On July 15, 1912, gambler Herman Rosenthal was gunned down outside of Hotel Metropole in New York City. His murder was "the crime of the century", setting off a chain reaction among politicians and criminals, while sending police lieutenant Charles Becker to the electric chair for having orchestrated it.
110 years later, hosts Alissa and Annie aim to prove Lt. Becker's innocence as they explore new evidence.
There were four men who waked away relatively unscathed from the Becker-Rosenthal Affair, even though they were arguably most complicit in the murder. All four took a plea deal in exchange for their perjured testimony on the stand against Lt. Becker and the four "Shooters" from the Lenox Gang.
Jack Rose, Harry Vallon, Sam Schepps, and Bridgey Webber were all deeply involved in the Tenderloin gambling and prostitution scene. They all knew one another from childhood, and would do anything and everything to save themselves and their friends, even at the cost of condemning others to an unjust execution.
In Chapter 6, we hit our point of frustration and futility with this story, while discussing these four stool pigeons.
18 Dec 2023
Chapter 5: Sen. "Big" Tim Sullivan
"Becker said that he was being sacrificed for his friends"
In this chapter, we introduce Senator "Big" Tim Sullivan - a prominent Tammany Hall politician with deep roots in the Bowery. The Patron Saint of immigrant masses and every imaginable illicit activity alike, he was beloved yet corrupt beyond measure.
Mentor to the murdered Herman Rosenthal and a friend to Lt. Becker, Sen. Sullivan comfortably existed in both worlds and perhaps linked them in more ways than we know.
He was perhaps the only person who could have saved Becker from the electric chair, had he not met his own untimely (yet convenient for some) demise.
WARNING: some descriptions of crime scenes and dismemberment.
1 Oct 2023
Chapter 4: The Lenox Gang & The Plot
In this chapter Annie and Alissa talk about the four shooters that were sent to the electric chair for directly carrying out the murder of Herman Rosenthal. Whitey Lewis, Dago Frank, Lefty Louie, and Gyp the Blood were all members of Jack Zelig's Lenox Gang and professional gunmen. Like Becker, they maintained that they were innocent up until their last moments prior to their executions. Court records, newspaper articles, and original documents don't line up either...so did they do it or did they too take the fall for someone else?
1 Sept 2023
Chapter 3: Charles Becker
We dive into the life of Lt. Charles Becker, the alleged mastermind behind Herman Rosenthal's murder. Just like any human being, Lt. Becker was a complicated person with his own demons driving him to bend the law in his favour, give into the temptation of graft, and ultimately overdraw his hand. He stepped into power when the perfect storm of political and police reform left little oversight on his activities, giving him free reign over New York's Tenderloin district with the System to back him up.
1 Sept 2023
Our Fancy New Intro!
110 years in the making, this podcast takes a fresh look at the Becker-Rosenthal murder trial of 1912.
Our intro and teaser trailer features the marvelous voiceover by Marc-L. Porter to really set the scene for the Trial of the Century. Background audio track by Sunshine Music. (https://www.shutterstock.com/music/search?artist=sunshine-music)
18 Aug 2022
Chapter 2: Herman Rosenthal
We take a closer look at the life and shenanigans of Herman Rosenthal - newsboy, bookie, gambler, and pimp - he tried his hand at just about everything.
17 Jul 2022
Chapter 1: Goodbye. Herman
In our very first episode and recording attempt, Alissa and Annie introduce you to the Becker-Rosenthal Affair of 1912 and its the cast of characters.
17 Jul 2022
Teaser Trailer
110 years in the making, this podcast takes a fresh look at the Becker-Rosenthal affair of 1912.
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Spotify
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
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