The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-08-28
WHITMAN FINDS NEW
SOURCE Of BIG GRAFT
Learns That Becker Tapped
Wealth From Certain Type
of Evil Resorts.
$500 TO $4,000 A MONTH
Character Of Vice Traffic FIX.
plotted Caused Protection
10 BE Higher Priced.

10 tne gra1terS VINO preyeu upon tne
gamblers and disorderly house proprie-
tors whose payments of protection money
TO the police and others are now being in
vestigated came TO light esterday when
the District Attorneys office uncovered
the fact that certain type of disorderly
house has been paying for protection
at the rate of from 81 500 to - 900 a month
for each place
District Attorney Whitman and his
graft investigators yesterday obtained
evidence that more than eight disorderly
houses of this type. perhaps a. many as
| fifteen, paid these big sums and that the
money went to two inspectors. who were
finally influenced Ivy Lieut. Charles Becker
10 turn over "A part of their big hauls from
these sources to him
No disorderly house investigations s
such as those said to have had the backin 9
Of John u. Rockefeller. .Ir.. nor the many
vice crusades Of an official or semi -of1icin
sort ever brought to light evidences of
protection graft so monstrcus
II was the sudden discovery by Becker
that this stream Of gold might be tapped
that i said to hav. caused him TO go in I"
l'l IlbuF' ti'H'N
Weeks ago it was stated to the District
Attorney bv those who had finger in
Beckcr's operat ions that Becker. like
many others accused of grating in the
past. for long time adhered TO a mixed
code of ethics in that ne had no scruples
about making gambling house proprietors
pay protection money. hut that in the
beginning he drew the line at taking
money from disorderly house proprietors
of the women inmates.
And then, said the same witnesses, he
suddenly simplified his code to include
the disorderly houses. The evidence
uncovered by the District Attorney
yesterday is given as the cause of his
sudden decision to look after disorderly
house protection also. Even when he
was raking in the gamblers protection
money he would repeat tedly swear, they
say, that he never would touch a cent Of
the protection paid by houses that har-
bored immoral women.
Inmates often Not Permanent.
The eight. or perhaps twice eight
houses that paid from twice 10 four times
as much for protection as the ordinary
run Of disorderly houses harbored few
permanent inmates and in some cases
none at all The woman in charge had
al extensive private telephone direct ory.
The girls whose names appeared on
the list which the proprietor of the house
or apartment had personally compiled
ranged in age from le TO II years, rarely
older and always in their teens
The proprietors of the houses of high
protc ion also had carefully compiled
lists of men Opposite the names Of the
men to whom the proprietors telephone
list was n convenience the woman actu-
ally in charge put system of cabalistic
marks 4 certain kind iof mark indi-
Gated to the proprietor, for instance. that
the man was an extravagant wine buyer.
There was, also in the marking system
a long string of squares. circles and ar
rangements Of dots and dashes indicating
certain things that are unprintable.
The evidence goes TO show that the
woman lessee of the fat or house of this
type acted merely as an agent, largely as
a telephone agent, who received certain
messages over the telephone. from the
men on her list and relayed them over
| the wire to the young women she had
| listed.
Also there is evidence TO show that
, married women were induced to 20 10
houses or apartments of the character in
question on the pretence that they We're
| invited to a supper or wine party" merely
as guests.
The ma jority OF these women carry or
| ~ :,
the Tenderoin which to all outward
appearances are quiet private dwellings il
which reside only one or two women anC
their maids or other servants.
Tho woman proprietor Of one such place
however. recently not only followed tn,
growing fashion OF her kind Of takin,
apartments in big apartment houses
but sought to outdo her competitors b,
leasing -four whole apartments, two oI
one floor and two on the floor above,
| Decorations Cost Her 100000.
The best known decorating firm il
New York. il not in the country, wa,
engaged to alter and redecorate thes
two sets OF apartments so that as a serie
of connected rooms the upper floor an,
the one beneath were as much cut OF
from the rest of the big house az il tn
two sets Of apartments were the first an,
second floors of private residence
The changes and lavish decorations ant
furnishings of this place are said TO hav,
cost much more than 100000.
Mr. Whitman and his assistants hat
a busy day yesterday in going over new
evidence such as the details Of this bi
graft and also in the preparation of tn,
trials of the men indicted for the murde
of Herman Rosenthal, especially tn
trial of Lieut. Becker.
The graft investigation by Mr. Whit
man and his assistants also took fresl
grip on the inquiry into the bank account
of Becker, two inspectors and a civilial
employee and before Mr.. Whitman ha,
left his Office last night eight subp9nas 70
bank officials had been issued and served
These officials are to appear before tn
District Attorney to-day to tell what the,
know Of eight bank accounts of Lieut.
Becker
Four Of these accounts are new Becke
accounts in the sense that next to moth
ing so far is known as to tho amo,ln
of money deposited in Becker = name In tn
tour banks.
The other four accounts are know
about in general way. but there are som
details as to particular deposits, dates O
deposits or Withdrawals and 80 on whicl
the District Attorney wishes to wind nj
\ |, h.,n nGt t,i. Ia, "A