New-York tribune., 1917-06-28
MCGEE Failed to Note Evil
dence Mrs. Humiston's
Aid Saw
Records in Charge of
Lieut.. Brown Changed
Time Notatioas on Missing
Persons Altered, Says
Wallstein

Ignorance and incompetence at the
Fourth Branch Detective Bureau were
revealed yesterday in the testimony be-
fore Leonard NJ Wallstein, Commis-
sioner of Accounts, who is conducting
Mayor Mitchels investigation of police
inactivity in handling the Cruger case
The commissioner is not certain yet
as to the motive underlying the slip
shod methods at the Fourth Branch and
its indifference in the search for the
girl. but it is known that he is seeking
a connection between this indifference
and the friendship that is known to
have existed between Cocchi and certain
motorcycle policemen who loitered at
his shop.
Some of his witnesses from the
Fourth Branch, who worked on the
Cruger case, were shifty and equivo-
eating and others told a connected un-
reserved story. The commissioner, it
is understood, has fairly well estab-
lished where the incompetency was cen
tired in the handling of the Cruger case,
Detectives Overlooked Evidence
The striking feature of the days in
vestigation, which showed that the men
of the Fourth Branch directly connect
ed with the search for Ruth Cruger
had overlooked conspicuous evidence
at the Cocchi shop, appeared IN the
matter-of-fact evidence presented Dy
Patrick F. Solon. general foreman OF
the Grand Central Tern inal and a
friend of Mr. Cruger, who assisted IN
the search that revealed the body.
Mr. Solon, man with never an
hours experience la detective WORK.
told Of a dozen conspicuous marks ne
found at the Cocch shop to snow thaV
tho cellar had been dug up recently.
When he first went into the cellar
Mr.. Solon observed q large mound oil
earth at the front Of the shop. Detec,
tives McGee and Lagarenne also Aad
observed il some two months before,
but il signified nothing to them.
Saws McGee Failed to See Clew
ucGee was there then when Solon
G~st observed the dirt pile, and when
Solor asked where it came from was IN
rormed that it was the excavation from
:hc installation OF gasolene TANK Inc
trained eve of the building man re-
marked that no gasolene tank would
displace such a pile, and then 1t was
suggested that probably the butcher
who occupied the place previously could
explain its presence there.
Solon then told how he had gone over
into the southeastern corner of the cell
lar and there observed another sus-
picious arrangement. Two chests or
cabinets used for tools and fittings at
tracted the builders attention. lie no.
iiced that they were not mechanically
set and examined them closely. He
looked behind one of them and found
dirt; then poked down rod that was
handy and found that there was neither
plank nor concrete covering in that
spot such as covered the rest Of the
cellar surface.
Dug Under Chests
McGee at this time was out in front
of the building, he said, and sending
for him requested that the laborers
dig under the chests. Solon said he
found that the dirt he had probed
into was soft and fresh. With crow
bar he turned over spring such as IS
used on the seat of motorcycle
Solon noticed that some boards had
been cut recently with a hand saw
and their white pine ends were fresh
and unsoiled.
"You removed tho chests yourself?'
asked the Commissioner.
"Yes,' replied Solon.