Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Charles Becker

Charles Becker (July 26, 1870 – July 30, 1915) was a in the from the 1890s until 1912, infamous for exploiting his position to extort payments from gamblers and criminals while ostensibly combating vice. He was arrested, tried, and convicted of first-degree murder for directing the gangland killing of Herman Rosenthal outside the Hotel Metropole on July 16, 1912, after Rosenthal publicly accused Becker of corruption to the press, threatening his lucrative . Becker's execution by on July 30, 1915, made him the first U.S. police officer put to death for murder, amid a highly publicized scandal that highlighted systemic graft within the NYPD under influence. Becker's career began as a patrolman in the late 1890s, advancing through ranks by enforcing informal "vice squad" operations that often devolved into shakedowns of brothels, saloons, and dens rather than suppression. By 1911, promoted to and assigned to lead an anti- unit, he partnered with figures like gambler Herman Rosenthal and fixer Jack to control illegal betting parlors, demanding weekly "" payments under threat of raids. When Rosenthal, facing his own debts and squeezed by Becker, went to Charles and newspapers with allegations of police , Becker allegedly enlisted gunmen from the —Baldwin, Farrell, and Simmons—to eliminate the informant. The Becker–Rosenthal trial, spanning 1912 to 1914 with multiple appeals, relied heavily on confessions from the convicted gunmen and , who received immunity for testifying against , fueling debates over coerced or incentivized evidence. proclaimed his innocence throughout, portraying himself as a in a politically motivated by reformers targeting Tammany corruption, though courts upheld the verdict and Governor denied clemency. The case spurred investigations into NYPD malfeasance, contributing to the ouster of Tammany-linked officials and broader efforts to professionalize law enforcement.

Early Life and Background

Birth and Upbringing

Charles Becker was born on July 26, 1870, in the rural village of Calicoon Center, . He was the youngest child of German immigrant parents, Conrad Becker and Mary Becker (née Wurtz), who had settled in the area and operated a family farm. Becker's early years were spent in a modest agrarian environment typical of during the post-Civil War era, where he contributed to farm labor amid the challenges faced by immigrant farming families. Physically imposing even in youth, he grew to stand over six feet tall and weigh more than 200 pounds, attributes that later defined his presence in . Little is documented about his formal education, but his rural upbringing instilled a rugged before he sought opportunities in urban centers as a young adult. By his late teens or early twenties, around 1888–1890, Becker left the farm and relocated to , marking the transition from provincial life to the bustling metropolis that would shape his career. This move reflected broader patterns of among young men from rural immigrant backgrounds seeking employment in the expanding industrial and service sectors of the city.

Immigration and Initial Settlement in New York City

Charles Becker was born on , 1870, in the village of Callicoon Center, , to parents of German descent who had immigrated from . At age 20, in 1890, he relocated from to , drawn by economic prospects in the urban center. In the city, Becker initially secured work as a at a German beer hall situated just off the , a notoriously rough district known for its saloons and transient population. His imposing physique—over six feet tall and weighing approximately 215 pounds—made him well-suited for maintaining order amid the rowdy clientele, leveraging his physical strength to eject disruptive patrons. Becker held this position for three years, gaining familiarity with the city's underworld and vice districts, before enlisting in the on October 2, 1893, as a patrolman. This early employment and entry into law enforcement marked the beginning of his integration into Manhattan's working-class immigrant enclaves and police apparatus.

Personal Life

Marriage and Family

Becker married three times. His first wife, Mary Ann Mahoney, whom he wed on February 2, 1895, succumbed to on October 15, 1895, less than eight months after their union. His second marriage was to Letitia Stevenson (1876–1942) around 1898; the couple had a son, Howard P. Becker, before divorcing approximately six years later. Howard spent his childhood in the with his mother and her subsequent husband, Paul Becker. On July 20, 1905, Becker married C. Lynch (1875–1962), a schoolteacher, in . The couple resided in a home in and anticipated a during Becker's 1912 ; their , Charlotte Becker, was born in 1913 but died within a day of birth. Helen remained steadfastly supportive of her husband throughout his trials and imprisonment, visiting him frequently and maintaining his innocence until after his execution.

Residence and Lifestyle

Becker and his wife, , resided in an apartment at 3239 Olinville Avenue in as of August 1912. In 1911, during a nine-month assignment to an anti-vice squad, acquired an expensive country home for using graft proceeds, enabling a level of affluence inconsistent with his official salary of approximately $2,500 annually as a . This purchase exemplified his broader pattern of leveraging police position for personal enrichment, funding a marked by relative luxury amid New York's urban vice districts where he operated. Becker's daily habits reflected his physical stature—standing over 6 feet tall and weighing 215 pounds—and prior role as a bouncer, involving forceful enforcement rather than refined pursuits; contemporaries described him as ruthless and capable of extreme violence, traits that extended to his off-duty demeanor. No children are documented in records of his family life, with remaining a devoted figure who professed belief in his innocence amid scandals. His residences underscored a duality: urban proximity to precinct duties contrasted with rural retreat, both sustained by extralegal gains rather than legitimate earnings.

Police Career

Joining the NYPD and Early Assignments

Becker enlisted in the as a patrolman in November 1893, shortly after arriving in the city from . His initial duties involved standard foot patrols in precincts amid the era's widespread influence on policing. From the outset, Becker distinguished himself through forceful tactics, frequently employing his to subdue suspects and deter disorder, which aligned with the department's tolerance for physical enforcement in high-crime areas. During his first years on the force, Becker's assignments focused on maintaining public order in densely populated, vice-prone neighborhoods, where he prioritized rapid arrests over procedural restraint. This approach earned him early notice among superiors for effectiveness against petty criminals and street-level disturbances, though it also foreshadowed complaints of brutality. By 1896, prior to any formal promotions, his methods had solidified a pattern of aggressive policing that contrasted with more restrained contemporaries.

Promotions and Reputation for Enforcement Tactics

Becker joined the as a patrolman in November 1893. His early assignments placed him in high-crime areas, where he quickly demonstrated physical prowess and assertiveness, leading to promotion to roundsman by 1901 while serving in the district under Max Schmittberger. In January 1907, he advanced to . Becker cultivated a reputation as a formidable through aggressive tactics in vice-ridden neighborhoods, leveraging his imposing stature—over six feet tall and weighing around 215 pounds—to intimidate and subdue suspects. Known for brutal raids and unhesitating , including a 1896 incident where he severely beat a for , which later inspired elements in Stephen Crane's Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, his methods were praised by some superiors for restoring order amid chaos but drew accusations of excessive violence and procedural irregularities. These enforcement strategies, combining with raw physicality, facilitated his upward mobility despite occasional scandals, such as a covered-up in 1896. In 1911, Commissioner Rhinelander elevated Becker to lieutenant, designating him as an aide and commander of a special strong-arm focused on vice suppression and automobile theft. The embodied hallmark approach of deploying , rapid interventions, and direct confrontations to dismantle criminal operations, reinforcing his image as an effective, if ruthless, officer capable of tackling entrenched in districts. This promotion underscored departmental reliance on his tactical reputation during a period of reform efforts under leadership.

