New Britain herald., 1914-05-01

One whose name has figured very largely in news from police head quarters is referred to as a con- tributor of $10,0O0. A lesser light is put down for $2,000. An inspector who has served at headquarters gave, so the story goes, $1,000, but his blessing didn't go with the cash.
 $5O,OOO Believed Collected. There has been absolutely no way for persons interested in exposing the sources of the fund to estimate it's size. Mere guesswork puts it in the neighborhood of $5O.0O0, but the guess is based largely on the knowl- edge of how much money is neces- sary these days to finance a case of such complexity and importance as Becker's.
 Martin S. Manton of Cochran & Manton, Becker's counsel, refused yesterday to talk for publication and nothing could be obtained from the Beckers. The story, however, per- sists in its entirety, and at the office of the district attorney 1t is not doubt ed in any of it's details.
 District Attorney Whitman would not discuss it at all, but persons close to him know that in the last two days he has been worried by the attitude of new witnesses who indicate that they have been approached and that they can get almost any sum they stand out for if they will refuse to testify.
 It is a fact that the district attor- ney has been obliged recently to elim- mate agents of his office whom he used to shadow or to question pros- pective witnesses, for the reason that every agent was shadowed by persons assuming to act for Becker and who promptly interviewed the prospective witnesses as soon as they had been To- cated through Whitman's men.
 < It is also fact that several of the witnesses have been wavering in the last few days, and that they are not so sure now as they were a week ago that their testimony will be of value or that they ought to testify at all.
 . $1O,OOO Offer to Rose. 7, Whether or not the offers came from Becker or those close to him, offers of large sums in cash have been made to Jack Rose and Bridgie Web Der to get out of the country. Rose was offered $1O,0O0 in cash, part down and the rest to be paid when he was safely away.
 vallon and Schepps, the other half of the informing quartet, have re- fused terms offered. But Rose, Web Der and Vallon certainly will testify for the district attorney, and Schepps may go on the stand if he is wanted. That is doubtful at the present time because. there are new witnesses to take the place of Schepps, whose tes- timony at thes former trial was looked upon with disfavor, by the court of appeals.
 District Attorney Whitman an- nounced yesterday that he will be ready on May 6, next Wednesday, to start the trial before Justice Sea- bury. Becker's counsel said a few days ago that his side didn't want a postponement, so the district attor- new assumes that there will be no delay.
 Talesmen will be examined from a l list of 300 names which have been 1 drawn by direction of the court At | the former trial $50 talesmen were 1 called before the jury box was filled. | Tn the present list there is a Becker ] and a osenthal-Randolph M.@Beck- CT; an accountant, of 450 West 164th | street. and Jacob S. -Rosenthal of 309 | West Ninety-ninth street. There are many bankers, brokers, publishers. in- surance agents and real estate dealers among the 300.