and a gray skirt.
Mrs. Hill is a sweet-looking, pleasant
faced woman, with a soft voice and a
quiet manner.
Mrs. Hill told of Mrs. Grace's arrival
at Newnan on March 5.
Mrs. Hill had told Mrs. Grace that
Grace had shot hfmeelf accidently.
“If Any One Shot Him
It Was J. C„ ’’ Said Mrs. Grace.
“It’s not so,” said Mrs. Grace, ac
cording to the witness. "If anybody
shot him it was J. C. (referring to the
negro, J. C. Ruffin), They had a quar
rel yesterday and J. C. hurt Martha,
his wife. Gene told him If he ever
beat Martha again he (Grace) would
beat him within an inch of his life,
“Daisy said Gene had been ill and
she had given him some Rodway's
ready relief. He had complained of
feeling numb, she said.
"Daisy answered the phone several
times that day. Whenever it rang she
went and answered it. When my broth,
er gave me the news that Gene was
conscious in St. Josephs hospital I told
Daisy.
“ 'How could he be conscious when
he is shot through the lungs?’ Daisy
asked. Then she asked me how far the
lungs were from the heart.
“When Daisy heard the doors had
been broken in she said: 'lt will take
money to fix those doors.’
"When she heard the crowd had gone
through the bath room she said: ‘I left
some soiled clothes In that bath room.’
"Daisy was coming back to Atlanta
on the next Friday, If Gene had not
been shot. She had planned to give me
a little tea here. I had also planned a
little affair.”
“Mrs. Grace Expected
To Find Him Dead.”
"We expect to show your honor,” said
Mr. Dorsey, “that his woman, Mrs.
Grace, had expected to come back to
Atlanta on Friday with the mother of
the man she had shot, expecting they
would find him dead in the house, and
that she had taken the precaution to
provide herself with a black mourning
dress."
The declaration followed an attempt
to gaJn information from Mrs. Hill rel
ative to this black dress. Mrs. Hill did
not remember the conversation.
Same Curious Faces
Peer Over Rail.
The second day of the trial was a
replica of the first so far as the crowds
were concerned.
The same anxious, strained faces
peered over the rail and Into the dock—
the same little shivering women were
crowded against the wall and away
from al! sight and sound; the same
hectic fa> es of young girls bobbqd in
and out in the audience. ,
The personnel of the crowd ha<
changed somewhat, but the same typ* M
were there. A mathematical deput)
sheriff counted 140 spectators, over and