The Sentinel=record., 1912-09-19

Inat the actual taking of evilencc
before Commissioner G. FLOYD HUFF.
designated by supreme court Justice
OF New York to hold a form of cour.
here to make inquiry as to what
statements Sam Sche2ps made while
mere, will begin Saturday morning ls
now expected by all interested
sam Schepps was the New York
murder witness, important to District
Attorney Whitman in the prosecution
OF Lieutenant Becker for the killing
OF Herman Rosenthal and when the
defense tried to discredit Schepps.
through reports of alleged statements
ne mad made here exculpating Becker,
the inquiry was ordered.
The result will either be that
Schepps is discredted, or that the
stories he told District Attorney WHIT
man, and the stories he told the grand
jury, will be materially strengthened.
District Attorney Whitman feels in
the belief that Schepps made no excul-
patton OF Becker while being held here
awaiting the arrival of officers to take
him east
The delay in taking the testimony
has been occassioned by the nonarriv-
al of Assistant Counsel Hart of the
defense, and the nonarrival of the au
thority under which Commissioner
HUFF Ia to act While Judge Huff has
been informed he has been appointed
commissioner yet the large legal en-
velope bearing the authority has not
been received, but Is expected in the
maffv~sFridry morning.
Dfgfricf Afforslax Whitn,an ard A g
sistant Rubin, appear to have gone
over the local situation very thorough
ly. All the witnesses who could pos.
sibly be wanted are here with the ex-
ception of Postmaster Fred Johnson,
and 1t is not now considered likely
that the commission viii be held open
for his testimony, since while he is a
valuable witness as to early state.
ments made by Schepps, yet he has
positively authorized the statement
that he never heard Schepps say any
thing that would exculpate Becker,
and that practically disposes of him
unless District Attorney Whitman
might want TO pile up evidence OF
those with whom Schepps did talk in
effect that he did not exculpate Beck
er.
The commission will be held in the
Marquette hotel. and may be called at
3 o'clock Saturday. District At
torney Whitman, and probably all in.
terested, are anxious to get back to
New York. where there are many 9TH
er important developments of the
case, and il il is necessary, night ses-
sions of the commission will be asked
for.
District Attorney whitman yester.
day met Judge Huff, who holds the
inquiry, and this point was discussed.
Judge HUFF assured the district at,
torney that any arrangement that
would serve to convenience the New
York attorney would be agreeable to
the commissioner, and 1t Is probable
that a night session viii be held IL
the matter can not be disposed OF
within a day.
The postponement In the hearing
from this afternoon until Saturday
was the result of delay in New York
in settling the interrogatories to be
propounded by the commissioner.
They had to be settled before the
court in New York under whose au-
thority the commission here is held.
District Attorney Whitman had a
very satisfactory audience yesterday
with Captain Howell of the police de-
partment. At it's conclusion Mr. Whit
man felt assured that Mr.. Howell was
going to make him splendid witness
in support of the credibiliy of Sam
Schepps, as to statements made here.
An affidavit was secured from j. L.
Wadley Jr. and from one or two others
who had already given the district at
forney statements. and all corrobor-
ated former statements made on the
subject, In effect that nothing coming
from them would support the theory
that while here Sam Schepps excul-
pated Becker from the murder of Ros-
enthal
On the contrary, the>fong inter.
view District Attorney Whitman and
Captain Howell had did result in the
district attorney receiving some val
liable statements supporting the
statement made by Schepps to the
district attorney and in the grand jury
room.
Gaynor In Strong Statement.
Acting District Attorney Moss con-
tinued today the examination of wit
nesses at the secret John Doe" in
quiry to determine whether the police
suppressed any discriminating letters