The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-07-31
BECKER'S ONE CHANCE
1t Is to Tell of Graft and
He's Not Likely to Do
That.
PAY FROM 100 HOUSES
Assessments Ranged From $50
to $500 a Month on
Police List.

When Jack Rose made the confession
that put Lieut.. Becker in the Tombs for
the murder Of Herman Rosenthal Rose
said also that Becker had told him that
$e.400,000 was the yearly police graft
from gambling. disorlerly houses and
other forms Of blackmail.
Rose swore that Becker had confided
to him that the loot was divided among
four police officials. Becker himself. two
policemen Of higher rank and a minor
official who does not wear Q uniform.
Jack" said Becker, "the rakeoff is 50
good that my own share was 100000
and the others got the same
Becker's collector, having handled
good deal Of the money himself. does not
think that Becker or any individual
pocketed 100000 in any one year. but
that Becker and his INJECTIONS were
distributing agents and that the S800.00O
! 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 lie can and will tell the
truth about who else received the profits
Of blackmail.
There was not the slightest indication
last night that Becker would turn in
former. On the contrary. a man with
whom he has talked In the past twenty.
four hours said that the lieutenant'S
defence would be that Rose and Britigie
Webber and Harry WALTON had lied
about him for the purpose Of saving
themselves.
Grand Jury to 60 Into Graft Fisurrs
No matter what course Becker may
take. the Grand Jury will be kept in
session all summer for the purpose of
investigating Roses statements that the
profits OF the police were $2,40O 900 an
nually. The Grand Jury will go into
information obtained by the District At
torney that other police officials as well
as man powerfully connected, but not
In the Police Department. had stake
In the game of graft
This will be matter also for the
exercise Of the special talents of viii.
lam J. burns. Burns detectives are
already at work. but Burns himself has
not yet contracted to remain In New
York and direct the investigation.
Roses accusations against Lieut..
Bccker made ON Monday night and yes
terday were specific and positive.
Having obtained. in common with Web
''er and Nallon. n promise OF immunity,
Beckcr's collector was willing to 60
far.
He said that when Becker took
charge of the strong arm squad the
lieutenant asked him to name the
gamblers who were worth dealing with.
Eosr. from years of expert knowledge,
gave Becker n long list OF gamblers who
could be persuaded" Most of these
did business in Manhattan. but some
were located In Brooklyn, where the
strons arm squad also had jurisdic-
tion.
Becker Made II Price List, Rose says.
Becker. says Rose. scanned the list
carefully and decided how much each
gambler was to he assessed. There was
a systematic and carefully worked o1s
price list
The big gamblers paid heavily. Men
like Honest John Kelly were forced to
ontribute a. much az $500 a month,
Willie "thc little fellows" the Bridgis
Webbcrs Of the traffic. were required to
put up all the way from $50 to 5000 .
month.
Rose gave the names Of the so-called
big business men" of the gambling
trade with whom Becker dealt. They
are names that have been familiar
along broadway for years. When Rose
tapped at their doors they responded as
quickly as the cheap gamblers who had
moved up to the Tenderloin after the
Df hn
fields. the Webbers, the Paul kellys and
the Rosenthals.
Mr.. Whitman had heard. though not
from Rose. that Honest John Kelly made
out a number Of checks to the order Of
Lieut.. Becker that these checks were
indorsed by a police official and that
they were cashed by this official. One
Of these checks, Mr.. Whitman learned,
was for S2.5oe.
Curiously enough. the projections
money was not always paid In cash. IL
sometimes took the form Of checks.
There IL no accounting for that almost
unprecedented indiscretion except Oh
the theory that the shrewd gamblers
who gave tho checks might have
wanted to keep certain tangible evi.
dences OF their unlawful dealings with
the police; or that perhaps the ring.
sters became no bold and brazen thsU
they gave little thought to how thv
money came 10 long az 1t poured In.
Rose spoke OF the immense sums hS
insists that Becker received as casually
and az unconcernedly AZ II he had been
discussing hundreds instead OF hundreds
of thousands.
Few people have any idea sai0