The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-10-18
JEROME'S
 TESTIMONY
 EXCLUDED
Becker Defense Suffers Serious Reverse at Outset of its Case, With Former District Att tOrney as Witness
Mcintyre Fails to Show That Accused Had Importuned Waldo to be Relieved as Head of Strong Arm Squad

" ~~AN~V ~~ O@ AASAANFOS S~S Head of Strong Arm Squad New York, Oct. 18.-The defense in the trial of Police Lieutenant Becker, accused of the murder of Gam bier Herman RosenthaI, suffered a distinct and serious Ereverse at the outset of its case, today. It had de- pended on Former District Attorney William Travers Jerome to prove that Jack Roses story of the te1ephonic conversation with Becker immediately after the killing, as the result of which Attorney Hart went to Harry Pollocks house, where Rose was hiding and secured an affidavit that he (Rose) and not Becker loaned Rosenthal $15OO was false and that at no time did Becker tell Rose that 200 police were looking for him. But Jerome had no personal knowI- edge that Rose was the other man on the wire nor did he recolIect the phone number and all of his testi- mony was ruled out by Justice Golf The next reverse came when Po- The defense had hoped to show by him that Becker had importuned him every week that he was at the head of the strong arm squad to be reIiev- ed from duty. But no matter how adroitly McIntyf framed his ques- lions, the objections If the state were sustained by Justice off and Waldo. like Jerome, left the stand with out his testimony being any material benefit to the accused.
 I s7 Waldo; said that he had ordered ROSenth4Ts gambling hoftse-raides ed because Of complaints received. Af- forward. he said. he directed Inspec- tor Hayes to place a uniformed man on the premises to prevent their be- ing re-opened.
 tfDid Lieutenant Becker, prior to the raiding of RosenthaPs and after also tell you that he feared frame up on him by the gamblers? de- manded Mcintyre. "Objected as as immaterial," broke in Whitmain.
 And try as he would, framed into a score of different forms the ques- ton was left unanswered when the commissioner was excused.
 Frank Roberts, superintendent of the apartment house in which Lieu tenant Becker resided. flatly contra wood, the telephone boy at the house who Swore that he had connected Rose with Becker, shortly after the murder. Roberts said that positiv orders had been issued that no one under any circumstances was to be connected with the Becker apart ment and that this order was in force for a week prior to the murder.
 Alexander Lubin flatly contra dict ed the story of his brother. Morris Lubin, who testified that he over u cite Baths that RosenthaI must be crooked. Lubin swore that his brother was in Brooklyn on the night that Rosenthal was slain and decIar- ed that he could not believe Morris under oath.
 Justice Golf upheld objections by the state and ruled out all of Alex ander's testimony.
 Jacob Goodman, the next witness, swore that he was in Morris L1biri' s company the morning that the murder. occurred being with him nj aff o'clock. On Ss-exanination, the witness was confronted with an affi- davit saying that he had been with Lubin twice during July, but that he could not recollect the dates The witness admitted that he might be mistaken in his date but he declared simply because Assistant District At torney Minton t8ld him if he did not he would be sent to jail
 Then Attorney Hart and Justice Golf wrangleds over the manner in which the witness was being examined and Golf forthwith excused him, the defense noting objections.
 Edward Hawley, a reporter, said he tried to call Becker at his home inn mediately after the killing, but could not get connection with the apart ment house. He then went to the house and awakened Mrs. Becker who called her husband.
 Becker asked me what wanted said the witness, and asked him whether he had heard the news that RosenthaI had been killed. Whats the matter, have you got a hang-over,' he asked me. I told him it was true and asked him if he would say any thing. Not now he said.'''
 The witness swore that he visited the scene of the firing with Becker that they had breakfast together and that at no time did Becker get out of his sight up to 8:30 in the morning He also swore that Becker did not go at any time that morning to 42nd street.
 Hawley's testimony was an absolute Iy fiat contradiction of the story of Rose, Schepps and Webber that they had met Becker at 42nd street and 9th avenue and discussed the killing with him.
 Whitman savagely assai1ed HawIey under cross -examinat ton. The wit ness admitted he was a close friend of Becker. and said he had made no secret of the fact that he had been with Becker the morning after the shooting. He said that he did not print the story because he saw no req son for telling the district attorney what he was going to testify. The witness admitted that during the time he was in the West 47th street sta tion Becker had been in a room out of his sight for more than five minutes.
 Tenerfffe, Canaries, Oct. 1s-IIl- health was given today as the reason for fine suicide of American Consul w