New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-19
BECKER TO MAKE
FIGHT TO-DAY
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met Becker and the latter cautioned
him:
.You had better make notes Of your
movements tonight so that you VIII
be able 10 have an abb. and, above all
/ things. Keep away from Times Square
to night, and keep that under your
lid"
Second-After Rose was committed
10 the Tombs charged with the murder
Becker sent word to him by Pitt, as
, follows;
Tell Rose to sit tight; ! will take
care Of him"
Third-On the way to Sing Sing on
the train after Beckers conviction IN
the course Of a conversation Plitt hau
with Becker, the latter said:
81 am going away now. l am de-
pending on you. want you to Kill that
soueaInq - - - Rose
Fourth-During Becker's first trial,
Pitt said. a friend of the four gunner
who had not vet been tried. came to
him and demanded that he see Becker
and tell him the gunner needed S5oo
and if he didn't give 1t there would be
something doing"
Il saw Becker" said Pitt. and he
said he didn't know the gunner
friend. but to tell him that he couldn't
get the $500 now. but that he WOULD
let them have it as soon as he could
lay his hands on the money
Fifth-When Pitt had been before
Deputy Commissioner Dougherty ana
had been examined. and afterward told
Becker that Dougherty had tried to
question him about his CPlitts) rela-
tons with Becker. the latter said:
.Dougherty don't know as much
about me as | do about him. II ne
amt more careful I'll open up on the
wiretapping game
The last point was considered by the
prosecution an admission OF Becker :
I alleged grating activities. There were
other and significant points In Phtt $
story in view of the testimony that had
already been introduced by the people.
They all hit Becker hard, and he
showed IT by his detected attitude DUR
ing some of the time Pitt was on the
witness stand Al other times Becker
wore a smile of dsdain, as If to convey
the impression that his former press
agent was utterly unworthy of belief.
Weak in Cross Examination.
Pitt showed up rather poorly on
cross examination by Mr. Manton,
Becker's chief counsel. He showed a
faulty memory of many details. and
admitted that he had lied when testify
ing at the first trial, but intimated that
he had done so with the purpose Of
saving Beckers life" If he could
Pitt couldn't remember writing several
typewritten letters TO Becker and
others, in which it was said Becker
had been framed up and was limo
cent" the writer believed He would
not swear he had not written them,
and signed his name as Hiram
Charles" in some instances.
Mr.. Manton brought out the fact that
the witness had once been charged with
s. the murder Of negro I'm one Of Beck
er's raids. and that he had been indicted
for perjury in connection with the case,
but was acquitted. Becker's lawyer
showed that Pitt mad been in frequent
conference with Assistant District At
torney Groehl here and at Atlantic City,
where he had gone FOR his health" at
the countys expense during the last
eight or ten weeks lie had also received
a salary" OF $50 a week from the county
during that time. it was shown.
Pitt did not get confused under Mr..
Manton's thorough and effective cross
examination, though he tarried at times
in thoughtful repose before answering a
question. Pitt weighed his words care
fully. and often answered after consd-
cradle hesitation. Il don't remember"
one the whole. however. he was not
shaken on the damaging conversations
he related between himself and Becker.
IL was another case OF badly GRIPPING
the witness reputation and character. as
MIR Manton had done with Rose, weber
and WALTON, but without putting many
crinkles in the fundamental story.
The people had an impressive array OF
witnesses other than Pit; with whom
10 close their case. In the eyes OF the
District Attorney the testimony or some
i of them was even more important than
that of Pitt in clinching the proof OF
important contentious by the prosecution
throughout the whole fabric or It's
case. The testimony OF four Of the wit
nesses first purported TO prove Becker a
liar and. secondly. to corroborate the tes-
timOny OF Rose and other witnesses.
Corroborate Roses Testimony.