1896 Shooting Incident and Cover-Up Attempt

In 1896, shortly after joining the Police Department, patrolman Charles Becker pursued a burglar on foot through the streets of and fired his , mistakenly striking and killing an innocent bystander rather than the fleeing suspect. The incident highlighted Becker's aggressive enforcement style but also exposed flaws in his judgment under pressure. To mitigate the consequences of , endeavored to misrepresent the victim's identity, attempting to portray the deceased as the targeted burglar or a criminal to justify the use of lethal force and obscure the error. This effort failed under departmental scrutiny, revealing 's early propensity for when facing accountability for on-duty actions. The Police Department investigated the matter and imposed a suspension on Becker lasting 30 days, marking one of his first formal reprimands but not derailing his career trajectory amid the era's lax oversight of patrolmen's conduct. No criminal charges were filed against him, consistent with the period's tolerance for police errors framed as zealous duty performance.

Involvement in Corruption

Protection Rackets and Vice Enforcement

As a lieutenant in the Police Department's , Charles Becker patrolled the district, encompassing roughly 23rd to 42nd Streets between and Eighth Avenue, a hub for illegal gambling dens and brothels in the early 1910s. Rather than suppressing vice activities, Becker systematically extracted protection payments from operators of these establishments to shield them from raids and arrests. Becker commanded the "Strong-Arm Squad," ostensibly formed in 1911 to combat crime but repurposed as his personal enforcement arm to collect graft from pimps, gamblers, and vice proprietors across and . Non-compliant operators faced swift retaliatory raids or physical intimidation; for instance, Becker reportedly beat a who refused payment. Through these rackets, he amassed approximately $72,000 from shakedowns and protection fees between November 1911 and June 1912 alone. A prominent example involved gambler Herman Rosenthal's Hesper Club casino at 104 West 45th Street, which Becker protected in exchange for payoffs and even held a on the property. When disputes arose, Becker orchestrated a on the in 1912 to demonstrate vigilance to superiors, underscoring his dual role of feigned enforcement and covert extortion. This pattern of selective raids—sparing paying clients while targeting rivals—exemplified how Becker subverted vice enforcement for personal gain, contributing to widespread under Tammany Hall influence.

Associations with Gamblers and Underworld Figures

Becker forged partnerships and protection arrangements with key figures in City's gambling underworld during his tenure as a lieutenant in the district. He collaborated with gambler Herman Rosenthal in operating a house at 104 West Forty-fifth Street, sharing profits from illegal operations until disputes over payoff shares prompted Becker to orchestrate its raid and closure in early 1912. These ties extended to systematic , where Becker's squad targeted non-compliant gambling dens for harassment while shielding those that paid regular tribute, amassing sufficient graft by 1911 to enable him to purchase a country home for his wife. A pivotal association was with Bald Jack Rose, a prominent gambler whose establishment at 155 Second Avenue was raided by Becker's squad in summer 1912. Following the raid, Rose agreed to act as Becker's agent, collecting protection money from gamblers citywide and retaining a 25% commission on hauls that averaged up to $10,000 monthly in 1911 and 1912. Rose's role solidified Becker's influence over vice operations, channeling funds from multiple gambling houses while Becker enforced the racket through selective raids and intimidation. Becker's network included underworld enforcers and gunmen recruited via intermediaries like , such as Big , a mobster tied to syndicates, and hired killers including Harry "Gyp the Blood" Horowitz, Jacob "Whitey" Lewis, and Franklin "Lefty Louie" Rosenthal. These connections facilitated Becker's demands for tribute from brothels and outfits, with non-payers facing violent reprisals or shutdowns, as testified by protected witnesses including and Sam Schepps, a house operator under . The credibility of such accounts, drawn from immunized criminals, was corroborated by multiple testimonies and physical evidence in Becker's subsequent trials, underscoring the depth of his infiltration into the vice economy.

Extortion Practices and Financial Gains

Becker operated a protection racket targeting illegal gambling houses and brothels in Manhattan's Tenderloin district, demanding fixed or percentage-based payments in exchange for shielding operators from police raids and arrests. He enforced compliance through his "strong-arm squad," a group of officers and recruited thugs who conducted intimidation and violence against defaulters, including beatings and property destruction. In one documented arrangement, Becker partnered with gambler Herman Rosenthal in operating a high-stakes den, where Rosenthal later alleged Becker took 20 percent of the proceeds as his cut for providing . Similar demands were leveled against other operators, with non-payment prompting immediate squad interventions; for instance, Becker personally assaulted a reluctant to extract tribute, an event witnessed by author . To bolster collections, Becker allied with underworld enforcers such as fixer and gunmen "Gyp the Blood" Horowitz and "Lefty Louie" Rosenberg, tasking them with shaking down targets and handling resistance through threats or beatings. These practices, detailed in testimonies from turned informants like Rose—who faced immunity deals and credibility challenges due to prior criminality—formed the core of Becker's syndicate, which blurred lines between police authority and . The financial yields were considerable, enabling Becker to acquire real estate and other holdings inconsistent with his public salary amid an era of widespread NYPD graft estimated at $2.4 million annually citywide. Profits were shared with subordinates and political allies in Tammany Hall, sustaining a network that prioritized revenue over enforcement until exposed by Rosenthal's public accusations in July 1912.

The Rosenthal Affair

Initial Partnership with Herman Rosenthal

In the early 1910s, Police Department Lieutenant Charles Becker formed a business partnership with gambler Herman Rosenthal, who operated illegal dens in . Becker acted as a silent partner, providing financial backing to Rosenthal's ventures while using his authority in the NYPD's Strong Arm Squad to shield the operations from rival interference and raids. In exchange, the profits were split on a basis, reflecting Becker's initial investment or "stake" in Rosenthal's establishments. This arrangement exemplified the systemic graft within the NYPD during the era, where officers like enforced vice laws selectively to extract tribute from operators such as Rosenthal, a small-time known as "Beansie." The partnership allowed Rosenthal's gambling house to operate openly despite periodic crackdowns on competitors, with 's squad ensuring compliance through intimidation rather than closure. Testimonies during subsequent investigations revealed that Rosenthal initially benefited from this protection, paying regular shares to without public complaint until financial disputes arose. The collaboration endured for approximately two years, from around , enabling both parties to profit amid New York's tenderloin district's underworld economy, where annual police payoffs from alone exceeded millions in contemporary dollars. Becker's involvement extended beyond mere oversight; he reportedly co-managed aspects of the house's and revenue collection, blending official duties with personal gain. However, the alliance frayed when Rosenthal failed to remit sufficient shares, prompting Becker to orchestrate a on the very he had protected.

