New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-31
ON THE WAY UP.

L
District Attorney Whitman's work in
the Rosenthal case forms q brilliant
contrast to that of the police. He has
made a beginning of bringing home the
crime to the System having secured
the Indictment Of one policeman and
opened the way to finding out the "men
higher up who are responsible for the
corruption which led to this murder
In the meanwhile the police have failed
TO find all except one of the men
charged with the actual shooting. And
80 far as these men were concerned
there could not be a simpler case for
the police than the Rosenthal murder.
The crime was committed in the pres
ence Of many persons, IN a brilliantly
lighted street. Open preparations Tor
: tt occupied twenty minutes and attract
ed the attention Of several passersby'
The number of the automobile used in
fhe commission of the crime was noted
and the chauffeur's arrest was easy
and was promptly made. The chauffeur
gave the state all the information he
, possessed. 4 number Of witnesses
stand ready TO identify the men whose
apprehension is sought as soon as they
are arrested. Yet in two weeks, of the
: five or six men so wanted. only one has
been apprehended.
So far os determining who were
wanted is concerned no particular skill
was needed. There was no mystery.
They became known almost immedi-
ately, No detective work was required
The duty of the police was merely TO
20 ont and arrest half O dozen men well
known to them. One Of these men was
found. after several days, right here in
New York. He had not fed He was
with his regular associates. Yet it
took days to pick him up. The others
are supposed 10 be here also. Two or
three of them have been reported as
seen IN their ordinary haunts, and the
general belief IS that when they have
arranged their sstis they will ride up
10 Police Headquarters or permit them
selves to be arrested. Presumably all
the energy of the department is d.
rected toward their arrest, yet the ut
most the police have accomplished is
TO get one of half a dozen.
This. then, is the record Of the po-
lice: They were unable TO prevent
assassination in busy, brightly light
ed and well policed thoroughfare, al
though open preparations for it took
twenty minutes or so and aroused the
suspicious Of varions passersby. Though
half a dozen officers were in the Vi
cinity they were unable TO apprehend
The slayers, some Of whom apparently
went away on foot; were unable to get
the number Of the fleeing automobile,
and unable TO identify any one as run
ming away from the scene, although
citizens have identified two or three
such persons. And with the names Of
certain men given TO them, though they
were familiar police characters, they
have been unable In two weeks to ap-
prehend more than one out of half
doAen. On this showing open assassl-
nation Is the safest trade in town.
1t will continue 10 be SO long as the
system" rules the police. 1t is the
corrupt alliance between criminals and
the police that IS responsible for the
existence Of gangs and for the immn-
nifty which gunner enjoy, as It is for
the prevalence OF gambling. 1t is for
this reason that the District Attorney
IS TO be applauded for his determine.
ton to go higher. There cannot be a
shadow of doubt now that protection
money paid by the vicious OF all classes
iinds its way into some hands. 1t is
for Mr.. Whitman 10 learn whose those
hands are. The higher he traces this
ubiquitous money the greater Will be
the security Of the city from future Ro-
seminal cases. The fate Of the small
men now In the tolls is Of little account.
Inasmuch as he has bridged that great
gulf between the agents who procured
the killing Of Rosenthal and their
principals so successfully as to obtain
the indictment of a member Of the po-
lice force there are grounds for hop
ing that nothing will now stop the Dis
trict Attorneys progress toward fixing
responsibility on higher officials and on
the politicians back Of them There
will be others TO confess for the sake
of saving their own Decks.