New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-22
WalIstein to Begin Hear
inss To-day to Place
Blame for Failure
Woods Suspends
Three Detectives
Italians Friend Sought;
Burns Charges Dooling
Told Him to 'Iay OFF"

Alfredo Coechi was arrested yester-
d,rjp Bologna, Italy, according 20 dis
....,.. received here Italian authori-
.,s have had him under observation for
,svcral weeks, and moved promptly
rh,, Ambassador Page requested that
\. h detained for the murder of Ruth
Cruger.
Shortly after this news reached New
York Yesterday Mayor Mitchell ordered
,ublc inquiry into the Cruger case.
This INQUIRY, which will cover every
,,,s. Of the failure Of the police and
o,bsr authorities 10 unearth the crime
ard apprehend the murderer, will begin
:, ,o:3o o'clock this morning in the
Wp;cipal Building under the direc-
,,op of Leonard A. Wallstein, Commits
aonsr Of Accounts.
The Investigation, the fourth 10 DC
Instituted, will supersede and ignore
sn others. II will be clothed with au-
,bority equal 10 that Of legislative
inoujry. and it constitutes the supreme
.sort of the city government to place
n, blame for police shortcomings
which. in the Mayors own phrase are
,ronouneed "evident and inexcusable'"
Ths INQUIRY was ordered yesterday
following a conference between Mayor
Mitchell and Police Commissioner
Arthur Woods, at which Henry D.
Crugers demand that the commissioner
bs removed was discussed and dis
missed by the Mayor in letter to Mr'
CruSer.
Woods Favors Inquiry
Commissioner Woods expressed his
,pproyal q the new inquiry and evil
denced his desire to support 1t by I'M
mediately sending TO Mr.. Wallstein all
the police documents in the case.
Suspicion is pardonable," said Mr..
Vallstein, chat an investigation OF one
eitv department by another has some
thing of a political complexion, and ~
may be thought by some people that
this inquiry will rather tend to seal
the truth than TO reveal 1t. | hope
those who think so will attend the
hearings. They will learn that the
truth is all this inquiry is interested
in revealing"
Three Detectives Suspended
Commissioner Woods, as result OF
an INDEPENDENT investigation conduct
ed under his direction, yesterday re-
Heved from duty Captain Alonzo p
Cooper and Detective Sergeants Frank
NcGee, Edward Dillon and Alexander
lsgarenne, Of the Fourth Branch De-
tsc.ive Bureau, the men directed TO
search the Cocchi cellar.
This is DONE" ran statement from
the Commissioner, "for the reason that
they failed in the search. The three
detectives are the ones charged with
the searching, and Captain Cooper is
n. superior who was directing them
Whatever else may develop, 1t is clear
row that these men should be relieved
from duty on this account"
The discredited police officers will re-
port to Inspector Joseph A. Faurot in
charge Of the police investigation. Their
only police work will consist in giving
Inspector Faurot information which
they are believed 70 have regarding the
ease.
Prosecutors Office Accused
One Of yesterdays surprising devel-
opments came from William J. Burns,
head Of the detective agency Of that
name. who accused the Office OF the
District Attorney with negligence and
ineheiency 2. teas: equal 70 that Of the
Police Department. Mr.. Burns declared
that but for oDstruetions thrown in his
way By the District Attorneys Office,
NE body Of Ruth Cruger would have
been found soon after Alfredo Cocchi
vanished from the bicycle shop under
which she was buue5. A member OF
Ar swans star, according 20 Mr..
Burns refused 70 entertain the theory
u murder IN connection with the Cru
ger case, but maintained that the girl
merely missing" All suggestions
naos ~ Burns that the girl may have
sen murdered were met by one Of Mr.
am : assistants, he declares. with
ne injunction 20 Gay of"
was retained by the Cruger family
, n.h ,ae girl vanished" said Burns
tssNresy. We traced Cocchi 70 Wes.
80 80 i9fk and had evidence which we
.,eyed connected him indubitably
"'h me disappearance Of Miss Cruger.
Says Girl Never Left Shop
>, one thing we firmly established was
.' rum Cruger never left Cocchi's
up aittr she entered II on the after
ION OF February 10. James Downing,
N'Fetive IN our employ. worked with
ASSISTANT Distric. Attorney on the
80" and suggested that tho Cocchi eel
De properly searched. We even
.so Tor permit 70 search IL, which
rS denied. Commissioner Woods
h.iksd Us all he could.
We learned that another woman had
ggssh attacked by Cocohi shortly before
run Cruger went 70 his shop. She had
sohs there with her baby, and Coccbi
scosnly Jumped at her. Her screams.
s1osn 70 those Of her terrified child,
.as Coeehi let her 20, after he had
"'sa vainly 10 get her into tho closet
Continued on Last Pare