Feud and Rosenthal's Complaints

The partnership between Charles Becker and Herman Rosenthal deteriorated in early 1912 when Rosenthal's operations faced financial strain, leading him to resent the protection payments he made to Becker, which were estimated at $200 per week for safeguarding his illegal activities. On April 17, 1912, Rhinelander directly ordered Becker to Rosenthal's Hesper at 104 West 45th Street, overriding Becker's usual tolerance for payoff-protected venues, which resulted in the of equipment and arrests, including Rosenthal himself. This , perceived by Rosenthal as a despite prior arrangements, intensified their conflict, as Becker had previously ensured police non-interference in exchange for bribes. Rosenthal's grievances escalated as he accused Becker of demanding excessive —up to $1,000 monthly from various dens, including his own—and failing to deliver adequate protection, prompting Rosenthal to withhold further payments and publicly denounce the arrangement. By July 1912, Rosenthal had confided in reporters, including those from , about Becker's role in a broader graft system, claiming Becker controlled vice enforcement in the district and profited immensely from it. On July 11, 1912, Rosenthal formalized his complaints in an , explicitly labeling Becker a "crook and a grafter" with over the Police Department, asserting that Becker's tactics stifled legitimate complaints from victims of . These public revelations, amplified by Rosenthal's interviews threatening further exposés unless reforms were enacted, positioned him as a direct threat to Becker's operations and the symbiotic , with Rosenthal stating he would "tell everything" to authorities if not compensated for his losses. reportedly responded by pressuring Rosenthal through intermediaries like "Bald Jack" to retract statements or face reprisals, but Rosenthal persisted, citing specific instances where had solicited bribes under threat of shutdowns. The feud's publicity drew scrutiny from reformers like Charles , who viewed Rosenthal's testimony as evidence of systemic , though skeptics later questioned Rosenthal's credibility due to his own criminal and history of double-dealing in disputes.

Murder of Rosenthal on July 16, 1912

Herman Rosenthal was shot dead on July 16, 1912, at around 2:00 a.m., as he exited the Metropole Hotel at 147 West 43rd Street in . The assailants, positioned in a gray touring car nearby, included gunmen Harry "Gyp the Blood" Horowitz and Louis "Lefty Louie" Rosenberg, who fired at least four shots at close range, striking Rosenthal multiple times in the head and upper body. Accomplices Frank "Dago Frank" Cirofici and Jacob "Whitey Lewis" Seidenschner waited in the vehicle as getaway drivers, part of a crew hired for the hit. Rosenthal, a small-time gambler who had operated a Becker-protected game before its , had spent the evening inside the hotel, possibly aware of threats after giving interviews to reporters about graft. As he stepped onto the sidewalk under the glare of lights, the gunmen emerged and unleashed the barrage; one bullet missed and embedded in the hotel doorframe, while others tore through Rosenthal's cheek, jaw, and head, causing him to collapse almost instantly without uttering identifiable last words beyond a gasp. The attackers fled eastward in their car before could respond effectively, leaving Rosenthal's body sprawled on the pavement amid a small crowd of witnesses from the hotel's late-night scene. The slaying occurred mere hours before Rosenthal was set to testify before a on his corruption claims against Becker and other officers, amplifying suspicions of orchestration by protected vice interests. Eyewitness accounts and ballistic evidence quickly identified the gangsters' involvement, though the case's reliance on later informant testimonies from figures like Jack Rose fueled debates over higher-level culpability. The murder shocked , exposing fissures in police integrity and prompting federal scrutiny, as Rosenthal's public accusations in the had already heightened tensions.

Legal Proceedings

Investigation and Arrest

Following the of Herman Rosenthal on , 1912, outside the Hotel Metropole in , police quickly identified and arrested four gunmen implicated in the shooting: Louis "Lefty Louie" Rosenberg, Jacob "Whitey Lewis" Seidenshner, Frank "Dago Frank" Cirofici, and Charles "Gyp the Blood" Horowitz. These arrests occurred within days, as witnesses and , including the getaway vehicle, linked the perpetrators to the near . Manhattan District Attorney Charles S. Whitman, who had scheduled a meeting with Rosenthal shortly before the killing and was aware of Rosenthal's July 11 accusations of extortion against Becker in the New York World, assumed control of the investigation to circumvent potential police department conflicts of interest. Whitman interrogated the gunmen and other underworld figures, who remained silent initially but faced pressure amid broader scrutiny of Tammany Hall-linked corruption. Breakthrough came from informants tied to Becker's operations, particularly Jack Rose, Becker's former bagman for collecting graft from gambling dens, who confessed to Whitman that Becker had directed the murder to prevent Rosenthal from testifying about police shakedowns. Rose's detailed account, corroborated by other associates like Harry Vallon and William Shapiro, established Becker as the instigator. On July 29, 1912, detectives from office arrested at his home in on charges of first-degree murder, marking the first time a police officer faced such an accusation for orchestrating a killing. The arrest disrupted Becker's network, prompting widespread alarm among implicated operators and officers, as telegraph messages spread news of the takedown through underground channels. denied involvement, claiming the charges stemmed from a frame-up by disgruntled criminals, but Whitman's evidence, including telegraphic communications and witness statements, justified the detention.

Key Testimonies from Informants

, 's primary graft collector, testified that Lieutenant directly ordered the murder of Herman Rosenthal to silence his complaints about police protection rackets to Charles S. Whitman and . Rose recounted a July 14, 1912, meeting at 's apartment where , furious over Rosenthal's cooperation with investigators, demanded Rosenthal be "taken care of" and promised Rose $1,500 for arranging it, with payments to be drawn from Rosenthal's own gambling debts owed to . Rose further stated he recruited gunmen Lefty Louie Rosenberg, Dago Frank Cirofici, and Gyp the Blood Horowitz, providing them with Rosenthal's description and directing them to the Hotel Metropole on July 16, 1912; after the shooting, Rose claimed he delivered the payoff to at a bathhouse. Harry Vallon, a garment manufacturer and associate, corroborated Rose's account by testifying to attending planning meetings with and , where allegedly approved the selection of the gunmen and emphasized Rosenthal's elimination to protect the vice operations. Vallon detailed receiving instructions to ensure the hit occurred swiftly and claimed later pressured him for details on the getaway car's disposal. Bridgey Guggenheim (also known as Bridgey Webber), another intermediary, testified that he acted as a between and the gunmen, relaying 's urgency and confirming post-murder payments funneled through , totaling around $1,000 disbursed in installments. Sam Schepps, a keeper with ties to Rosenthal's gambling circle, provided supporting that he overheard and Rose discussing the plot days before the , including directive to "bump him off" and references to using affiliates for the job. Schepps claimed this conversation occurred at a district establishment, linking it to broader of gamblers. These informants, all facing potential charges themselves, received immunity from prosecution in exchange for their cooperation, with Rose's repeated across three trials (1912, 1913, and 1914) and consistently cited by prosecutors as establishing orchestration despite lacking tying him to the scene.

