The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-06
FUND Being RAISED
TO DEFEND BECKER
Immense Crowd Present in
Courtroom
BECKER ON THE STAND
BECKER ON THE STAND
detectives Are Searching for Two
More Gunmen-Nloney Provided
for Investigating the New
York Police System

New York August 5.-A police fund OF
$4,000 is being raised for the defense. of
Charles Becker. the police lieutenant
charged with instigatng the murder OF
Herman Rosenthal according to infor-
nation in the hands of District Attorney
Whitman tonight
The money is being collected, it Is
said. by the so-ealled system which.
aside from the murder case, is to be in
vestigated by the district attorney. who
believes there is a corrupt alliance be
tween the system and the gambling
fraternity founded on graft and black
mail.
Information of the $4,000 fund came to
the prosecutor today in connection with
the arrangement of Becker to answer
the indictment against him. In the le-
gal proceedings. which included the with
drawal by Becker of his plea of mot
guilty to offer motions to invalidate the
indictment, the prisoner was represented
by three lawyers. one of whom myster-
iously withdrew, while the others seemed
doubtful of their own status when the
proceedings were over IT was said that
the lawyers were not satisfactory to col
lectors of the defense fund. who. the
district attorney heard. have practically
defend the lieutenant.
John W Hart, who conducted today's .
proceedings, Withdrawing his client G
plea OF mot guilty" made one motion to
dismiss the Indictment on the ground
that II was irregular and another to re-
view the grand jury minutes and take
evidence to show whether the ground for
the indictment was sufficient. Judge Null
queen refused to hear argument on the
motion today and sent the case over
until Wednesday Hart, In his appllca-
ton to inspect the jury minutes, held
that the evidence produced was not le-
gal in that IL was testimony OF accom-
plices In the alleged crme-"Jack' Rose
Bridge Webber and Harry WALTON.
The fact that Becker was TO appear
for arraignment attracted an immense
crowd TO the criminal courts building
Among them were many gamblers and
characters of the under world. The
crowd became 80 dense that the
room was cleared and only persons hav-
ing business we're admitted Becker
looking somewhat pale from his weeb
across hs 'hgidge OF sirhss TO this
courtroom with a firm step and main
tained self-poise, but grave action.
during the proceedings
While the police are searching Tho
Catskill for 'Gyp the Blood and
Lefty Louis" two of the alleged muir
derers of Rosenthal, private detectives
employed by the best attorneys are
looking for them In Boston
tary witness before him today who
accused two policemen of falling TO ar
rest the missing men when he pointed
them out to the officers In West Forty
second street two days ago.
The man sald he knew them both, but
that the policemen refused to leave
their fixed positions to arrest them.
Both policemen. Mcmahon and Phllbin
admitted that the witness had pointed
two men out to them as "Gyp the Blood
and Lefty Louis" but declared they
did not dare to leave their fixed posts
for fear of being fined.
The board of aldermen this afternoon
adopted resolution providing for an
Investigation of the department. A
special committee headed by Alderman
Curran, was appointed TO conduct the
Investigation. while $4,000 was APP
propriated to bear the expense. Six
republicans or fusionists and three
democrats comprise the committee. II
was reported without confirmation that
the committee desires to hear Mayor
Gaynor as the first witness.
Aaron J. Levy. counsel for Louis LIB
bey and William Shapiro, owners of the
car that the murderers used. arrived
here tonight after three days trip
in Massachusetts, convinced that Lefty
Louis" and "Gyp the Blood" were cor
nered by detectives near Worcester,
Mass.
Levy says, that shortly after the two
fugitives were reported to have been
seen in the viciity OF Fttchburg, a
red touring car. bearing a New ork
license number, appeared In Worceste,
with a chauffeur and two men. The
latter. according 10 several who saw
them are the missing men. The trio Is
occupying a house in Leicester and de
tectives hired by Mr.. Levy are nov
watching the place.
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