Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-14
THE BANKS AID.

banking interests, acting through the
New York Clearing House committee
came to the aid of District Attorney
Whitman, today, in his efforts to lay
bare the alleged corrupt alliance be-
tween the police and the gambling
fraternity. founded on graft and
blaekmai1. A virtual command was
given by the committee, today, to all
banks in the Clearing House to fur
nish the district attorney with a rec
ord of deposits they may have reeeiv-
ed from any of the high police Of
ficials.
AS a result records showing that
within the last eight months Police
Lieut.. Charles Becker, charged with
the murder of Herman Rosenthal an6
accused of gambling graft. has made
bank deposits Of $5S,S35 i'm his own
name or that Of liisswife, were placed
in the hands of the public prosecu-
tor
These deposits, the records show.
were first made in November 1911.
shortly after Becker became head Of
the strongarm squad of gambling
raiders and continued all during the
time that Jack Rose says he was col
Letting graft for Becker and until af
ter his arrest.
The district attorney has been
promised records of Beeker's deposits
in four other banks which did not
have time to go over their accounts,
today, and he has also discovered
that Becker has an unknown amount
of stock, bonds and other securities
locked up in two separate safe de-
posit vaults. That the total value OF
the police lieutenant's assets will be
found to approximate 100000 would
be no surprise to the district attor-
ney. Becker's salary as police leu
tenant was only $500 a year.
The aid of the Clearing House com
mittee to Mr. Whitman after 1t be-
came known that his representatives
had been finding difficulty in tracing
Beeker's bank accounts and those OF
other police officers owing to the nat
ural feeling of the various bank Of
fcia1s approached to protect as ie-
ealIv confidential secret the amount
of the deposits of their customers
Mr.. Whitman was assured by the
leading bankers of the city that they
were anxious, as public spirited clu-z
zens. to have the police force purged
of it's grafters and the whole scandal
thoroughly aided and that they would
give him every aid in their power.
This offer was gladly accepted by
the district attorney, who said, to-
night: Il am receiving splendid sup
mort from the bankers of New York
CITY"
The district attorney has received
information that Becker may have also
nut money in several banks outside OF
the CITY and if these are definitely To-
Gated and difficulty should be expe-
rienced in obtaining the records, the
Nav York bankers have promised 10
use their influence to obtain their pro-
duction.
The prosecutor expects the aid of the
the bankers will be invaluable when
he takes up the larger phase OF the
graft inquiry which is being held In
allegiance pending efforts to complete
the weaving of the web of evidence
around Becker.
IL became known, tonight, that Mr..
Whitman is holding for presentation
to the grand jury evidence which he
Expects to result in the indictment OF
eaur police inspectors on the ehafge
of collecting blackmail. These four
men are aware. it is said, of the evil
derce which the district attorney has
against them and have been making
every effort to cover their tracks Thus
far the states investigators have un-
covered bank accounts of two of them
tatalling $4,000. The prosecutor eX-
poets, however, with the aid of the
Clearing House officers. 10 unearth the
bank accounts OF all four and to dis
close some surprisingly large for
tunes. in one case an accumulation OF
nearly $1,000. 900.
The exected murder indictments by
| the grand jury We're not handed down.
today owing to the time taken up by
testimony of witnesses before that
body One of these was Jack Rose.
who, il was learned, held the jury spell
| bound for two hours when he repeat.
| ed in an oratorical flow of excellent
| English the confession of his part nj
| the murder plot and his alleged graft
relations with Lieut.. Becker. which he
| hal already made to District Attorney
! Whitman in writing. One of the jurors
| is reported to have remarked that he
| had never heard the equal of the story
| in any melodrama or saffron hued
/ dime novel
| The one additional fact of Importance
| which the bald-headed gambler added
| to his previous accusation against the
| police lieutenant, was, it was learned
| that Becker himself was in effect tbs
| master OF the murder crew. Wher
/ Becker. "Bridgie" Weber and Rest
| met in front of the Murray Hill baths
| on the morning of the murder, accord
ing to the testimony of the witness
| Becker borrowed from Bridge Web
Der the $1,000 blood money in large
| bills, handed ii to Rose. who handed
it to Schepps who then passed it on tt
"Gyp the Blood" and his three thus
| companions.
Becker. according to Rose. said t.
Weber: Bridgie.' | owe you $500 al.
ready. Lend me another $1,000 and II
| make it all right with YOU.
1.-TWO days later" Rose testified
Bridge" sent Jack Sullivan to Beck
er t. get the money back, but he never
got it and he has not got il yet.
| Rose also said in telling the story o