Trials, Convictions, and Appeals

Becker's first trial for the first-degree murder of Herman Rosenthal began on October 7, 1913, in the , with Justice John W. Goff presiding. The proceedings lasted three weeks, featuring testimony from confessed intermediaries like "Bald Jack" Rose and gunmen, whom the defense portrayed as unreliable criminals seeking leniency. On October 23, 1913, the jury convicted Becker after deliberating less than two hours, and Goff sentenced him to death by . Becker appealed the conviction to the , arguing judicial bias, improper admission of evidence, and failure to corroborate accomplice testimony as mandated by New York Penal Code Section 399. On February 24, 1914, the court reversed the verdict in a 6-1 decision, holding that Goff's conduct— including hostile interruptions of defense witnesses and inflammatory comments—deprived Becker of a fair trial, and that the uncorroborated statements of felons lacked sufficient independent evidence linking Becker to the crime. The second opened on May 6, 1914, before Justice , selected for his reputation for impartiality amid ongoing scrutiny. Seabury sustained more defense objections and excluded some prejudicial admitted in the first trial, yet the prosecution's core narrative persisted through similar accounts. The jury convicted Becker of first-degree murder on May 22, 1914, after four hours of deliberation; Seabury imposed the death sentence on May 30, 1914, initially scheduling execution for July 6, 1914. Post-conviction appeals challenged the second trial on grounds of evidentiary errors, juror intimidation claims, and purported newly discovered evidence of witness perjury, including affidavits questioning the gunmen's motives. The upheld the conviction, affirming Seabury's rulings as legally sound and finding no material defects warranting reversal. Subsequent motions, including a 1915 application based on alleged prosecutorial suppression of exculpatory telegrams, were denied by lower courts and the , postponing execution over a year but ultimately failing to alter the outcome.

Execution and Immediate Aftermath

Incarceration at Sing Sing

Following his conviction in the second trial on October 30, 1914, Becker was sentenced to death by Justice , with execution initially set for July 6, 1914, though appeals delayed it. On May 30, 1914, shortly after sentencing proceedings, Becker was transported by automobile from to Prison, marking the start of his second stint in the facility's after a brief period there in late 1912. Upon arrival at 12:50 p.m., he was assigned prisoner number 64615 and placed in Cell No. 17 on the gallery tier due to overcrowding in the standard block. Displaying composure described as "iron nerve," Becker made light comments about the whitewashed cell bars resembling "another place" and consumed a meal of fish and boiled potatoes without remark. During his over a year in the , Becker exhibited a demeanor markedly different from his assertive presence, adopting a more reflective and cooperative attitude while consistently protesting his . He engaged in reading aloud to fellow inmates, assisted the prison chaplain in conducting classes, and corresponded frequently with his wife, , addressing her affectionately as the "Queen of my heart" in letters that emphasized his devotion and claims of wrongful conviction. Becker also immersed himself in literature, particularly Shakespeare's , which he favored for its exploration of justice, mercy, and mortality— themes he deemed pertinent to his circumstances. These activities occurred amid ongoing appeals to the , which ultimately upheld the conviction, prolonging his confinement until clemency was denied by Governor Charles S. Whitman. Becker's time at coincided with Warden Thomas Mott Osborne's tenure beginning in December 1914, during which progressive reforms like the Mutual Welfare League were introduced to improve inmate conditions and , though no direct records detail Becker's participation. He refuted specific allegations against him, such as a claim by Whitman that Becker had murdered his first wife, insisting she had died of in 1894. Throughout, Becker maintained routines focused on intellectual and spiritual pursuits, avoiding the despondency common among residents.

Final Statements and Execution on July 30, 1915

On the morning of July 30, 1915, Charles Becker awoke early at Prison, where he had been held in the since his conviction. He dressed in a special black cotton shirt and trousers prepared for the execution, with slits cut in the trouser legs and a spot shaved on his right temple for the electrode attachment. Throughout the night and into the early hours, Becker maintained composure, writing a love letter to his wife and a final testament in which he reiterated his innocence in the Rosenthal murder, praised Helen's loyalty, and addressed a letter to Governor Charles S. Whitman warning that "when your power passes, the truth about Rosenthal’s murder will become known." He confessed to prison chaplain Father Cashin around 4:00 a.m., again asserting his innocence while seeking spiritual solace. Becker's last meeting with occurred at 11:00 p.m. the previous evening, lasting about 1.5 hours, after which he bid farewell to relatives and supporters, including his lawyer Bourke Cockran, who noted Becker's steady voice and cool demeanor. Contemporary reports emphasized that denied guilt to the end, never losing nerve even as he proclaimed innocence in the face of death and paid final tribute to his wife. At approximately 5:42 a.m., entered the , walking firmly to the under the gaze of witnesses including reporters and officials. His final words, uttered as straps were fastened, were a Catholic : "Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit." The execution, scheduled for 5:45 a.m. and conducted by state electrician John Hulbert, proved prolonged and technically flawed, lasting nine minutes. An initial jolt of 1,850 volts caused Becker's body to convulse violently, bursting the chest strap and igniting flames at the due to insufficient penetration; two additional shocks were required before physicians pronounced him dead at 5:55 a.m. His wife , present nearby, collapsed in distress upon hearing of the outcome. An followed, revealing a photo of pinned over Becker's heart, and his body was prepared for burial, later inscribed on the plate by as "Charles Becker, Murdered July 30, 1915, by Whitman."

