New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-27
GIRL AND FOUR MEN
HELD IN DEATH PLOT
No Bail for Contractors Accused
of Hiring Striker to Stay
Union Secretary.
HALTING WITNESS IN CELL
District Attorneys Force
Rounds Up Evidence Corrob-
Grating Wagner's Story of
Steinberg's Murder.

Abraham Fialkoff. Louis Wenstein,
contracting tailors who we're charged by
Harry Wagner striking buttonhole maxi
or, with instieating him to murder, and
Anna Ffalkoff. daughter of Abraham
Fialkoff. were held without bail by Cor
oner Feinberg yesterday. They are
charged with homicide. The inquest into
the death of Abraham Steinberg, secretary
Of the Buttonhole Makers Union. who was
shot by Wagner, will be held on March :.
Lucian s. Breckenridge an Assistant
District Attorney. and Acting Captain
Mckinney. of the Detective Bureau, who
have charge Of the case, found nine wit
nesses yesterday. Eight of them corrobo-
rate Wagner's story in essential details.
The ninth, Edward Jungrau, refused 70
answer questions, and was locked up a.
a material witness. Detective Griffin
found Mrs. Nettie Wagner, Harry Wag-
ner's wife, in the home OF relatives. Her
testimony is considered valuable.
None Of the witnesses overheard any Of
the alleged conversations between Wagner
and the men who he says forced him 70
kill the union secretary, but they remem-
Der that certain meetings and other events
essential to Wagners story took place.
Steinberg, Wagner SAYS. was killed be-
cause he had virtually driven the con-
tractors out Of business. demanding that
4bo ~. fo aaa1 wit ho "a =
rectly.
Wagner says that besides the with
drawal of threatened prosecution for
forgery he received $40 and the promise
Of $500 for killing Steinberg. Fialkoff and
Wesberg, he says, were the chiefs of the
conspiracy. The latter. he says. gave him
the money 20 buy revolver. Steinberg S
death had been contemplated since short
~ after Christmas The date for his
death first mentioned to Wagner, he says,
was January 6. on that day Wagner
says he went to the union headquarters
with Weisberg 10 kill Steinberg. Wag-
ner's heart failed him at the last moment
and he gave back the revolver to WeLs-
berg he says, saying: Il can't do it after
all"
The next day. Wagner says. ne over
heard Fialkof say to Welnsten: II Won
der if he's going TO fail US again, and
Weinsten's answer NO he won't fail
US again. He'll either Kill that fellow to-
night or he will be dead That same day
Wagner says he met Weisberg, who
asked him sneeringly if he had lost his
nerve, and when he replied he was going
l.. tvt1t u, nd 1 ha
volver TO him, saying: There is the
pistol just as you gave il TO me-bullets
and all" Then Weisberg outlined de-
fence for him, Wagner said. telling him
that the best thing he could say WAS that
Steinberg had insulted his wife.
That night, January :. Wagner went to
the union headquarters again with tue
revolver. Orenstein, he says, had cleared
the stage for him, getting every one out
of the hall except Steinberg and two
others. Mr.. breckenridge has found the
two men who were i'll the han ana saw
Steinberg shot, and their story agrees
with Wagner's that there was no mention
OF any Insult 10 his wife.
Mrs. Nettie Wagner told Mr.. Breckin-
ridge that since her husbands arrest she
had received numerous messages from
contractors now under arrest bidding her
hold her tongue and they would see that
Harry got off.
Jungrau. the witness who was locked
I'M is believed TO have been threatened
with injury If he testified. lie is said TO
know of the following message sent by
Weinstein TO Fialkoff: Don't do any
thing about the checks. lie VIII Ole To-
night