The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-30
BECKER DID NOT MAKE FORTUNE IN STOCK MARKET March Denies That He Made Any Deals for the
 Officer
POLICE HIDING
 MISSING THUGS
Alleged It Is Planned to Produce Them to Testify for Becker-Witnesses Are Being Spirited Away to
 Europe It Is Feared

New York, August 29.The defense set Up in behalf of Police Lieutenant Becker, alleged instigator of the Rosenthal mur- der and accused of gambling graft that he accumulated his fortune of nearly s1O0- 600 through stock speculation. was pune tured today when James r. March, the lawyer. declared before the grand jury that there was no truth in statements attributed to hinf that he engineered the police officers stock speculations. March Lad tnen quoted as saying that he and Becker had a joint account and that as a result of his tips Becker had made thousands through stock deals.
 When the lawyer was first questioned by the jury he is understood to have said in a general way that he acted for Becker in stock transactions, but could not furnish specific details. He added, 1t was learned, that he had acted in q similar case for others. naming an Italian banker This banker was immediately subpoenaed and appeared before the jury.
 March was then recalled and after be- ing closely questioned by the jury sta~sd, it was learned, that he had never con Gucted any deals for Becker worth men rioning.
 Gunmen Are Hidden
 District Attorney Whitman received in- formation today which leads him to be- licve that Lefty Louie" and "Gyp the Blood" the missing thugs, wanted as the actual slayers of Rosenthal, are be- ing kept in hiding not far from New York by police friends Of Lieutenant Becker The prosecutor heard that it was planned to produce them at the proper time as witnesses for the lieutenant
 Lefty Louie,' he was told, is anxious to testify that Harry vallon was the man who fired the shots that killed Rosenthal and would disclose motive on Nallon's part for wanting to kill the gambler.
 Another report to tho district attorney was that the missing men sailed last Tuesday for Europe, having been in hid ing in the city ever since the murder.
 Thomas Coupe, an eye witness of. the murder who testified before the grand jury, has mysteriously disappeared and Mir Whitman was told that he had sailed for Europe. The prosecutor declared to- night that Coupes testimony could be spared but expressed the fear that some of his more important witnesses might be spirited away in similar manner
 Will Detain Witnesses
 He had legal way of detainlng them, he added
 Becker's trial will begin. if present plans are adhered to, before any testi- mony is taken in the John Doe proceed irgs before Justice Golf to expose police corruption.
 After formally opening the proceedings next Tuesday Justice Golf will adjourn them until September II. when the special grand jury will be impaneled. The trial of Becker will probably begin the day previous before the usual pe1t jury or F. Testimony of value fff the John Doe investigation vii. be dl ieloped, 1t is eN- rected, during the Becker trial.
 There is strong probability. it was intimated at the district attorneys office today, that both Mayor Gaynor and Polce Commissioned W aldo would be called IS witnesses during the investlgatlon.
 The report that James W. Osborne well known criminal lawyer, had been engaged as special counsel to assist m the Investigation, was declared by MT. Whitman today to be untrue