Controversies and Debates over Guilt

Prosecution's Case and Reliance on Criminal Witnesses

The prosecution's case against Charles Becker for orchestrating the July 16, , murder of gambler Herman Rosenthal rested primarily on the testimonies of four key informants from New York's underworld: gambler Jack "Baldy" Rose, his associate Harry Vallon, Louis "Bridgey" Webber, and Sam Schepps. These individuals, all implicated in Rosenthal's gambling operations and prior dealings with Becker, received immunity from murder charges in exchange for turning state's evidence, a decision by Charles S. Whitman that allowed them to avoid the death penalty faced by the convicted gunmen—Harry "Gyp the Blood" Horowitz, Jacob "Dago Frank" Cirofici, Rosenberg, and Frank "Lefty Louie" Rossi. Rose, who had served as Becker's collector of protection money from illegal gambling dens, testified that on July 16, , Becker explicitly instructed him to arrange Rosenthal's killing, providing $1,000 to hire gunmen through intermediary , a murdered in 1912 before he could testify. Vallon and Webber, both gamblers tied to Rosenthal's Hesper Club, corroborated Rose's narrative by describing a July 13, 1912, meeting at the Hotel Metropole where allegedly threatened Rosenthal's life after the gambler's complaints to Whitman about police graft, and subsequent discussions on July 15 where payments were finalized for the hit. Schepps, another , provided supporting details on 's financial arrangements with Rosenthal's operations, claiming had profited $500 weekly from protection rackets and viewed Rosenthal's public accusations—published in newspapers on July 16—as a direct threat to his position. Whitman argued these accounts formed a coherent chain linking , as a corrupt NYPD in the gambling squad, to the motive (silencing a whistleblower exposing Tammany Hall-linked ) and the mechanics of the crime, supplemented by such as 's post-murder attempts and recovered bullet casings near the Metropole Hotel. However, the informants' credibility was inherently compromised by their criminal histories and self-interest; Rose, for instance, had a record of perjury allegations from prior graft investigations, while Vallon and Webber admitted to longstanding involvement in illegal betting pools protected by Becker. New York law at the time required accomplice testimony to be corroborated by independent evidence for conviction, a standard the prosecution met through witness observations of Becker's rage toward Rosenthal and telegraphic records of communications among the plotters, though defense attorneys later contested the sufficiency in appeals. Becker's first trial in October 1912 ended in a hung jury amid public scrutiny of the witnesses' motives, but subsequent retrials in 1913 and 1914, culminating in his May 1914 conviction, hinged on the jury's acceptance of these testimonies despite cross-examinations exposing inconsistencies, such as Rose's varying accounts of payment timings. The reliance on such sources reflected the era's challenges in prosecuting high-level police corruption without direct forensic ties, as the gunmen themselves refused to implicate Becker during their October 1912 convictions.

Defense Arguments and Claims of Frame-Up

Becker's defense, led by attorneys including Martin T. Manton, centered on his complete denial of involvement in Rosenthal's murder, asserting that he had no prior relationship with the victim beyond routine interactions and had never solicited or ordered the killing. testified that he did not know the gunmen—, , , and —and that the prosecution's narrative lacked direct evidence tying him to the crime, relying instead on from untrustworthy sources. He maintained that any meetings with figures like Jack Rose were unrelated to or murder plots, often occurring in the context of his official duties as a in the NYPD's squad. A core argument was that the prosecution's case hinged on testimonies from convicted criminals and gamblers—primarily , along with Davis Williams and Sam Paul—who had turned state's to avoid their own indictments for the murder, receiving immunity in exchange for implicating . The defense highlighted these witnesses' criminal histories, including Rose's involvement in prior extortions and assaults, and cross-examined them to expose inconsistencies, such as varying accounts of alleged meetings and payments between and the informants. Manton contended that Rose had orchestrated a "frame-up" during his , rehearsing a false narrative with other witnesses to shift blame onto and protect themselves from execution, motivated by fear of the death penalty and resentment toward 's recent crackdowns on operations after his 1911 promotion to . Becker's team further argued that no physical or corroborative evidence linked him to the shooters, such as tying the murder weapon to his alleged "gunmen" or financial records proving payoffs, and that the absence of Rosenthal's anticipated exposé in undermined claims of motive tied to silencing him. In the first trial, the defense presented character witnesses and alibis, emphasizing Becker's as a reformer against prior to the scandal. The overturned the initial conviction in 1913, ruling it "shockingly against the weight of evidence," which Becker publicly cited as validation that "no frame-up can go through forever." Post-conviction appeals and later analyses amplified frame-up claims, with Becker writing a final letter to on July 29, 1915, proclaiming his innocence and accusing the informants of under prosecutorial pressure amid anti-Tammany fervor. Andy , in her 1970 book Against the Evidence, detailed discrepancies in witness timelines and motives, arguing that Whitman and Herald reporter Herbert Swope coerced the testimonies to secure a high-profile , framing an innocent officer to symbolize ; noted the witnesses' prior failed attempts to extort Becker and the lack of independent verification for their stories. Earlier works, such as Jules Klein's 1927 Sacrificed, similarly portrayed Becker as a victim of manufactured by opportunistic informants, though these claims faced due to the era's documented graft. Despite such arguments, subsequent courts upheld the second , citing the jury's assessment of credibility over evidentiary gaps.

Contextual Role of Tammany Hall Corruption and Reform Pressures

The , which dominated governance in the early , fostered systemic corruption within the New York Police Department by tying officer promotions and assignments to political loyalty rather than merit or integrity. This patronage system enabled figures like Lieutenant Charles Becker to operate protection rackets against gambling dens, collecting regular payoffs—reportedly up to $500 weekly in some cases—while shielding operations from raids, as long as tribute flowed to machine bosses and allied criminals. Tammany's influence extended to shielding corrupt officers from internal discipline, perpetuating a culture where police graft intertwined with electoral support from underworld elements, culminating in scandals like the 1894-1895 Lexow Committee revelations that exposed similar abuses but failed to eradicate them. The 1912 murder of gambler Herman Rosenthal, who had publicly accused Becker and other officers of extortion just days prior, ignited widespread demands for reform amid the Progressive Era's anti-machine fervor. Rosenthal's killing outside the Metropole Hotel on July 16, 1912, was perceived as a direct retaliation tied to Tammany-protected , prompting national headlines and calls for federal intervention, including denunciations in linking the crime to Mayor William Jay Gaynor's administration and Tammany leadership. Charles S. Whitman, a reform-oriented prosecutor elected in 1910 partly on anti-corruption pledges, seized the case to dismantle Tammany's hold on the NYPD, framing Becker's trial as emblematic of broader institutional rot rather than an isolated incident. These reform pressures amplified controversies surrounding Becker's guilt, as the prosecution's reliance on testimonies from career criminals like "Bald Jack" Rose and "Dago Frank" Cirofici—granted immunity in exchange for cooperation—was criticized as expedient to secure a high-profile conviction that could politically weaken Tammany. The scandal eroded Tammany's dominance, contributing to the 1913 mayoral victory of Fusion reform candidate John Purroy Mitchel over the machine's nominee, and Whitman's subsequent gubernatorial election in 1914, though skeptics later argued the rush to execute Becker on July 30, 1915, prioritized symbolic purification over evidentiary rigor, fueling frame-up theories amid Tammany's desperate but failed efforts to intervene on his behalf. Despite these short-term setbacks, Tammany regained power by 1917, underscoring the entrenched nature of the corruption that Becker's case highlighted but did not fully dismantle.

