The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-01
WILL DIG UP
GARDEN CELLAR
New York Officials Believe Other
Murders Have Been Done There
MANY DlSAPPfARANCES NOTED
The Iendsrloin District a Hoi-bsd OF Vice
and Much Of The Crime OF the City
Is Traced There.

New York, Oct. 1.-The Staying OF
wealthy Captain James b. Craft, in the
Empire restaurant. In West Twenty
ninth street. has led TO an investigation
which is expected TO reveal startling
state of affairs In the Tenderloin.
Assistant District Attorney Garvan
said yesterday that he believed other
murders similar TO the Craft horror had
been committed I'm Tenderloin resorts.
and possibly In the Empire, and have re-
mained undetected.
The cellar where Captain Craft was
decapitated after being knocked uncon-
scious and robbed in the saloon above Is
to be dug up in a search for bodies.
II Is known that fully 500 persons dis
appear in New York yearly and IL Is
known that many missing ones vanish in
the Tenderloin. The district is infested
with thugs who make a living by giving
moneyed victims knockout drops and
robbing them. In this nefarious work
they are often in league with women.
OF the many rendered unconscious by
chloral hydrate some fail 10 survive. An
overdose OF the drug is sure 10 kill, and
a moderate dose given TO a person with
a weak constitution has proved fatal
The fact that chloral is odoress. color
less and tasteless, rendering 1t impossi-
BILE of detection by the most wary, makes
the thugs way easy.
Perhaps the greatest source OF immuni-
ty TO the thugs Of both sexes is the un-
willingness Of the men they rob TO ap-
pear publicly as complainants.
The victim discovers he has been
robbed. either while awake or under the
influence of knockout drops. hurries to
the police station and makes his COM
plaint. He gives particulars and descrip-
tions and plain clothes man Is sent out
with him to search for the guilty one.
The plain clothes man brings in a pris-
oner. Then there is the formality Of
search and arraignment.
But the moment the captain or ser
geant tells the victim TO appear In court
to prosecute, he becomes frightened. He
does not want the publicity. And ninety
nine times out of a hundred the case
never reaches the public.
A strong example Of this kind was that
OF the German nobleman officer i'm the
Kaisers army and attache of the German
legation at Washington who was robbed
by two fashionably dressed women in
Fifth avenue year ago. When the wo-
men were caught the victim vowed he
would prosecute them.
The officer awoke next day to find long
accounts OF the robbery In the papers
He packed up hurredly and left town.
He never returned
Speaking OF the Craft murder District
Attorney Jerome said yesterday:
THE district attorneys office cannot
police the city. have always been OF
the opinion that when people are allowed
TO violate the law in one direction they
will violate II I'm another"
Just before his transfer from the Ten
derloin precinct TO the Old Slip station
yesterday Captain Sheehan sent to the
excise board the following letter:
II most respectfully request that the
license issued in the name of Robert T.
Tobin for the premises at No. 3S West
Twenty ninth street. known as the EN-
pire. be cancelled from the fact that n
dastardly murder was committed there
last Saturday"
The inquest in the Craft murder will
be. held today. The funeral of the muir
dered man will also occur today from his
home in Glen Cove, l.. l.