The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-31
PROTECTION FUND IS MORE
THAN TWO MILLIONS YEARL Y
Evidence Will Show, it is
Said, That Lieutenant
Becker Has Become Mil
lionaire

NEW YORK. July 30.-Iack Rose
who confessed he was ordered by po
lice Lieutenant Charles A. Becker to
Killed, swore In an afnpIyfied state
n1ent made today to District Attorney
Whitman that as collector for Beck
er he knew the annual protection
fund divided among members of the
police department TO be no less than
s2.400.000.
Not only gamblers, but keepers OF
dives and disorderly houses of all
kinds. contributed to this fund.
Kose mentioned by name three
police inspectors, and one civilian
employe who stands next to Commits
sioner Waldo as the men who acted
as clearing committee for men still
higher tnthe city.
Becker. however. is alleged to have
declared to Rose on several occasions
that he expected TO retain for him
self al least a half a million dollars
this year from the total fund.
In suhsfantiat'on of this state
ment. partial evidence has been pre-
scented TO Mr. Whitman indicating
that the personal fortune Of Becker
who is now In the Tembs charged
with murder In sthe first degree,
amounts to more -than-one- miller,
dollars
Checks Accepted.
There Is still additional evidence
showing that Becker had grown so
bold as to accept checks made paw
able to his order for protection. Mr..
Whitman, II is intimated. has secured
Some OF these chicks corroborating
the declarations of Rose.
rF ~ r1n 90
have been signed bv Honest John
Kelly who has conducted gambling
houses in F'frty-first street, and at
other addresses in the Tenderloin for
more than ten years One of the
checks drawn by X city TO the order
of Becker was for $500. and 1t Is
alleged that the cancellation shows
that ii was finally cashed by an Of
fetal In the police DEPARTMENT much
higher in rank than Becker
Roses statements regarding the
police graft system are also cor
rnborated in the main ty Bridgey
Wehhar and Harry WALTON.
Wehher was so closely associated
with Rose in all Of the dealings with
Becker and the police that he was
enabled TO refresh the memory. Of the
man known to he Becker's collector
on mary important points.
Jforrv WALTON also contributed 10
the confession by telling that he had
been a collector for one Of the police
inspectors involved.
All three OF the prisoners fearing
death at the hands Of the men whom
thew had EXPOSED srent Monday night
IN an ante-ronm adjoining the dts
trfct attornav'e osfre In the Criminal
courts building They are thorough
" broken in sririt and evnresse1 q
wi1i'ngn ess To tell everything thew
knew IN homes Of being dealt with
leniently al the time Of tho trial
Tnvcsfi~"sion Under WAY.
NEW YORK. July 30,--An investi-
Cation which promises most sensa-
tienaI revelations OF corruption In the
New York police department is well
under way tonight as the result Of the
confessions Of lack Rose. +" "Brldgey"
Wahher and Harry WALTON, whose
amazing story cleared IN the mystery
OF the actual murder Of Herman Ros-
enthal. gambler. to the stage where
oil that remains Is to arrest the three
assassins still at large. Whitley"
evils. Lefty Louie" and "Gyp the
Blood"
Lieutenant Becker, commander OF
one Of the three strong arm squads,
now In the Tomhs under Indictment
on "A charge Of first degree murder.
so far has maintained stolid silence.
but tonight 1t is declared that un-
published parts Of the confession OF
Rose. Webber and WALTON VIII show
that Becker himself was only small
fry in the system that Is alleged to
have enabled gambling houses to
flourish by police connivance bought
with graft money. Three inspectors.
next highest In grade to the commits
frcrttnueA nm GarnnA po