Modern Analyses and Questions of Innocence

In the decades following Becker's execution, historians and authors have increasingly scrutinized the , highlighting the prosecution's dependence on testimonies from career criminals such as "Bald Jack" Rose, who received immunity in exchange for implicating Becker, raising doubts about coerced or fabricated evidence. Mike Dash, in his 2007 book Satan's Circus, contends that Charles manipulated evidence and confessions to secure a high-profile amid anti-Tammany reform fervor, noting inconsistencies such as the lack of direct links between Becker and the gunmen and Whitman's initial skepticism toward the informants' claims. Dash argues this political ambition framed an otherwise corrupt but not murderous officer, supported by archival records showing perjured statements and ignored exculpatory details, though he acknowledges Becker's involvement in graft without endorsing outright . Earlier modern reevaluations, such as Andy Logan's 1971 Against the Evidence, portray Becker's trial as a driven by sensational and Whitman's gubernatorial aspirations, emphasizing how the case's reliance on unverified accounts—without forensic or eyewitness corroboration tying to the July 16, 1912, Rosenthal shooting—undermined . Logan, drawing on trial transcripts and contemporary investigations, posits that was scapegoated to dismantle Tammany-linked police networks, a view echoed in a 2012 Times retrospective questioning the verdict's durability given the informants' motives and the absence of motive beyond disputed disputes. These analyses critique the era's amplification of guilt narratives, often from reformist outlets biased against Tammany, which prioritized over evidentiary rigor. While no has occurred and some accounts maintain Becker's orchestration based on circumstantial graft evidence, contemporary scholarship underscores systemic flaws like informant incentives and prosecutorial overreach, paralleling later wrongful conviction patterns identified in studies of early 20th-century cases. Skeptics of innocence claims, including historians, counter that Becker's documented shakedowns of gamblers like Rosenthal provided ample motive, yet the lack of persists as a core contention, fueling debates over whether reformist zeal sacrificed judicial standards.

Legacy and Historical Impact

Influence on NYPD Reforms

The Becker–Rosenthal scandal of 1912, culminating in Lieutenant Charles Becker's conviction and execution for orchestrating the murder of gambler Herman Rosenthal, exposed systemic graft within the NYPD, including widespread protection rackets for illegal gambling operations run by figures like Becker and . This revelation fueled public outrage and sentiment, contributing to the political downfall of Tammany Hall's influence in the 1913 mayoral election, where reform candidate defeated the machine-backed by a margin of over 75,000 votes on a platform emphasizing police integrity and administrative overhaul. Mitchel's victory marked a shift, with the scandal serving as a catalyst for demands to dismantle entrenched vice protections that had persisted since the department's consolidation in 1898. In April 1914, Mayor Mitchel appointed Arthur , a Harvard-educated reformer and former police lieutenant, as NYPD to lead depoliticization efforts. implemented targeted reforms, including merit-based promotions to curb —reducing Tammany loyalists' sway over assignments—and mandatory programs emphasizing ethical conduct and over brute enforcement. By 1915, following Becker's execution on July 30, had dismissed or transferred over 200 officers implicated in graft scandals, while introducing centralized oversight to monitor precinct-level extortion, though enforcement remained uneven due to persistent political pressures. These measures professionalized , aligning it closer to models like London's , but their longevity was limited after Mitchel's 1917 defeat restored Tammany dominance. The scandal's legacy extended to broader accountability mechanisms, influencing subsequent probes into vice ties and underscoring the causal link between unchecked syndicates and departmental corruption, as evidenced by Rosenthal's pre-murder complaints to about Becker's shakedowns. While Woods' initiatives predated full implementation of modern internal affairs units, they established precedents for external scrutiny, with the Becker case cited in later commissions as a for prosecuting high-ranking officers to deter systemic malfeasance.

Portrayals in Media and Literature

The Becker–Rosenthal case has been alluded to in F. Scott Fitzgerald's (1925), where the gangster Meyer Wolfsheim references the "Rosy Rosenthal" murder in conversation with the narrator, evoking the era's underworld violence and unproven criminal ties: "They got him all right, but they couldn't prove anything on him." This depiction underscores the scandal's notoriety as a symbol of and gangland retribution in . The events appear in Harry Stein's (1983), a novel set against the backdrop of 1920s baseball and vice, which weaves the Rosenthal slaying and Becker's involvement into its exploration of Tammany-era graft and moral decay. Kevin Baker's (1999), the third installment in his City of Fire historical series, prominently features the case amid fictionalized accounts of 1910s Manhattan's underworld, portraying Becker as emblematic of systemic police malfeasance amid Coney Island's seedy underbelly and reformist upheavals. No major feature films or television adaptations directly portray Becker, though the case inspired non-fiction works like Stanley Walker's The Execution of Officer Becker (1927), which dramatizes the trial's sensationalism without fictional embellishment. Contemporary newspaper accounts, particularly in the New York World, shaped public perceptions of Becker as a ruthless enforcer turned murderer, relying on witness testimonies later contested for reliability.

