7/31/2019 THE TOUGHEST MAN IN NEW YORK CITY GETS WHACKED

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THE TOUGHEST MAN IN NEW YORK CITY GETS WHACKED

Big Jack Zelig returned to New York City in early August to discover he was wantedby a grand jury to testify as to his involvement in Rosenthals murder. This was in addition to the

concealed-gun charge Zelig had been wanted for since June.Zelig had an axe to grind with Bald Jack Rose, since it was Rose who had approachedhim with the idea of the Rosenthal hit in the first place; which Zelig had turned down flat. Zeligwas certain it was Rose who had told Whitman that Zelig was somehow involved in Rosenthalsmurder. And even though it was Beckers men who had planted the gun on Zelig, Zelig figured itwas done without Beckers knowledge, and by the direction of Bald Jack Rose, who for somereason envisioned Zelig as a threat to him personally. This made Big Jack Zelig quite angryindeed; not a good thing for Bald Jack Rose, if and when he hit the streets of New York City.

Rose had to figure out what to do about Zelig and do it quickly.On Aug. 22, Zelig marched into the Criminal Court Building on Center Street to testify in

the concealed gun charge against him. Before testifying before the grand jury, Zelig was met by

a group of reporters outside the courtroom. Zelig told them, as far as the concealed gun chargewas concerned, it was Bald Jack Rose who had framed him; not Becker. As for the HermanRosenthal murder, Zelig said, Herman was my friend. If I were not in the predicament I am atthe present, I would make it a point to find out who did the killing and break his leg for him.

When Bald Jack Rose read Zeligs comments in the next days papers, his head began tohurt.However, Rose was nothing if not diabolically brilliant. When he learned that Zelig wasscheduled to testify for the prosecution at Beckers trial, which was set for October 7, Rosefigured a way to eliminate Zelig, and then have the blame put on Becker; the proverbialgamblers daily double. Rose found his Lee Harvey-like patsy in the name of Red PhilDavidson, a degenerate gambler and part-time pimp, who, because of his gambling, never hadtwo nickels in his pocket at the same time to rub together. How the connection was made andwhat the payoff was is all conjecture, but the facts are the following:

Around 8 p. m., on Saturday, Oct. 5, a little less than two days before Beckers trial wasset to begin, Zelig was sitting in his usual hangout - Segals National Caf, on Second Avenue -when the phone rang and a woman asked for Zelig. Apparently, it was a paramour of Zeligs; amanicurist who owned an uptown salon. Even though Zelig was married, he had a weakness formembers of the opposite sex and that became his undoing. Zelig agreed to meet this pretty youngthing, and after bragging to a few pals what he had in store for the evening, Zelig left Segals,hopped on the Second Avenue Streetcar, and headed for the girls uptown apartment.

Zelig was in such a jovial mood, he didnt notice Red Phil Davidson slip out of adoorway near Segals and jump onto the trolley behind him. Davidson was the perfect man forthe job, since just two days earlier, the big and burly Zelig had knocked out Davidson with onepunch, after the two men had argued about a gambling debt. As the street car neared FourteenthStreet, Davidson pulled out a police-issued .38 caliber Smith and Weston revolver, snuck upbehind the seated Zelig, pressed the gun against the back of Zeligs right ear, and blew TheToughest Man in New York City into the hereafter. The fact that it was a stolen police gunpointed the finger at Becker and his boys more strongly.

Davison jumped off the trolley, but he was so inept a killer, he was arrested minutes lateron Fourteenth Street by a passing policeman, who just happened to be in the right spot at the

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right time. At his arraignment later that night, Davidson said he killed Zelig because earlier thatevening Zelig had robbed him at gunpoint of over $400. However, Davidsons acquaintances allagreed Davidson never had $400 at one time in his entire life; so Davidson had no real motive tokill Zelig, unless he was paid to kill Zelig. Like noted beforeBald Jack Rose was diabolicallybrilliant.

When the news of Zeligs demise was related to Whitman, he admitted it would be aminor setback to his prosecution. However, Whitman said he certainly had enough evidence toconvict Becker, especially with Roses testimony, and the presiding judge, John William Goff, inWhitmans back pocket.