The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-10-25
BECKER MAKES
HIS CONFESSION
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CContinued from Page II
their value. THE TIMEs never pretend
ed to more than estimate, or approx
! .ate. the value Of Becker's holdings.
And He Fell For 1t.
It is a well known fact that Becker
is a clever schemer, a crafty politician
and a fairly wide-awa6e man, but he
has his weaknesses. 1t was reasoned
that If Becker's holdings. as many as
could be discovered, were published day
after day and a fairly high estimate
placed on them. Becker's wrath would
get the best of his better judgment
and under the proddings Of his vindic-
tive organ he would tell the people Of
Hammond what he really did own.
For a time 1t looked as If there
would be no such luck, but Friday aft
ernoon Mayor Lawrence Becker walked
into THE TINES office and laid on the
editors desk. all signed and sworn to,
the very document that early in the
campaign It had seemed impossible that
the Schaaf adherents could get.
Now as to Becker's afhdavits he starts
out by showing that the property he
now owns costs him only $32,076.76- He
does not tell the good people OF Ham
mOnd what that property is now worth
How Figures Lie.
For instance, he admits owning 240
shares in the Becker-Tapper Realty
company and he paid for them $s.4sa2o.
He says he did own 200 shares. the
number THE TIMES claimed he owned,
but sold fifty of them.
THE TINES has positive information
that when Gostlin. Meyn & Co. let
Becker and Taper in on the purchase
of the acreage now owned by the
Becker-Tapper Realty company, they
bought it for $500 an acre. At q con-
zaFTative figure this land Is now worth
$4,000 an acre, or three times as much
as # was when it was purchased. This
means that the $s,46s.20. which Beck
er admits he put into this property,
has now grown to $1e,ss9.s0, nearly
100000.
TH Merely One Instance.
This is merely one instance. and II
hss has been as fortunate in his other
iuxestmants It is easy to see that the
$32o78 .76, which Mayor Becker admits
he paid for his interests, has now
Heachedr three times as much, the grand
total of s9s.230.2s. This is just little
Ieas than THE TINES estimated Becker
tnfhs worth.
MIND YOU, BECKER DOES NOT
SWEAR THAT HE IS WORTH ONLY
Ss2,0Te76. HE HAS SIMPLY MADE
AFFTnAvIT TO HIS STATEMENT
THAT HE PAID $s2,076.76 FOR HIS
HOLDINGS, AND IT is APPARENT
no EVERYONE THAT IF HE HAS
BEHcN AS LUCKY IN HIS OTHER IN
WBHTMEVrS AS HE HAS BEEN IN
THE BECKER REALTY co.
STOCK HE IS-TODAY A RICH MAN.
FOrxefs Increase In Value.
Toash05V how hard Becker has fallen
for this little game He takes what.
heaadn13ts. is the COST PRICE OF HIS
INVESTMENTS forgets all about any
inrrsase In value they may have had
In the past six years, or since he ao-
qatred them, and then compares this
figure. S22,0T6-T6, with his liabilities,
eaS52&S5. and says. IN effect to the vot-
er. behold, WHAT A POOR MAN !
AMI TIE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
WEhT PAID AND WHAT OWE IS
ONLY $fg5sS.41.
Accosding to Becker's argument
vxorth a cent more than it was when
he bought it three years ago for $40O
an acre. st the sufferance of Gostlin-
MeYn- 600.
And again Becker's estimate that he
would be worth only s6,548.41 is equal
to q statement that his house and lot
Rreynot worth any more now than when
he bought it; that the 4S3 acres OF
Montana land. which he claims he
bought at SO an acre, is worth no more
now than when he bought 1t; that his
farm in Porter county. for which he ad-
mits he paid Ss.s6O.5o. has not in
creased in value since he bought 1t, and
since the hot air line people. who owr
the Gary & Interurban line, will builc
their Chicago to New York line pas
It; that the 81 900 worth of the First
Calumet Savings & Trust company's
stock, which he got from Charles w
Hochkiss. is not worth any more thar
when he got it.
Too Thin, Too Thin.
This yelled attempt to conceal hi:
wealth is too thin to fool the people Of
Hammond. They see through it all
and best of all THE TIMES has forced
Booker to sign an affidavit that tn,
story in effect as The TINES printed
it. is true. Too true to make his cleo
tion possible now.
And now We come TO a graver ant
more important feature Of Becker's con
fession to THE TIMES which his organ
has so foolishly printed on the frs
page.
LET THE VOTERS OF HAMMOND
NOTE THAT BECKER GOT HI:
CHANCE TO TREBLE THE VALUE OF
HIS INVESTMENT IN THE BECKER
TAPER REALTY co. THROUGH TIL
KINDNESS OF GOSTLIN, MEYN & co.
WHO LET HIM IN ON THE DEAL
WHILE THE STANDARD STEEL CAL
co. WAS BEING LOCATED AND WHO
ARE NOW WITH HIM IN THIS CAM
PAIGN
LET THE VOTERS NOTE THAT c
w. HOCHKISS. WHOSE COMPANY