Kings of New York cover art

Kings of New York

Kings of New York

By: Alissa & Annie
Listen for free

About this listen

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.Kings of New York Podcast 2022 Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • Chapter 6: R + V + S + W
    Jan 23 2024

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Chapter 5: Sen. "Big" Tim Sullivan
    Dec 18 2023

    "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.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Chapter 4: The Lenox Gang & The Plot
    Oct 1 2023

    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?

    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.