The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-31
Annual Yield n,s;aed
Equally BetweeI.rour
High Officials
ROSE SAYS BECKER
TOLD HIM OF FUND
Police Lieutenant Is Promised
Leniency If He Will Tell All He
Knows About System--Story
of the Confessions

New York July 30.-Sworn statements
tending to show that the annual graft
collected by high police officials In New
York city from gambling houses and other
illegal resorts has amounted within the
last year to 81 100000. are in the hands
of District Attorney Whitman tonight
The statements were made TO the district
attorney today by Bald Jack Rose, self
accused graft collector for Police Llea-
tenant Charles Becker, head of the
strong arm squad Becker tonight be-
gan his second day of Incarceration IN
the Tombs prison as an alleged instigator
OF the murder of Herman Rosenthal, the
gambler.
This annual yield of 81, 100000 protection
money was equally divided, according to
the story told by Rose, among four high
officials of the police department, one of
them being Becker, and from other evil
Gence the district attorney has collected
he has reason to suspect that each $780,
600 was further distributed. In other
words there were four separate systems
oi bureaus of graft collection, each
headed by a high police official.
Has Officials Names
Mr.. Whitman, it was learned has the
names of the other three police officials
| whom, Rose has named, and his further
efforts in this now most sensational ''po-
lice exposure" that New York has ever
seen will be directed toward strengthen
| ing the evidence which points against
them One of the officials named, 1t was
learned. holds position at headquar-
ters, and is, in a strict sense, a civilian
employe.
The name of former prominent city
official has been brought to the attention
of the district attorney as having been
closely connected with the graft sys-
tenn" but 1t was learned that the evil
dence thus far obtained against him Is
not of a tangible nature. The evidence,
however. is being closely followed by de-
tectives in the employ OF the district at
torney
1t also became known tonight that II
Lieutenant Becker will tell all he knows.
not only in respect to his own alleged
completely in the murder. but Will unfold
the inner workings OF the graft system
. lin so far as It may involve the "men
, higher up. effort viii be slaade IL
enforce fhe extreme penalty for the crime
OF which he now stands aecused-the
murder of Rosenthal-but he VIII be
granted leniency on that condition only
The alleged fact of the $2,4000U graft
fund was told to him by Becker, Rose
said In a sworn statement today. Becker.
he said, told him that he handed $5UoOW
a year and that equal amounts were
handled by three other officials. This,
he said came In collections from tho
gambling houses pool rooms. houses OF
Ill repute and the like.
Rose Collected for Becker
Rose said he had collected gambling
graft for Becker for months and he
promised the district attorney that he
| woul dobtaln for him the rates paid by
| gambling houses make tabulation OF
what these receipts amounted to monthly
and yearly and how the money was ham
died That there were other collectors
beside Rose is the assumption of the dis
trict attorney who hopes to identity them
"Becler told me that he was the prince
of the police department" Rose said. He
paid me literally of my collections, but
| / never was able to keep what I got.
| 7 was a fool gambler and gambed 1t all
away"
Part of the business between the gam,
/ blers and the police the district attor-
| nev was told, was boldly done through
| checks although his efforts 70 secure evil
dence in this form have proven fruitless
"Bridgie" Webber. the gambling house
keeper who has also confessed and whose
story largely resulted In he arrest OF
| Becker promised Mr.. Whitman, 1t was
learned, to corroborate Roses statement
In regard to the collections. Incidentally
| Webber today admitted to the district at
| torney that $1,000 was the sum which he
received to pay tho men who actually
fired the soht which killed Rosenthal
Relied on Becker
In regard to the murder itself, Rose
stated TO Mr.. Whitman that the rea-
son why Ii was done so openly and
that no effort was made to cover the
number of the big automobile as IL
drove up to the Hotel Metropolis to
get" Rosenthal was that Becker was
relied upon for protection"
In addition to the men higher up,
District Attorney whitman is inyes-
tfgating the records of two members of
the strong arm squad" who helped
Becker in some of his so-called fake
gambling raids. They VIII be asked 10
appear voluntarily" before the grand
Jury and IL they refuse Commissioner
Waldo will be required by District At
torney whitman TO suspend them.
Although Mr.. whitman realizes with
whom he is dealing, he believes tho
corroborative evidence Is strong. He
plans. IL was learned to go slowly In
the case and II appears likely the grand
) fury investigation will continue all
summer
A Policeman Twenty Years
Lieutenant Charles A. Becker. whose
arrest last night came as climax ~
the past fortnight's investigations of the
Rosenthal murder, has been member OF
the New York police force tof nearly ~
years His appointment dates back to
November !, 1898. He remained a private
in the ranks for 10 years, being promoted
TO q post as roundsman In 1903.
a few months after he became rounds
man Becker came into public view al the
hero of a sensational drowning rescue
1 on the East Side Waterfront. For this
rescue he received a hero medal
Two years later, however during the
trial OF Inspector Schmittberger, 1t was
said that the man whom Becker rescued
from the water made an affidavit stating
that the rescue was faxed and tht he re-
ceived a certain sum for his part in It,
The first serious case in which Becker
was concerned was the shooting dead OF
a young plumbers helper. John FAY. who
was killed in a burglar chase. Beckett
and another policeman were suspended
| following an investigation. but later re-
nstateI. Becker was placed in charge
OF the so-called strong irm3 squad
June 90 1911 Since that .ime he has
been much in the police eye. inaking niap~~
spectacular raids. Last March manE
Killed by a bullet fired during one ~.
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