The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-08-03
POLICE OFFICER IS
HELD FOR A KILLING
Charged with Murder after His
Confederates Confess.
Jack Rose. "5ridgle" Weber and
Harry WALTON Break Down and E~-
pose Guilty Persons In New
York's Gambling Tragedy.

Lieutenant Charles Becker of the
New York police was arrested and held
by Judge Mulqueen for murder In the
first degree after Jack Rose, Becker's
collector OF gambling money had con-
fessed that the police lieutenant had
ordered him 10 have Herman Rosen-
thai killed.
The arrest and arraignment OF Beck !
er followed swiftly after Roses con-
fession and the confessions OF Bird
gle Weber and Harry vallon who
corroborated Rose in important par
ticulars.
District Attorney Whitman, ques-
tionng the three prisoners for four
hours, pounded one against The other
until they all broke down and said
Rosenthal was shot down IN front OF
the Metropole by a hired gang be-
cause Lieutenant Becker wanted IL
done.
The grand jury acted speedily. With
their confessions warm on their lips,
Rose, Weber and Vallon went before
the grand jury, put their hands on
the Bible and swore that they had
told the whole truth. Within an hour
the former commander OF the strong
arm squad was in cell In the Tombs.
But the men who placed him there
did not dare to leave the district at
torney's office. Shaking with fear
they begged the district attorney TO
keep them for the night in his office.
And there they stayed under guard OF
four OF Mr. Whitman's detectives.
Roses confession. the most vital of
the three, details how Becker six
weeks ago told him that Herman Ro-
seminal had lived too long, that Rosen-
thai had to be put out OF the way, and
that the men who did the job had
nothing to fear because he, Becker,
was power in the police department.
So, Rose went OUT and spread the
word that the strong arm commander
said that Rosenthal must be killed,
lie dropped hints here and there. He
did more lie sent for big Jack"
Zelg and held a conference with that
notorious gang leader OF the east side.
Through Zelig. ranging downward
through the strata OF thugs and hired
assassins. the arrangements were
completed.
The four men who pistolled Rosen-
thai by this arrangement were
whitley" Lewis. Lefty Louie" 'Da-
go Frank" and "Gip, the Blood" Rose
admits that he rounded them up that
night and saw that they were poised
for the crime II was for this pur
pose that the gray car OF Libby and
Shapiro was used. Rose is not sure
gray car. but he points to Becker's
promises OF protection as a proof that
the murderers did 30 clear OF the po
lice that night
Sworn statements tending TO show
that the annual graft collected by high
police officials In New York city from
gambling houses and other Illegal re-
sorts has amounted within the last
year 10 S2f00000 are IN the hands OF
District Attorney whitman
The statements were made to the
district attorney by BALD" Jack
Rose. selfaccused graft collector for
Police Lieutenant Charles Becker, the
head of the strong arm squad" who
IS In the Tombs prison as an alleged
instiRator OF the murder OF Herman
Rosenthal the gambler.
The annual yield OF s2,400O,O00 pro
lection money was equally divided. &c.
cording to the story told by Rose,
among four high officials OF the POI
lice department one OF them being
Becker From other evidence the
district attorney has collected he has
reason 10 suspect that each 100000
was further distributed In other
words. there we-e four separate sys-
TENS or bureaus OF graft collection.
each headed by high police official.
IL also became known that II Lieu
tenant Becker will tell all he knows,
not only In respect 10 his own alleged
completely In the murder, but will un-
fold the inner workings Of the graft
system, In SO far as II may involve
the men higher up" no effort will be
made 20 enforce the extreme penalty
for he crime Of which he now stands
accused-the murder OF Rosenthal--
but he will be granted leniency on
that condition only.