The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1912-08-07
LID YANKED OFF
MURDER PLOT
Lieutenant Becker Arrested For
ROSenthaI Staying
lOSE, WEBER, VALLOH TALK
Gamblers, Cornered, Tell District At
torney Whole Story of Conspiracy.
Names of Murderers Are Learned.


Names of Murderers Are Learned.
Lieutenant Charles Becker was ar
rested and held by Judge Mulqueen
in New York for murder in the
first degree after Jack" Rose, Beck
ers collector of gambling money,
had made an alleged confession that
the police lieutenant had ordered him
to have Herman Rosenthal killed.
The arrest and arraignment of
Becker followed swiftly after Roses
story and the confessions of "Bridgie"
Webber and Harry Vallon, who corrob-
GRATED Rose in important particulars.
District Attorney Whitman for four
hours pounded one against the other
till they all broke down and said
Rosenthal was shot down in front of
the Metropole by hired gang because
Lieutenant Becker wanted it done.
Roses confession, the most vital OF
the three, detailed how Becker six
weeks ago told him that Herman Ros-
enthal 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 a power in the police department.
So Rose spread the word around. He
did more. He sent for Big Jack Zelig
and held a conference with the no
Of h. uiI la
Through Zelig, ranging downward
through the strata OF thugs and hired
assassins, the arms were completed.
The four men who pistoled Rosen-
thai by this arrangement were
Whitley" Lewis, Lefty" Louis,
"Dago Frank" and "Gip the Blood
Rose admits that he rounded them mp
that night and saw that they were
poised for the crime.
Rose called Becker up by phone a
few minutes after Rosenthal was dead
on the sidewalk in front of the Metro
pole He told Becker that it was a
horrible thing. He said it was more
than he expected. Ha was frightened
clear to his heart and he was afraid
to stir without a word o. confidence
from his master
"Oh, don't worry, I'll protect you.
There won't be mach fuss over this"
was the answer.
For two days after that Becker, it
is alleged, kept in touch with Rose
and assured him that there was
nothing to fear.
The bald gambler, who included in
his confession a frank statement that
for long time he had been collecting
money from gambling houses not only
for Becker but for officials higher up
in the department, swears he did not
know that murder was to be done.
With these three confessions the
district attorney and his advisers be-
lieye that they have already an un-
breakable case against Becker. But
then they have the word that other
confessions are coming now that Rose
has weakened.
1t can be said that every man now
held for murder except Becker will
be immunized if they tell the whole
truth about the plot and it's consum-
nation.
When "Jack" Rose made the con-
fession that put Lieutenant Becker in
the Tombs for the murder of Herman
Rosenthal Rose said also that Becker
had told him that $2,4OO,00O was the
yearly police graft from gambling, dis
orderly houses and other forms of
graft.
Rose swore that Becker had con
fided to him the loot was divided
among four police ofIicials-Becker
himself, two policemen of higher rank
and minor official who does not wear
uniform.
Jack" said Becker, "the rakeoff
is so good that my own share was
100000 and the others got the same"
Rose does not think that Becker or
any individual pocketed 100000 in
any one year, but that Becker and his
connections were distributing agents
and that the 100000 each received
was subdivided.
There is just one chance for Becker
to save himself. The district attorney
may conclude to deal leniently with
the lieutenant ii he can and will tell
the truth about who else received the
profits of blackmail There is not the
slightest indication that Becker will
llrn informer. On the contrary it is
Said that the lieutenant's defense
would be that Rose and Webber and
Vallon had lied about him