The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-20
Shakeup of Police Follows
Woman Lawyers Expose.
Police Chief Starts Searching
Inquiry of Own Department.
OTHER ruth CRUGER" CASES
Italian Mother Rescued Daugh-
ter From COcchi's Clutches.
Find Association of Murder Sus-
pect and GiIded Resorts.

New York. June 2O.-More than
500 girls between 10 and ~ years Ola
nave disappeared from home here
since January 1. it became known to-
aav coincidentally with an announce
,ne,,t that Police Commissioner Woods
had ordered a searching inquiry into
police conditions.
commissioner Woods today ordered
Ioseph A. Faurot head of the detect
i've bureau to inquire thoroly INTO the
methods and operations OF the de
tectiyes and police officers VINO Idlleu
to solve the Cruger mystery. Inc
efrl's body was not found thru their
efforts but was unearthed by private
detectives employed by Mrs. Grace
Humiston, woman attorney. several
policemen have been interrogated at
Commissioner Woods's instigation
during the past few days regarding
their suspected friendliness with Coo
chi.
"Spare No One" Chief Orders.
spare no one" was the commits
sioner's order today in directing the
investigation. All the officers who
worked on the Cruger case We're in
structed to report to headquarters at
once other detectives will cooperate
with Mrs. Humiston in an inquiry INTO
the citys white slave traffic.
The reports regarding the missing
girls are on file at police headquar-
tiers, it was learned. 1t was conceded
that the police were without accurate
figures to the number OF tSese
which had returned home. More de-
tectives had been attached to depart
1nent's bureau of missing persons.
Mrs. Humiston has been quoted as
saying she knew of a number of incl
dents involving missing girls which
parallel the Cruger case Commits
sioner Woods later ordered an eXca-
walton to be made of the cellar of
every place where Cocchi has lived
or had motorcycle shop since his ar
rival in this country from Italy sew
eral years ago.
Trail Slavers to Lair.
New York, June 2O.-Trails leading
to the lair of the white Slave beast
in this country were uncovered to Po-
lice Commissioner Wood and District
Attorney Swami, by Mrs. Grace HUI
mission in the development of the Ruth
C.uger murder mystery here today.
The mysterious Miss COnsuelo La
Rue" who jumped out of the third
story window of her apartment to es-
cape a midnight. assailant she says
attempted to murder her, is believed
to be important link in the chain
being forged about the organized traf-
fic in girls.
Meantime the net of circumstantial
evidence drew tighter about Alfredo
Cocchi, the Italian repair man indict-
ed for numbering Ruth Cruger and
burying her in the cellar beneath his
shop.
Had Girl by Throat
A little 15-year-old girl neighbor of
Cocchi's, Phillipa Mureaul, tuld how
Cocchi l1red her to the cellar of his
shop Ito look at some fine new mo-
torcycles" and attacked her. The child
Vas rescued from Cocchi by her moth
er. VINO saw them from her apartment
across the street going into the base
nj ID
daughter in the Italians clutches.
Mother and daughter fought him off
and escaped, they both declared today.
He started to show me motor
cycles said the girl. But in less than
minute he gra bbed me and began
20 kiss me. He had me by the throat
and was dragging me around when my
mother came"
Nine. Mureal said Cocchi's finger
h1arks remained on the girls throat
and arms days.
1 Stories of secret rooms above and
below various shops Cocchi has had in
New York; of attractive school girls
ne sought to lure to him with candy
and smiles and motor cycle rides. came
70 the authorities from many sources.
Higher Ups Helped Him Escape?
However diligent Cocchi may have
been in his alleged bestial and murder
GUS pastimes. information is in the
bands of the authorities reputed to
show his association with others in
trapping and debauching girls.
A clearly defined track from the
uncouth and brutal Cocchi to daintily
manicured and elegantly attired white
Slavers is said to have been found.
The alleged connections of the BIZ
Cycle shopn an are believed to have
reached high enough in official circles
Indirectly to get Cocchi out of this
country and to his hiding place in Italy
after the Cruger murder.
Convinced Cocchi Had Help.
District Attorney Swami today de-
clared his invest cation convinced him
Cocchi had help in concealing the
murdered girls body and in getting
out of the country
COcchi's friendship with at least one
motorcycle policeman, was establish
ed today by the finding of a note in his
personal effects seized at the shop
which said:
Alfredo Cocchi. He's K-Billy
Eynon."
Eynon is motorcycle policeman.
He explained that he wrote the note
so Cocchi could get rates for bicycle
supplies.
Greatest interest in the case today
centers around the La Rue girl. evil
dence having developed tending to
show she knew a great deal about the
Cocchi- Cruger case.
Passport Figures in Case.
Several Latin-American consuls
have lived in the building where she
lived and some of them are known to
have visited her recently
a tenant of the building said today
Miss lie Rue's life was in danger be-
cause she disclosed the means by
which Cocchi was passported out of
this country.
whether Cocchi was passported out
of this country thru Latin-American
influences, is a point in which the
authorities are greatly interested.
Mrs Humiston, thru work she has
done for the government, is familiar
with underworld conditions in Argen-