References

  1. [1]
    Charles Becker | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers
    Becker was the first American police officer to receive the death penalty for murder. The scandal that surrounded his arrest, conviction, and execution was one ...Missing: notable | Show results with:notable
  2. [2]
    Charles Becker - AMERICAN HERITAGE
    Becker spent his time reading aloud to his fellow prisoners and writing awkward, grandiloquent letters to his wife, whom he called “Queen of my heart” and ...Missing: notable | Show results with:notable
  3. [3]
    Charles Becker (1912, 1914) - Tales from the Criminal Court
    On July 29, 1912 detectives from the District Attorney's Office arrested a police lieutenant, Charles Becker, for the murder of Rosenthal.
  4. [4]
    Charles Becker (1870-1915) - Find a Grave Memorial
    Law Enforcement Officer, Convicted Murderer. Charles Becker, a New York City policeman, is known, according to a 21st-century article in the "New York Times ...Missing: notable | Show results with:notable
  5. [5]
    The "Killer Cop" and the Tombs - New York Correction History Society
    Charles Becker, a high-profile lieutenant for the New York City Police Department during the heydays of Tammany Hall, who was convicted of murder.
  6. [6]
    Charles Becker Trials: 1912-14 | Encyclopedia.com
    Becker's long criminal career included an incident when he beat a young prostitute who had been reluctant to pay protection money he demanded. Stephen Crane ...Missing: notable person
  7. [7]
    LIEUTENANT BECKER; SACRIFICED. The Story of Police ...
    It is a dramatic coincidence that this book in vindication of Lieutenant Becker, executed for murder almost a dozen years ago, should appear at this moment ...Missing: NYPD | Show results with:NYPD
  8. [8]
    Sullivan County's Most Notorious Native - New York Almanack
    Aug 17, 2017 · Charles E. Becker may well be the most notorious native of Sullivan County ever. Born on July 26, 1870 in Callicoon Center – he lived and worked ...Missing: person | Show results with:person<|separator|>
  9. [9]
    Charles Becker (1870-1915) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree
    Jan 17, 2022 · Charles Becker was born July 26, 1870 in the village of Callicoon Center, Sullivan, New York. Becker moved to New York City as a young man ...Missing: NYPD upbringing early
  10. [10]
    Charles Becker (1870–1915) • FamilySearch
    Charles F Becker was born 26 July 1870 in New York City, to Conrad Becker (1825-1877) and Mary Wurtz (1831-1913). He was a Lieutenant in the New York City ...
  11. [11]
    Execution of Charles Becker of New York City - Genealogy Trails
    Charles Becker (July 26, 1870 - July 30, 1915) was a New York City police officer in the 1890's and 1910's and who was tried, convicted and executed<|separator|>
  12. [12]
    The Becker Case-- View of 'The system'; The anatomy of civic ...
    His wife, Helen Lynch Becker, was a city school teacher. They had a nice home in the Bronx, a canary he called "Dearie," and they were expecting a child ...
  13. [13]
    100 Years After a Murder, Questions About a Police Officer's Guilt
    Jul 15, 2012 · Lt. Charles Becker, right, was executed for arranging the 1912 murder of Herman Rosenthal, left. The Metropole Hotel, at right, ...
  14. [14]
    ASKED CASH FOR BECKER EVIDENCE; Lieutenant's Wife Causes ...
    Mrs. Helen L. Becker, wife of Lieut. Charles Becker, accused of having instigated the murder of Herman Rosenthal, caused the arrest last night of a youth ...Missing: marriage family children
  15. [15]
    The Legendary Career of Maximillian F. Schmittberger – Part 2 of 2 ...
    May 24, 2018 · In 1901, Roundsman Charles Becker worked for Captain Max Schmittberger. Seven years earlier, Schmittberger exposed the criminality of ...
  16. [16]
    Part One — Killer Cop: Charles Becker — Crime Library
    Into this jungle of graft, Charles Becker entered center stage. ... In 1896 he mistakenly shot and killed an innocent bystander while chasing a burglar.
  17. [17]
    A corrupt city cop is sent to the electric chair | Ephemeral New York
    Nov 25, 2013 · But Lieutenant Charles Becker (left) went down in history as one of the most rotten. Born in upstate Sullivan County, Becker worked as a bouncer ...
  18. [18]
    For a Corrupt New York, a Lawman Who Fit In
    Jun 20, 2007 · So in the autumn of 1912, when Lt. Charles Becker went on trial for the murder of Herman Rosenthal, a notorious gangster and gambling-house ...
  19. [19]
    Why NYPD officer Charlie Becker became the first American cop to ...
    Aug 13, 2017 · Charlie Becker was a big man, 6-feet-3, 215 pounds, and the creaking old death house chair just wasn't up to the job. The first jolt blew ...Missing: residence | Show results with:residence<|separator|>
  20. [20]
    BALDY JACK' ROSE IS DEAD HERE AT 72; Police Close File on ...
    In the summer of 1912 Lieutenant Becker's squad raided the Rose establishment. The lieutenant and the gambler, as Rose told the story later, came to terms as a ...
  21. [21]
    Charles Becker Trials: 1912-14
    Defendant: Charles Becker ; Crime Charged: Murder ; Chief Defense Lawyers: First trial: John F. Mcintyre, Lloyd B. Stryker, and George W. Whiteside; Second trial: ...Missing: figures names
  22. [22]
    MURDER OF RACKETEER BROUGHT CRIMINAL POLICE CHIEF ...
    Lieutenant Charles Becker. Rosenthal said that Becker had. received 20 per cent of the pro. ceeds of the gambling-house and. had stationed one of his under.
  23. [23]
    $$2,400,000 CRAFT A YEAR PAID TO POLICE; MERCY FOR ...
    $$2,400,000 CRAFT A YEAR PAID TO POLICE; MERCY FOR BECKER IF HE'LL TELL ALL; His Only Chance to Escape Chair Is to Expose the 'System,' Says Whitman.
  24. [24]
    GAMBLER WHO DEFIED POLICE IS SHOT DEAD; Rosenthal Killed ...
    Herman Rosenthal was more bitter than usual, accusing Lieut. Becker of the Strong Arm Squad of having been a silent partner in his gambling establishment in ...
  25. [25]
    Murder at the Metropole: Charles Becker Herman Rosenthal Case ...
    May 31, 2016 · A popular gangland resort and casino, the Hotel Metropole was located at 147 West 43rd Street. It was the scene of the murder of Herman “Beansie” Rosenthal in ...
  26. [26]
    MFDJ 10/19/23: The Rosenthal Murder - Morbid Fact Du Jour!
    Oct 19, 2023 · When Police Commissioner Waldo gave Becker a direct order to raid Rosenthal's nightclub on April 17, 1912, he had no choice but to comply.
  27. [27]
    HISTORY OF N.Y. SLAYING FOR WHICH 5 MEN DIED
    No wonder Becker was confident. Becker was refried and his conviction came on May 22, 1914. Ho was sentenced to die July 6, last year, but got a stay of ...
  28. [28]
    DEFENSE PLANS TO CALL BECKER; Decides to Let Him Tell of ...
    The prosecution closed its case against Lieut. Charles Becker, accused of the murder of Herman Rosenthal, the gambler who once accused Becker of having been ...
  29. [29]
    GAMBLER ROSENTHAL MURDERED AT METROPOLE
    Within ten hours after the assassination of Herman Rosenthal, a wealthy gambler, in front of the Hotel Metropole, in New York city, early today.
  30. [30]
    3 NEW ARRESTS PUT MURDER PLOT CLOSE TO BECKER; Sam ...
    Rosenthal was shot down as he stepped from the Hotel Metropole an instant before 2 o'clock on Tuesday morning, only a few hours before he had an appointment to ...
  31. [31]
    ROSE REVEALS BECKER SECRETS; Was Rosenthal's Partner ...
    Rose written statement gives detailed acct of of his relations with Becker, of Rosenthal murder plot and names of gambling houses that paid graft to police; ...
  32. [32]
