The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-07-31
2,4OO,OOOA YEAR
POLICE GRAFT IN
NEW YORK
Startling Revelations Made to
District Attorney
ROSE CHIEF COLLECTOR
Gambler Claims He Gathered Thou
sands For Becker and Other
Police Officials.

ments tending to show that the an
nual graft collected by high police
officials in New York city from
gambling houses and OTHER illegal re
sorts has amounted within the last
years to $2.40O,O0O are in the hands
of District Attorney Whitman. The
statements were made to the district
attorney yesterday by Bald" Jack
Rose, self-accused graft collector for
Police Lieut. Charles Becker, head OF
the strong arm squad, . who last
night began his second day of incar-
ceration in the Tombs prison as an
alleged instigator of the murder OF
Herman Rosenthal, the gambler.
This annual yield of $2,4OO,OOO pro
lection money was equally divided
according to the story told by Rose
among four high officials of the police
department. one of them being Beck
er. and from other evidence the dis
trict attorney has collected he has
reason to suspect that each S6OO,OOl
was further distributed. In other
words. Mr.. Whitman believes there
were four separate systems or bur
eaus of graft collection, each headed
by a high police official.
Mr.. Whitman, it was learned, has
the names of the other three police
officials whom Rose has named, anC
his further efforts in the most sensa
tional police exposure that New York
has ever seen will be directed toward
strengthening the evidence which
points against them. One of the of
fcials named, it was learned, holds
a position at headquarters and is in ;
strict sense a civilian employe.
The name of a former prominen
city official has been brought to the
attention of the district attorney al
having been closely connected witt
the graft system" but 1t was learned
| the evidence thus far obtained
| against him is not OF a tangible ma
| ture. The evidence. however. is be
ing closely followed by the detectives
in the employ of the district attorney
Ii also became known last nigh
that il Lieut. Becker will tell all h,
knows, not only in respect to his Owl
alleged complicity ir the murder, bu
Will unfold the inner workings of tn,
graft system, in so far as il may in
vove the men higher up" no effor
will be made to enforce the eXtrem,
penalty for the crime of which h,
now stands accused, the murder o
! Rosenthal, but he will be granted len
iency on that condition only
The alleged fact of the S2,400,00
graft fund was related to Rose b.
! Becker, Rose said. in a sworn state
ment yesterday. Becker. he said
told him that he handled S600,000
year and that equal amounts wer,
handled by three other officials. This
he said, came in collections from
gambling houses, poolrooms, house
of ill-repute. and the like.
! Rose said he had collected gamh
| ling graft for Becker for months, ant
he promised the district attorney h,
would obtain for him the rates pait
! by gambling houses, make a tabula
| ton of what these receipts amounte,
to monthly and yearly, and how tn
money was handled. That there wer
other collectors besides Rose is tn
assumption of the district attorney
who hopes to identify them. Becker
he said, gave him liberal commission
for his work
Becker told me he was the prime
of the police department" Rose SAID
He paid me literally out OF my co
lectiOns, but ] never was able to kee
what | got | was a fool gambler an
gambled it all away" Part of tn
business between the gamblers an
the police, the district attorney wa
told. was boldly done through check,
although his efforts to secure ev
dence IN this form have proved frui
less
Bridge" Weber. the gamblin
house keeper. who has also confesse
and whose story largely resulted /
the arrest of Becker. promised Nj
Whitman. il was learned. TO corrob,
rate Roses statement in regard {
the collections. Incidentally Webbe
yesterday admitted to the district a
torney that $1,000 was the sum whic
he received TO pay the men who actl
ally fired the shot which killed ROi
enthal. In regard to the murder i
self. Rose stated to Mr.. Whitman tina
the reason why il was done so openl
and that no effort was made to cove
the number OF the big gray murde
} car as IL drove up to the Hotel Me
ropole to get" Rosenthal was tbs
Becker was relied upon for prote
ton"
In addition 10 the men higher m
District Attorney Whitman is invest
eating the records of two members {
the strong arm squad" who helpe
/ Becker in some Of his so-calle
fake gambling raids. They will I
asked to appear voluntarily befor
the grand jury and IL they refus
Commissioner Waldo will be reoues
ed by District Attorney Whitman
suspend them. Although Mr. Wbi
man realizes he is dealing with m
testimony Of gamblers in constructiu
ms case. he believes that the corr
borative evidence is strong He plar
d was learned. 10 go slowly I'M m
case and IL appears likely the gran
jury Investigation viii continue 4
Cumuer