Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1912-10-18
bECKER'S PLIGHT IS
RESULT OF CONSPIRACY
DECLARES HIS LAWYER
GUN MEN KILLED ROSfNTAA TO GET HIM OUT OF THE WAY AD
then LAID PLANS TO DO UP OFFICIAL ALSO
ABSOLUTELY INNOCENT SAYS THE
DEFENDANT AND CAN PROVE IT


The court then dismissed Mr.. Je-
rome.
Police Commissioner Waldo testifi-
ed next.
Did you direct Becker to raid Her.
man Rosenthals gambling house in
April of this year?' was asked.
Yes; l directed him to obtain evil
dence against Rosenthal and others
and he raided the place"
1T is stated that after the raid"
said Mr. Mcintyre, "a policeman was
stationed at Rosenthals place."
Yes, / directed that man be sta
toned there"
Mr.. Waldo was excused.
/ Frank II. Roberts, superintendent
of the Belleclaire apartment house,
where Becker lived, testified that pre-
vious to the murder he had told Lucius
Haywood, the telephone boy, to make
70 connections with Becker's apart
ments.
On cross examination he admitted
that Mr. Rubin, of the district attor-
ney's office, had sworn on his volition
that he had given instructions after
the murder, not to have Becker's
apartment connected by telephone.
Alexander Luban, brother of Nor
ris Luban. an alleged eyewitness of
the murder, who testified for the state.
next took the stand.
Did you speak to your brother,
Morris, on July 16, the day of the mur-
der?" asked Mr.. Hart.
Yes"
did he say anything as to where
he was the night before?'
Objection sustained.
Would you believe your brother
under OATH" asked Mr. Hart.
II would not =
On cross-examination, the witness
admitted that he had been convicted
of smuggling.
The story which Lieutenant Charles
Becker hopes to be allowed to tell on
the stand in his own defense was out
lined today in statement given out
by him.
'If | am permitted to tell my story,
on the witness stand" he says, Il can
show how simple and obvious and in
nocent, SO far as I am concerned are
the explanations of all my meetings
and associations with Rose, using him
as my stool pigeon in getting evidence
against the gambling houses.
The best evidence that I was not
profting by my place as head of the
squad and was not plotting to murder
anybody so l could keep the job, are
the requests l made to Commissioner
Waldo almost every week from the
first part of this year to be relieved of
that command. l made those requests
because of charges of graft and brib-
cry and anything else the gamblers
could have against me. | know that
no man ever had withstood such at
tacks and that every man in a place
like mine had gone to the wall before
such attacks sooner or later. did not
want to share that fate. l sent Rose
to get evidence against gambling
houses. He was invaluable and l had
to do everything l possibly could to
keep him in line"
Charles S. Whitman, district attor-
1ey of New York was called to the
stand by the defense this afternoon.
The story of free-for-all fight on
he Bridge of Signs yesterday in
which Red PHIL Davidson. slayer of
lack Selig, the gang leader was set
lpon knocked and beaten by the four
'un men indicted for shooting Her
nan Rosenthal to death, was made
'ublic today. The gun men, Lefty
1ouie.' "Gyp,. the Blood" "Dago
rank" and Whitley Lewis, hand.
uffed to deputies, were on their way
ack to the Tombs from the court
DOM where Police Lieutenant Becker
). on trial.
Red Davidson" was on the way to
he building to plead to the indict-
1ent charging him with murder They
,et in the center of the narrow bridge.
the gun men, dragging
heir keepers with them by concerted
ction, made for Zelig's slayer.
Before the astonished deputies
ould collect themselves, the gun men
ad kicked, mauled and beaten David
on until he was shouting for mercy.
Mr.. Whitman was asked to testify
his knowledge of the
lovements of Becker on the morning
the murder. He said he saw Beck
| on that morning in the captains
pom of the west forty seventh street
olice station. He tWhitman) reach
4 the station house at 2:30 a. m..
e said, and Becker came in about
80.
Whitman said that he last saw
ecker at the station house about
clock
Mr.. Whitman started for Mr.. Ros-
nthaPs home about 5 o'clock. He