White Slaver's Sentence Is Five Years
Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, April 23, 1915
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[Note: Mention is made of an arson case associated with this story. This has been previously posted to this blog and can be found at the following link. Posted Sept. 26, 2016]
https://smdlocalhistoryblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/charles-griffin-alias-bartolo-taranto.html
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Rocco Rose was found guilty by the jury in Federal court in Syracuse [Onondaga Co. NY] late Tuesday afternoon and was sentenced by Judge Ray to five years' imprisonment in the Federal prison at Atlanta.
Local Interest in Trial
The case was started before Judge Ray on Friday of last week and has consumed a large portion of the time this week, both the government and the defense swearing a number of witnesses in support of their contentions. Although the only local bearing the case has had is through the arson investigation, the interest in it has been very keen. It was through Annie Millar's statements that the people's investigation of the Griffin fire was terminated so quickly and successfully and her alleged mistreatment by Rocco Rose aroused the sympathy of the public officials as well as the general public.
A Syracuse exchange carries the following story of the finish of the trial on Tuesday.
Alleged Inhuman Treatment
"Declaring that he had been subjected to inhuman treatment in the jail at Norwich, Rocco Rose an alleged white slaver, took the stand in his own behalf in Federal court Monday afternoon. The young Italian swore that he had been brutally handled by Detective Quinn, one of the officers who investigated the Norwich arson case.
Rose said that the officer assaulted him several times, once striking him in the side of the face with such force that blood appeared. He said that the officer handcuffed him to a chair and then poured liquor from a bottle, at the same time threatening to kill him if he did not sign a confession.
Quinn Was a Witness
George B. Quinn to whom Attorney Lee referred frequently during the questioning of the jurors at the opening of the trial, asking if any of the salesmen had ever heard of George B. Quinn, sometime known as Benjamin Donovan, an alleged detective, appeared in court Tuesday morning and was placed on the stand by District Attorney Cregg. During his cross-examination Attorney Lee went deep into the past of the witness in an effort to find ground for having his evidence thrown out.
Quinn testified that he was employed by the city of Norwich as a detective and that prior to the time he went to Norwich was employed by a detective agency. Efforts to produce evidence that Quinn struck Rose, as had been charged or had had him handcuffed to a chair, failed, except in so far as Quinn admitted he had struck the defendant twice with the palm of his hand because he had called him names. He denied that he ever threatened the prisoner's life or had handcuffed him to a chair.
With reference to his being known as Benjamin Donovan, Quinn said that it was upon the occasion of his being assigned to a murder case and that he had assumed the name for that time on the advice of his employer.
Mayor Berry Testifies
The government called former Mayor Silas W. Berry of Norwich and he told of being present when Rose's statement was taken. He said that his term as mayor expired January 1st, but that he had been retained by the Common Council of Norwich to prosecute the arson cases.
Mayor Berry Testified that the statement was secured from Rose without the use of undue influence. The defendant refused to sign the statement he said, although admitting that it was the truth. He remembered hearing Rose say that he had been warned by his counsel against signing statements.
Other Witnesses
Carl Adwards and George Smith, police officers at Norwich, were called to testify along the same line. They denied knowledge of any cruel treatment to the defendant. Vincent S Conley, a Buffalo detective, testified that Rose had been arrested twice in that city, once for assault.
Michael Morrell, proprietor of a hotel at Binghamton [Broome Co. NY] where Rose is alleged to have stopped for a time, was examined briefly. Judge Ray took the witness in hand for a little while. "Who wrote these names in the register?" asked the court.
Attorney Lee apparently did not understand that the court was questioning the witness and objected to the question as incompetent. Judge Ray turned around to the young attorney and replied: "Your objection is overruled."
Both the government and defendant rested their cases before 11:30 o'clock.
The jury was given a recess of ten minutes and Attorney Lee summed up. Assistant District Attorney Frank J. Cregg summed up for the government.
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Man Held as White Slaver Has License to Marry Miss Millar
Binghamton Press, Binghamton, NY, March 15, 1915
Records of the local marriage license bureau show that Rocco Rose, who was arrested in Norwich last week and held in $10,000 bail on a charge of violating the Mann white slave law in bringing Annie Millar to this city, obtained a license to marry Miss Millar, but that no return has ever been made to show that the ceremony was performed.
The girl claims that Rose persuaded her to come here, promising that they would get married and that he did obtain a license but never used it. The marriage records at the City Clerk's office show that a license was issued as follows:
Rocco Rose, aged 21; residence, 49 North Depot Street; occupation, baker; born in Naples, Italy; father, Robra Rose; mother, Filomenia Varleo; first marriage.
Annie Millar, 19 years old; residence, 25 Washington Street; occupation, waitress; born in Germany; father, Joseph Millar; mother, Lizzie Murt; both of Germany.
The license was issued Oct. 10, 1914.
[Note: Given the demonstrated nature of "Rocco Rose," the data provided on the marriage license is considered suspect. Example-Annie Millar was said to be 16 years of age. She testified that Rose instructed her to say she was 19 at the time of acquiring the license.]
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