The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-01
Mysterious Collectors in Under.
world Recite Dangers
Of Exposure.
ONE MAN ASSESSED $4,000
Cash Offers Made to Rose and
Others-Whitman Finds
Witness Tampering.

!
Becker begins next Wednesday morning
the former head OF the strong arm squad
will be equipped with an immense defence
fund collected from present and retired
police officials and gamblers who contrib
uted out OF sympathy or for reasons
known to themselves and Becker. Th,.
Information was given TO THE Sun yes.
! terday.
George Consldne who ran the pros-
porous Hotel Metropolis when Herman
Rosenthal was shot to death In it's door
way nearly two years ago. was APP
preached by a collector who represented
himself to be acting In Becker's inter-
ests and who more than limited that II was
| time for Becters former friends to reach
into their pockets
II won't put UP n dollar" said Con-
sidinc. Tho Rosenthal murder ruined
my business and closed my hotel. ! ought
to be the last man .on earth you would
come to-
Exposure Arguments Used.
" the informant Of THE Sun has his
facts straight. the collectors who have
been acting for Becker by their own say
so used the following argument with po-
lice officials gamblers and some men
Who cannot be classified as law enforcers
or law breakers:
! Becker doesn't give a damn about the
graft charges against him. He is fight
ing for his life. He is up against the cleo
tric chair for the second time. II he Is
called on to testify from the witness stand
in his own defence the way will be opened
| IN Irt IN amin
him as to how he got his money.
HE won't make the mistake of com
hitting perjury about matters Of second
airy interest. He Is likely to give facts
and the names that go with them. He
has spent his own money. 1t Is time for
others who knew him in prosperity to
make good and help him out"
Among the men who are mentioned as
having responded to that appeal gener-
r6usly IL a hotel proprietor. a restaurant
keeper, several men who have been or
who are police inspectors and gamblers
| who iourished when Becker was raid:ng
In the Tenderloin. One whose name has
figured very largely In news from Police
| Headquarters IL referred to as con-
| tributor Of $4,000. A lesser light Is put
down for $4,000. An inspector who has
served at Headquarters gave. SO the story
goes, $1,000. but his blessing didn't so
with the cash.
$4,000 Believed Collected.
There has been absolutely no way for
persons interested in exposing the sources
of the fund to estimate Its size. Mere
guesswork puts 1t in the neighborhood of
/ OoO hrt this. g,ipxa IL ma largely on
the knowledge OF how much money Is
necessary these days to finance IA case OF
such complexity and Importance as
Beckers.
Martin s. Manton OF Cochran & Man
ton. Becker's counsel. refused yesterday
to talk for publication and nothing could
be obtained from the Beckcrs. The story.
however. persists in its entirety. and at
the office OF the District Attorney 1t is
not doubted in any of its details.
District Attorney Whitman would not
discuss 1t at all. but per sons close to him
know that in the last two days he has
been worried by the attitude Of new wit
nesses who indicate that they have been
approached and that they can get almost
any sum they stand out for II they Will
refuse to testify.
! It is a fact that the District Attorney
has been obliged recently to eliminate
agents of his office whom he used to
shadow or To question prospective wit
! nesses, for the reason that every agent
was Swallowed by persons assuming to act
| for Becker and who promptly interviewed
| the prospective witnesses as soon as they
had been located through Whltman's men
| IL is also fact that several of the
new witnesses have been wavering In the
last few days and that they are not 50
| sure now as they were a week ago that
their testimony will be Of value or that
they ought to testify at all.
$4,000 OFFER TO Rose.
Whether or not the offers came from
Becker or those close to him, offers OF
large sums In cash have been made 10
Jack Rose and Bridge Webber to get
out of the country. Rose was offered
$4,000 in cash, part down and the rest
10 be paid when he was safely away.
WALTON and Schepps. the other half Of
the Informing quartet, have refused terms
offered But Rose. Weber and WALTON
certainly viii testify for the District At
torney and Schepps may go pn the stand
IL he Is wanted. That Is doubtful at the
| present time because there are new wit
nesses to take the pace OF Schepps, whose
testimony at the former trial was looked
upon with disfa>or by tho Court of
| Appeals.
District Attorney Whitman announced
yesterday that he will be ready on May q.
next Wednesday. to start the trial before
Justice Seabury. Beckers counsel said
few days ago that his side didn't want
| post ponement. 50 the District Attorney as
| sumes that there will be no delay.
Taiesmen will be examined flom list
of 800 names which have been drawn by
| direction Of the court. At the former
trial $50 talesmen were called before the
fury box was filed. In the present list
there is n Becker and RIOS nthal-Ran-
dolph NJ. Becker. an accountant, OF $50
West l64th street ana Jacob =. Rosen-
thai of 800 West Ninety-ninth street.
There are many bankers brokers, pub
fishers. Insurance agents and real estate
dealers among the 800.