Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US black/Harlem) cash; money.

1943		D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 9 Oct. 20: Shortly after, the skull came up on the tab action, and gassed the scribe that he was beat for some beater.
1944		D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 16: It was her duty, like good tutti-frutti, to come up on some beater to straighten out his condition.