The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-29
VIII Be the First Witness Before
Judge Goff on Next Tuesday
When Graft Investigation
Begins.
COUPE HAS GONE AWAY
Most Important Witness In Rosenthal
Murder Case Is In Europe and
Cannot be
Heard.

NEW YORK, Aug. 29.--No police
official or civilian who Is even under
suspicion will be permitted to testify
at the John Doe" proceedings to be
begun before Justice Gon ON next
Tuesday. Because at the Lexow In
yestigation, where he first attained
fame as the counsel, and at the Ma
yet and all other Investigations of po-
lice and official corruption ever held
in this state, participants In the graft
secured immunity by testifying, JUS
tice Goff served notice on District
Attorney Whitman that there would
be new rule this time.
The trail of graft and corruption,
which 1t is alleged permeates the en-
tire police department and Is thought
by many to reach into certain other
city departments viii be followed to
the fountain head. But the proof,
Justice Goof is determined, shall not
come from participants, but from In
dependent outside sources, SO that In
dictment and punishment shall be
made certain.
Justice Goff has carefully scruti-
nized District Attorney Whitman's
list of official witnesses. It is under
stood that he has ordered certain Of
ficials eliminated, on the ground that
unless 1t is shown that they have
clean sSsirts they shall not be called.
In accordance with this mandate OF
the court District Attorney Whitman
today commissioned his chief assist
ant, Frank Moss, to examine care
fully all of the evidence available
and separate the sheep from the
goats
Among the first witnesses will be
Mayor Gaynor and Police Commits
sioner Waldo. Only few of the In
spectors and practically none of the
civil employees will be sworn An
other matter that will be discussed
between Justice Goff and District At
torney Whitman was whether special
counsel shall be engaged In the pro-
ceedings when Whitman and Moss
are compelled to leave to take up the
actual prosecution of the men accus-
ed of having killed Herman Rosen-
thai.
Whitman today started an investi
cation of a report that Thomas Coupe,
night clerk at the Elks club, the most
important of the eye witnesses of the
Staying of Rosenthal, has gone to
Europe. If Coupe cannot be sworn
as witness the states case will be
hurt, as he is the only man who has
identified pictures of the accused
murderers as the men he saw do the
shooting. Because of hebelief at the
district attorneys office that the two
gunner still missing are to be calleu
as witnesses in Lieutenant Becker's
defense and that an attempt will be
made to place the killing on the states
star witnesses and confessors, Web
ber, Rose and Vallon, Coupe is an abb
solute necessary witness, and Assis-
tant District Attorney Moss stated
that If he is actually out of the city
he will be located again as quickly
as possible.
Meanwhile the district attorney as
we'll as counsel for Becker are inves-
tigating the report in gambling circles
that the big men in the game raised
$4,000 to buy Rosenthal off for a
year, and that Rose, Webber and Val
lon welched on the proposition and
stole the money, thus precipitating the
entire scandal. If this charge can be
proven by Becker's lawyers, 1t was
admitted today it would materially
answer the states alleged motive for
Becker wanting Rosenthal killed.