Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-08-06
Defense FUND
BEING COLLECTED
RAISING COIN TO DE
FEND TIE ACCUSED
OFFICER.
ALDERMEN WILL PROBE
City Committee May Call Mayor Gay
nor as the First Witness In
the Investigation.

NEW YORK. Aug. 5.--A police fund
of $4,000 is being raised for the de-
fense of Charles II. Becker, the police
lieutenant charged with instigating the
murder of Herman Rosenthal. accord
Ing to information in the hands OF
District Attorney Whitman tonight
The money is being collected, 1t Is
said, by the so-caled system, whlch
aside from the murder case, is to be
investigated by the district attorney,
who believes there is corrupt ALL
ance between the System" and the
gambling fraternity, founded on graft
and blackmail.
Information of the $4,000 fund
came to the prosecutor today In con-
nection with the arraignment of Beck
or to answer the indictment against
him. In the legal proceedings. which
included the withdrawal by Becker of
his plea Of mot guilty to offer mo-
tions to invalidate the indictments.
the prisoner was represented by three
lawyers, one of whom mysteriously
withdrew, while the others seemed to
be doubtful of their own status when
the proceedings were over. 1t was
said that the lawyers were not salts
factory to the collectors of the de-
fense fund, who the district attorney
heard have practically engaged a
prominent criminal lawyer to defend
the lieutenant.
John w. Hart, who conducted to-
days proceedings, after Withdrawing
his clients plea of mot guilty" made
one motion to dismiss the indictment
on the ground that 1t was irregular.
and another to review the grand jury
minutes and take evidence to show
whether the ground for the Indictment
was sufficient. Judge Mcqueen re-
fused to hear arguments on the motion
today and sent the case over until next
Wednesday. Hart in his application
to inspect the grand jury minutes held
that the evidence produced wa not
legal in that It was testimony of ac-
completes in the alleged crime, Jack"
Rose, "Brldgie" Weber and Harry
Vallon. -.
The fact that Becker was to appear
for arraignment attracted an immense
crowd to the criminal court building.
Among them were many gamblers and
the crux of the underworld. 1t was
necessary to even clear the corridors,
and persons only with business would
be admitted to court II was said
Becker looked somewhat pale from
his Incarceration. He walked from the
Tombs across the bridge of sighs" to
the court room with firm step and
maintained a self possessed but grave
demeanor during the proceedings.
Although the district attorney says
he has evidence that he could use in
pressing a charge Of eXtortion against
the lieutenant in connection with his
relations with the gamblers as head
of the Strong arm" squad, the prose-
cutor said tonight he proposed to
press only the murder charge at pres
ent and that he would not hasten the
trial until his evidence was in shape.
While the police are searching the
Catskills for "Gyp. The Blood" and
Lefty Louis" two, Of the alleged
murderers Of Essential, private detec-
tlves employed by the district attorney
are looking for them in Boston. The
district attorney had a voluntary wit
ness before him today who accused
two policemen of failing to arrest the
missing men when he pointed them
cut to the officers in West Forty-sec
ond streets two days ago. The man
said he knew them both, but that the
policemen refused to leave their posts
to arrest them. Both policemen, Nc
Nahon and Philhn. admitted that the
Witness had pointed two men out to