New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-26
CHICKEN THIEVES
MURDERED BAFF,
POLICE BELIEVE
Theory of Poultry Trust
Vendetta Now Aban-
dOned by Sleuths.
PHONE CALL PRIOR
TO DECOY MESSAGE
Abandoned Gun and Cryp-
tic Postcard Warnings
Are Sole CIeWS.


There is this morning no moro in
formation a. hand about the murder
Of Bernard Baf, the anti-poultry trust
chicken merchant OF "a Thompson ST.,
who WAS decoyed by q message to a
convenient spot for his slayer in West
Washington Market on Tuesday even
ing, than there was before Bats life
was taken.
Enough apparent leads have been
exploded to indicate that the New York
Live Poultry Merchants Protective
Association, an organization fought by
Baf as an Independent. is in no way
concerned in the murder. That body
seemed 20 furnish the main line Of in
quiry because of Bats legal activity
since the spring Of 1910. Now that IN
vestigat.on there appears unfruitful,
it is believed that Bats troubles with
men who stole some OF his chickens
from shipments consigned 10 him 20
the Erie Railroad yards, in Jersey City,
may supply the explanation Of his
murder.
The police and that includes Com
missioner Woods, who is confronted by
the first big murder case since he took
Office; Inspector Faurot and Captain
Cray. Of the Detective Bureau, and
Captain Carey, OF the Homicide Bureau
saw no light when the day was over
Neither did Assistant District Attorney
Walter R. Deuel., who is Investigating
in cooperation with the police.
Tn the Rosenthal case. with which
this murder has been compared, Mr.
Whitman learned the number Of the
automobile containing the gunmen.
Here there is a clew not so definite,
judging from yesterdays results, for
though a revolver has been found, it
has not been determined from whose
hands it passed 70 those Of tho person
who employed it on Tuesday night.
Sleuths on Cese Bamcd.
Even detectives known TO the mer-
chants OF the section where BaG was
slain were unable yesterday TO light
on an opening to information. And
detectives sent TO New Jersey, whence
the trail apparently leads, reported
lack Of progress last night
Baff employed several clerks five or
six. his business neighbors guessed,
and Bats son and partner, Harry,
would not say and they circulated
busily around the Office on Tuesday
evening about the time that the Office
telephone rang, the caller asking for
Bernard Baf and declining TO identify
himself.
Several calls OF that kind had been
made since Baf. t,,r years ago, took
his stand agains. the poultry trust, SO
the clerk, suspicious, tried to hold the
caller on the wire UNI. the point Of
call could be traced on an outside tele-
phone. But when the clerk, after a
fev. minutes OF indecision. returned TO
the transmitter to ask, "Wait a mo-
ment," he found that the other person
had disconnected.
In the face Of similar calls that one
vas Of no moment at the time. In
less than fve minutes somebody tapped
at the door Of Bats private Office and
announced that Baf was wanted
"around on Hewitt av" That was a
block away.
Eight minutes later BaG was shot,
the time being figured Fl 4 the poul-
try mans departure from his Office. He
hal not reached Hewitt av when two
men fired at him from behind One Of
the two shots reached Bats heart
Slight Clews furnished.
Assistant District Attorney Deuel.,
quickly at work, got very little aid
from Harry, the victims son. Harry
told of his fathers activity in the in
yestigation which resulted in the con-
viction of thirteen members of the
poultry trust and Of indefinite threats
Which had been made on the elder
Bats life Meanwhile the police had
been unable TO get anything save three
guesses at the number OF the automo-
bile which carried the gunmen away.
and a statement by Joseph Lisansky.
of l52 East lllth ST., employed by Baf,
that he had seen the shooting.
"Who were the men, do you know"
asked Captain Carey.
81 don't know said L.sansky.
tr..-.L.. gY.s4f,uu brouChf eteh Ia.
couraging replies that Captain Carey
asked:
"Could you say positively whether
the men were white or black ,"
"No, / couldn't" Lisansky answered.
Iisansky eyinced in his examina-
tion such stress of excitement that the
noIice decided II was wise to hold him
as a material witness until he was
calm, when he might be Of real as
sistance.
Several times before his death Baf
remarked TO mis- Intimates and TO his
attorney William Grant Brown. of the
Woolworth Building, that he knew he
was marked man. He had received
two postcards with cryptic markings
suggesting, TO a fearing man, violent
end IL was his belief that one Of the
persons he had opposed in business
would be behind move TO finish him.
hut his conversation on this was gen
eralization. His repeated complaint
against chicken thieves IN Jersey City
pToyided no source of worry.
Several of Bats friends and rela
,ives were at his home at IS West
i2Oth 81. yesterday. Harry Baf, his
son. said he had been instructed not 20
talL TO any one outside Of the Police
Department and the District Attorneys
Office. The funeral will be to-day, the
service being held this morning IN a
church at II Willett St, and the burial
will be in Washington Cemetery.