    ' THE SYSTEM' UPSET BY BECKER'S ARREST; Fear Widespread ...
    Becker had been arrested charged with the murder of Herman Rosenthal flashed from police station to police station last night by a system of underground ...
  33. [33]
    Part Two — Killer Cop: Charles Becker - Crime Library
    Bald Jack Rose, now a born-again Christian and heavily in demand on the lecture circuit, was resurrected to repeat his damning testimony. Bourke Cockran, a ...Missing: key informants
  34. [34]
    FIVE BACK UP ROSE'S STORY BECKER MURDER; Two Former ...
    Charles B. Plitt, James Marshall, George S. Dougherty, Mrs. Lillian Rosenthal, and Harry Pollok testify for prosecution, and back up Rose's story of murder.
  35. [35]
    TELL OF MURDER AT BECKER TRIAL; Five of the State's ...
    FIVE WITNESSES HEARD. Whitman Calls Becker "The Worst Murderer of Them All." District Attorney Whitman in his opening address to the jury did not follow his ...
  36. [36]
    BECKER WINS NEW TRIAL ON ERRORS; GUNMEN TO DIE; Court ...
    BECKER WINS NEW TRIAL ON ERRORS; GUNMEN TO DIE; Court of Appeals Holds, 6 to 1, Police Lieutenant's Trial for Rosenthal Murder Unfair.
  37. [37]
    BECKER SENTENCED TO DIE ON JULY 6; Ex-Lieutenant Begins ...
    Ex-Police Lieut. Charles Becker was sentenced to die in the electric chair on Monday, July 6, by Justice Samuel Seabury in the Criminal Branch of the ...
  38. [38]
    Osborne Family Papers An inventory of the collection at Syracuse ...
    In December, 1914, Osborne began to implement some of his ideas as the new warden of Sing Sing Prison at Ossining, New York. ... Charles Becker". Box 244 ...
  39. [39]
    1915: Charles Becker | Executed Today
    Jul 30, 2011 · On this date in 1915, New York City cop and New York City mafioso Charles Becker was electrocuted at Sing Sing for engineering a hit on bookie Herman Rosenthal.Missing: incarceration | Show results with:incarceration<|separator|>
  40. [40]
    Page 1 — The Champaign Daily News 30 July 1915
    BECKER DENIES GUILT TO LAST FORMER police lieutenant proclaims innocence in FACE OF DEATH. FINAL TRIBUTE PAID TO WIFE Condemned Man, Never Losing His Nerve, ...
  41. [41]
    FOUR SHOCKS Ei LIFE OF OFFICER Wife in Collapse as Becker ...
    FOUR SHOCKS Ei LIFE OF OFFICER Wife in Collapse as Becker Pays Extreme Penalty for Slaying. By International News Service OSSINING* N. Y., July 30.Missing: personal | Show results with:personal<|control11|><|separator|>
  42. [42]
    BECKER'S COFFIN LIBELS WHITMAN; Its Plate Records That Dead ...
    Charles Becker, there is a silver plate bearing this inscription: CHARLES BECKER. Murdered July 30, 1915. by. GOVERNOR WHITMAN. The inscription is Mrs. Becker's ...
  43. [43]
    BECKER TRIAL TO-DAY DESPITE NEW MURDER; Whitman ...
    Whitman has the testimony of "Billiard Ball" Jack Rose, "Bridgey" Webber, Harry Vallon, and Sam Schepps. Rose, Webber and Vallon are charged with being ...
  44. [44]
    ROSE, UNSHAKEN, IS TO BE ACCUSED; Becker Defense, Failing ...
    ROSE, UNSHAKEN, IS TO BE ACCUSED; Becker Defense, Failing to Up-set His Story, Will Put Murder Plot Up to Him.
  45. [45]
    Against the Evidence - The New York Times
    Aug 16, 1970 · Police Lieutenant Charles Beck er, accused of ordering the killing, was a grafter, a strap ping giant sometimes brutal with prisoners, no ...Missing: career | Show results with:career
  46. [46]
    KLEIN'S BOOK CALLS BECKER INNOCENT; Executed Lieutenant a ...
    The book, entitled “Sacrificed,” is based on the conviction and death in the electric chair in Sing Sing of Police Lieutenant Charles Becker, in July, 1915.Missing: career | Show results with:career
  47. [47]
    “What's the Deal With:” Tammany Hall's Corruption of the New York ...
    Sep 11, 2016 · The systemic police corruption endemic from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries were the result of Tammany's corrupt influences ...
  48. [48]
    MAYOR AND TAMMANY DENOUNCED IN HOUSE; Reddenbery ...
    7.—Mayor Gaynor of New York, Tammany Hall, the principals in the Rosenthal murder, and the leaders of the Democratic House of Representatives, were to-day ...
  49. [49]
    STATES & CITIES: The Lady & The Tiger | TIME
    ... death for the murder. The reaction to this affair gave the State a Reform Governor (Charles S. Whitman), the city a Reform Mayor (John Purroy Mitchel). Last ...
  50. [50]
    Big Tim Sullivan—King of the Bowery by Richard F. Welch, Ph.D.
    As it was, Rosenthal's affidavit and murder triggered another series of sensational revelations of the widespread corruption within the police department and ...
  51. [51]
    Killer Cop: Charles Becker — Introduction - Crime Library
    One such officer was Charles Becker ... Tammany Hall. His execution didn't end that storied era of corruption, but it sharply punctuated it by giving it flesh and ...
  52. [52]
    Becker Case Reopened! | Murray Kempton
    Sep 3, 1970 · One Bald Jack Rose claimed to have been Becker's chief confidant in the plot; Swope managed to get Rose's “confession” and print it in the ...Missing: relationship | Show results with:relationship
  53. [53]
    Gambling and Police Corruption - The Atlantic
    Police corruption erodes the average citizen's respect for the law and makes him cynical about all law enforcement.
  54. [54]
    [PDF] Assessing the Criminal Prosecutions of Police in Six Major Scandals ...
    From the 1890s to the 1990s, the police department in New York City experienced six major corruption scandals that occurred at approximately twenty-year ...
  55. [55]
    The Origins of Corruption in the New York City Police Department
    Jun 28, 2016 · Daniel Czitrom, author of 'New York Exposed,' explains why corruption was endemic in the early days of the New York Police Department.
  56. [56]
    WOODS TO BRING POLICE DEPARTMENT INTO THE UPLIFT; Was ...
    The appointment of Arthur Woods as Police Commissioner was not made because the Mayor had to appoint somebody and thought Woods was a nice fellow. It was made ...
  57. [57]
    The Informal World of Police Patrol - Christopher Thale, 2007
    Arthur Woods, Policeman and Public (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1919), 91-92. Google Scholar. Thomas Bender, Community and Social Change in America ( ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  58. [58]
    Know Your Mayors: "The Boy Mayor of New York" - The Bowery Boys
    Apr 9, 2008 · Although Mitchel had continued with his vow to eradicate police corruption, an educational reform policy was viciously attacked from both ends, ...
  59. [59]
    [PDF] review of new york city police corruption investigation commissions ...
    at the time) by NYPD Lieutenant Charles Becker. Seventeen years later, Governor Franklin Roosevelt requested the judiciary to look into corruption in the ...
  60. [60]
    The Great Gatsby Chapter 4 Summary and Analysis - eNotes.com
    Rosenthal's murder was widely believed to have been ordered by Lieutenant Charles Becker, one of three police officers in the case against Rosenthal. The ...
  61. [61]
    https://monocledmutineer.co.uk/meyer-wolfsheim-rothstein-fitzgerald-gatsby/
  62. [62]
    Charles Becker - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia
    Oct 11, 2024 · The Becker-Rosenthal murder ... It also figures prominently in Harry Stein's 1983 novel Hoopla and the 1999 novel Dreamland by Kevin Baker.
  63. [63]
    The Execution of Officer Becker: The Murder of a Gambler, The Trial ...
    Lieutenant Charles Becker was the only New York City police officer ever executed for murder. He was convicted of orchestrating the gangland slaying of a small ...