The Prescott daily news., 1912-08-01
FORMER FRIEND OF SUSPECT IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN VIC
 TIM OF "SYSTEM."
BECKER MAY GET IMMUNITY
Everyone Who Aids in Gambling Probe Will Be Murdered Under world EGict-"SqueaIers"
 Are All Marked.

New York, Aug. That everyone who ''squeals" or aids the authorities in any way in uncovering the trail of graft between the police department, the political world and the underworld will be marked for death is the firm belief of many interested in New York's great scandal.
 This belief was emphasized by the open declaration that James Verrella, proprietor of the Dante cafe, at 163 West Thirty-fourth street, who was killed in a fight in his place, was mur- dered because he betrayed "Dago Frank" Cirocisi to the police. Cirocisi is alleged to have been one of the actual murderers of Herman Rosen- thai. He used the Dante cafe, a noted resort in the white light district, as a hangout prior to the killing Verrella was his friend and frequently loaned him money, and it is alleged that in- formation Verrella gave to the police was the cause of Cirocisi's arrest.
 The police set the murder of the cafe proprietor down at first as an at tempt to rob the cash register Later, after they had arrested William To- renzo, a noted East Side gun man" and Albert Contento for the shooting, they were told by friends of Nerrella that there was no attempt at robbery, but that in shooting down the cafe owner the four men who fired the shots cursed him as a "squealer" and declared all who "sQuealed' in the future would meet the safe fate.
 Murderer Escaped, They Say.
 The men under arrest deny this, and say that they were in the place simply to get a drink, that they made too much noise, that Nerrella attacked them with a revolver, and a man who escaped took the pistol from him and shot him. This denial is not taken se- riously, and many at work on the case believe that there will be numerous killings before the present scandal is uncovered
 Rose, Webber and Vallon, confined in the West Side prison, are so appre hensiye that they will be murdered that a special guard has been assigned to watch them in their cells, although the district attorney professes to be- lieve their fears are groundless.
 The amount Of the annual graft col lected for permitting gambling in New York, which was fixed first at $G00,000 and then raised to $2400,000 a year by Jack Rose, is laughed at by those who have followed the ease. If graft was accepted at all, men who ought 10 know say the amount was far greater than this, and they intimate that these figures were put forth from the district attorneys office chiefly for the effect they might have in gel ting certain gamblers and men affili- ated with them to tell all they know about the alliance between the under world and the police.
 Becker May Have Immunity.
 The rumor was generally circulated that if Lieut.. Becker, under arrest for murder in the first degree, will make a complete confession of all he knows about gambling in New York, and give the names of the men who ac- cepted the money, so that they may be reached, he can have immunity.
 Whitman, it was rumored, would be willing to protect Becker if he could get the man higher up," and especial ly the civilian who is reputed to have distributed the money that did not go to the police, and a state senator, whose name was used by Rose, Web Der and Vallon in their confession, as the man who took care of leglsla- tion" designed to take the police force out of politics.
 Becker Accuses Rose and Webber.
 Meanwhile Becker, through his at. torneys, is preparing his defense. At torney Hart declares that he will show when the police lieutenant is put on trial that he Is being jobbed by the confessors. He says he has in- formation in reserve showing that the killing of Rosenthal was planned di- rectly by Rose and Webber, and that they had not consulted Becker regard ing 1t. The real reason, he said, will be revealed when the case actually comes into court