The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-18
PLITT TURNS ON
BECKER TO-DAY
Former Press Agent Will
Testify of Harlem
Conference.
POLICEMEN CALLED ON
State Will Use Two Who
Were Subpenaed by
Defence.
BECKER NAY KEEP SILENT
Attorneys Are Not Sure They
Will Call Him as
Witness.
BECKER NAY KEEP SILENT

Charles y. Pitt. Jr., steps to-day into
the shoes of Bald Jack Rose. Bridgie
Weber Harry WALTON. as star witness in
the Becker case. In the first trial he was
Becker's friend Now ho appears for the
State against him.
The former press agent and confidential
man for Charles Becker will be put upon
the stand by District Attorney whitmat.
to prove. In the first place. that the now
famous Harlem conference was a reality
and that his employer met there the
middlemen of the murder transaction
the same Rose, Weber and WALTON.
In the second place the District Attor-
ney expects to show by Pitts testimony
that the dispenser OF news about the
police lieutenants exploits had important
knowledge OF details OF tho plot to kill
Herman Roscnthsl. There Is a possibility
that Pitt will relate conversations he had
with Becker concerning the grave threats
of the situation brought about by the
gamblers "squeal."
Pitt may be the first witness. At any
rate he will testify within u few hours after
the opening OF court. The other witnesses
will be James Marshall. the negro boy
who was a stool pigeon for Becker and
who saw The strong arm squads chief at
Seventh avenue and 124th street on
night late In June. 1912. when negro
crap joint was to he raided near by and.
a surprise to all, Charles Steinert and
John White, members OF the strong arm
squad.
The two policemen were already under
subpoena by the defence. but the District
Attorney has stolen n march upon Mr..
Manton and his associates In calling them
first. They will be used to show for the
State that Becker was at the Harlem
rendezvous that June night For the
defence they would have proved the same
point, it WAS expected. but to a different
purpose. Mr.. Manton purposes to show
that Becker had a legitimate reason
tho projected raid-for being In Harlem
at that time. Mr.. Whitman wants TO
show that ne was there and that he made
that q pretext for summoning Rose, Web
Der and WALTON.
Five other Witnesses.
In addition to these witnesses there are
five others whose names are not disclosed
Three of them will be reserved for re-
buttal II the defence refuses TO concede
certain lines OF testimony or there is
doubt about the meaning OF some evil
dence. The two others will be introduced
to corroborate facts about the Harlem
conference.
BY all the witnesses to-day and by
police records the State will try to show
that the Harlem conference took place
upon the night OF June 81. 1912. James
Marshall. the negro stool pigeon. will say
| this. SO will the others. Marshall that
night met Becker In Harlem and told him
IL would be Of no use to put through the
raid on the appointed time because only
| two men were in the joint He will also
| be asked, in all probability, to identify
the three men he saw there then with his
chief.
| Rose, Weber and Vallon have already
testified that they we're present then and
that Weber was on that occasion brought
into the murder plot. Rose. on the stand,
said that he handed Becker 5000 that
night. the lieutenants share OF gambling
collections. and that Becker gave him
|
Jack Zelig. In tho Tombs under $4,000
bail. out In the open. The Idea, the In
formers have said. was that Zeiig would
be under obligations TO use his gunner
as Becker wished.
A day OF active planning by the District
Attorney and his assistants was matched
by an equally' busy one for Martin It.
Manton. Hartford T. Marshall and John b.
Johnston for the defence. Becker's law
yers spent many hours In their Office.
going over the case and preparing for the
closing hours OF the prosecution. as well
as for their own opening. Mr.. Manton
refused 10 be seen. but Mr. Marshall and
Mr.. Delehanty told reporters that they
were still undecided on their programme
when the defence begins.
Becker May Not Testify.
They we're optimistic about the develop
ments Of the week and inclined to the
belief that It might not be necessary to
put Becker on the stand at all. They also
repeated previous statements that they
might not feel obliged to put In any de-
fence whatever.
II they do. however. Jack Sullivan
Jacob Reich. the ex-newsboy. Have a
Heart Jack--may be the first witness to
appear for Becker. He has said thu =,
he Is to testify, and intimates that he
will begin on the stand for the defence.
II he does that disposes Of the idea that
Becker would testify. IL Is believed that
the ex-lieutenant would go on ahead of
the others, II at all, for the obvious
reason that other witnesses could then
be used to bolster up any weak spots
Mr.. whitman might hammer into his
armor on the graft question.
Becker spent dull and prohtless day
in the Tombs yesterday. His counsel did
not visit him and his wife SrTived Ton
late to see him