The Washington herald., 1912-07-31
ROSE EXPOSES
GRAFT SYSTEM
In NEW YORK
Continued from Page One.

immunity. The evidence indicates that
he is guilty Of having planned and or
dered one of the most atrocious crimes
In the history OF the city. The motive
and the deliberate manner in which the
assassination OF Rosenthal was carried
out was a direct blow at the only sys-
tenn that We have for the protection of
life and property.
'Becker's part in the crime is made
more serious by reason of the fact that
he was a police officer. AS long as l
am a prosecutor of the county of New
York he shall not escape punishment
for this murder. but do say that as
sistance from him will be considered
an ameliorating circumstance IN his
favor.
Rose. webber. and vallon have each
given corroborative testimony that they
were ordered by Becker to get Rosenthal
out of the way. Becker told them. ac-
cording to the sworn evidence, that II
they failed to carry out his orders he
would frame them up" and send them
to prison. He went further. and said
, that he would even do the job himself, Il
It became necessary.
Evidence Is Strong.
Men have been sent 70 the electric
chair on evidence no stronger than this
But here We have IN Rose a man who
has been Becker's collector for several
years in a lawless undertaking. The in
structions concerning the killing OF Ro-
senthal were delivered IN the presence
OF both Webber and Vallon. We have
Rose telephonIng the details OF the muir,
der to Becker few minutes after the
crime had been committed.
There is the further proof that dur
The SaVara1 tpfa ha
tween the murder and the date on which
Rose was taken into custody Becker re-
peatedly communicated by telephone
with his handy man.
Most important of all is the motive
Herman Rosenthal was the one man who
threatened and dared TO expose Becker
II Rosenthal had been permitted TO live
It would have meant disgrace for the po-
lice officer. RCsenthal was likewise on
bad terms with Jack Rose. BeckePs
friend and collector. Exposure by Ros-
enthal would have also meant a serious
loss to this man"
Mr.. Whitman said that Rose, in the
second statement made to-day, had gone
over many details connected with the
crime which were not mentioned In the
first confession.
Thugs Did killing.
Billiard Ball Jack" as he is COM
monty known in the gambling fraternity.
told the District Attorney that the men
responsible for the actual killing made
their escape in the slate colored auto
mobile driven by William Shapiro. which
he Rose) had provided for their use.
He again said that four thugs were
hired to do the killing.
These men all belonged to the big
Jack Zerig gang said Rose. Il talked
the matter over with Zelig about six
weeks before We finally pulled the job
off. I told him Becker wanted us to
get Rosenthal out of the way. and that
it was up to him to furnish the men
Il never knew how Zelig went about
making his selection, but the word was
evidently passed along. and the four
men, Whitley Lewis. Lefty Louie" "
"Dago Frank and "Gyp the Blood"
put in an appearance when We wanted
them. Zelig was just as much afraid to
disobey Becker's orders as We were, and
was given to understand that If he helped
out in this case he would be freed from
the charge of carrying concealed wea-
pons."
Mr. Whitman said that Rose had not
been able to tell the exact amount paid
the assassns for their work. This part
Of the arrangement was left to "Bridgey"
Webber From some unnamed source the
district attorney has been informed that
the murderers received 5000
Mrs. Becker, wife of the accused po-
lice lieutenant, visited her husband in
the Tombs to-day and talked with him
for almost an hour.
Mr.. Becker wore an air OF confidence
and kept assuring his wife. who is I'll
delicate health, that IT would be all right
as he could easily prove his innocence
Mrs. Becker, upon departing from the
Tombs, declared that the charge against
her husband was preposterous.
He is a good. honest man, and has
always been kind. upright. and gentle"
she said He is absolutely innocent Of
the slightest wrong doing and his inno-
cence will be established. l am sure