New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-20
Mother Tells Police How
Child Tore Herself from
Italians Embrace
Enticed Her to Shop
With Gift Of Candy
Mime. MureaPs Fear of Evil
Brought Her to Store
and Saved Daughter

Ruth Cruger was not the first girl
who was lured into the basement Of
Alfredo Cocchis motorcycle repair shop
at 542 West 127th Street.
How another girl was enticed into
the repair shop by the Italian mechanic
last November and escaped. with the
blue marks of Cocchi's fingers on her
neck and her dress torn, only after
her mother had rushed to her rescue
was revealed to The Tribune yesterday
by Nine. Mureal, a French actress, OF
600 West 169th Street
1t was Nine Mureals sixteen-year-
old daughter, Philippa, an acquaintance
Of Ruth Cruger, who was Cocchi's in
tended victim on that occasion. The
Mureals at the time lived at III Man
haitian Street, almost opposite Cocchis
shop, and il was because of her daugh-
ter's narrow escape that Nine. Mureal
said she moved from the neighborhood.
But for the fact that she happened to
see a photograph of Cocchi in g news
paper last Sunday her story might not
have come into the possession Of Police
Commissioner " GODS, as she did not
link the italian across the street"
with the man implicated in the Cruger
murder.
Suspected Cocchi's Motive
"Philippa used TO run across the
l. l. ExoI ~ cold
Nine. Mureal last night, land my at
tention was first directed to Cocchi
when she told me how kind he was to
her. One day she brought home rose
which he had given her, and on another
occasion a box of candy. Then one
day she told me that he had offered 10
take her riding in the basket of his
motorcycle and asked my permission to
20. / refused, and after that / always
watched from the window when Phil
ippa went over there.
"How thankful l am that did
Philippa had gone over there to talk TO
Cocchi about attaching a motor 10 her
bicycle lie said he'd do it cheap,
mother she said. because he told me
he likes me- Philippa is mere chllo
in her appreciation of people, and 1t Is
impossible for her 70 imagine evil OF
those who are nice 20 her.
"As ! watched from the window
saw Cocchi and Philippa come out OF
the shop and 90 down the basement
steps from the sidewalk. | thought az
first that maybe the motors were Kept
down there, and he had taken her down
there TO show them TO her. But sud
denly | had q sort Of presentment OF
harm. and / ran breathlessly down the
six flights Of stairs 70 the street and
over 10 the shop.
"When | reached the head of the
basement steps | heard Phlllppa
screaming Mother! Mothern l started
down the steps. calling her name, and
1t was not until | called with all my
might that Cocch released her and she
came flying out. sobbing and shaking
with terror. The sleeve of her dress
had been ripped loose from the Shout,
der and on her arm and neck | could
see the spots already turning blue
from the grip Of the mans fingers,
al am making this story public be-
cause / want all mothers to know how
easily these things can happen. Ihere
was that man, right across the street
from US, and yet he dared TO commit
this deed in broad daylight WITHIN
few yards of Philippa's home,
Il wanted 70 90 AZ OnOt W tHc P'rt.
and am sorry now that | didn't But
for Philippa's sake l moved away IN
stead. Philippe did not even then un-
derstand her danger. He tried to kiss
me. mother she told me, and be-
came frightened
Other Girls Visited Shop
ave had been following the Cruger
case rather closely, because Phlllppa
had been slightly acquainted with
Ruth, but il was not until l picked
up a paper on Sunday and saw TINS
Cocehi's picture that the connection
dawned upon me. In fact, l had for
gotten the name Of the motorcycle man
on Manhattan Street. until his lace
stared at me from the paper. was
so unnerved by the discovery that
fairly shook. I recalled that man $
face on the day Philippa had rushed
10 me from his grasp, his leering eyes
his bostial look.
There were other girls in the neigh
borhood who visited that shop. PM
lippa used to tell me what nice man
Cocchi was 20 all the girls.
"As soon as | found that this Cocchl
was the same man who had lured my
daughter into his shop ] reported the
l.