New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-19
Extradition Demanded as
Victim of Tragedy Is
Laid in Grave
Swami to Probe
Bungle by Police
New Clews Show Slayer
Lowered Body Through
Hole in Floor

murderer of Ruth Cruger 10 yusIi0e'
Here the grand jury indicted Alfredo
Cocchi. under whose cycle repair SHOP
the girls body was found, for murder
in the first degree.
The State Department in Washing-
ton cabled the Italian government de-
handing the extradition Of Cocchi
from Italy. Action looking toward the
fullest investigation of the circum-
stances which made it possible for the
murderer to elude detection for more
than four months was pressed by Dis
trict Attorney Swami and Police Com
missioner Arthur Woods. supported by
the Mayor.
And while official New York con-
eerned itself with the task of fixing
responsibility for her tragic and IN
avenged death, all that remained OF
Ruth Cruger was being buried with the
simplest Of ceremonies In kensico
Cemetery.
A Simple Funeral
Only members of the Cruger family
and a few friends attended the fu-
neral. But all New York mourned the
pretty eighteer-year-old high school
student, and the greatest pressure is
being brought to hear upon the au-
thorities that they allow Cocchi no
more time in which 70 escape from re-
vealing all he knows about the hap
pen,ngs in his basement shop on the
afternoon of February 10 last.
While the Mayor yesterday declared
that the entire force of the city gov
eminent would be brought to the task
Of fixing the full responsibility for the
bungling which permitted the muir
derer to escape, District Attorney
Swami and Assistant District Attor-
new William II. Black were preparing
to 90 to Washington TO expedite the
extradition of Cocchi. The case will be
made the basis of an attempt TO effect
r reciprocity of extradition between the
limited States and Italy. Obstacles
which the Italian government has
thrown in the way of former attempts
20 extradite criminal suspects are not
expected to recur, in view OF the war
relations now existing between the two
governments.
Whitman to Act To-day
In the request for Cocchi's arrest
the State department informed the
Italian government that further evil
dence had been obtained against Cocchi
and that extradition papers would be
dispatched Immediately. The bench
warrant for Cocchis arrest will reach
Governor Whitman to-day, VINO VIII
sign il Immediately and forward II
with an extradition warrant to the De-
partment of State. 1t viii then De
turned over to the lalian Embassy Tor
transmission TO Ambassador Page at
Rome.
Cocchi recently was reported at DO
logna. Italy. 1t is considered possible.
however, that he has been appraised OF
the discovery made in his motorcycle
shop here and has fled. Police Com
missioner Woods yesterday cabled the
Bologna police TO hold the Italian, but
has received no reply. The Commls-
sioner is frankly ashamed OF the snow
ing of his department in the Crugei
case. He admits the full credit fol
finding the girls body belongs to Mrs
Grace Humiston. the indeiaigabl'
counsel for the Cruger family.
81 am making no excuses LOT the Pc
lice" he said yesterday. The glri
bod was in that shop, and the police
.bcnld have found it. They did no
find il. If there is any culpabillty OF
the part Of the police, | want tt
know it,"
Swami to Lead Probe
Commissioner Woods, in order 4
allow no possible slip-up in the inves'
tigation Of the police action in the
case. yesterday asked District Attorney
Swami to probe into the entire matter
Of possible police negligence indepen-
deitly of Investigations made by the
police themselves.
Mayor Mitchell yesterday gave out a.
interview on the case. A stenographeI
took notes on everything that was said
b. the Mayor ard the interviewers.
"All that can be said is that it is
regrettable that the police did not fnC
the body" he said "When police
officers search premises and there j,
something that ought TO be found there
excuse. They should have found il. Ii
there has been any dereliction, meaning
by that something more than a mere
unintentional failure, | assume tina
the investigation that is in progress
that Of the Police CommissiOner-wil
develop that, and II dereliction is founC
Of course il will be punished"
Not Killed in Cellar, Belief
The possibility that Ruth Crugei
was murdered in the shop on the
ground floor Of SAP West l27th Street
within the range of view Of pedes-
TRANS passing the shop and not in the
basement beneath, as was at frs,
thought, was advanced yesterday fol
lowing the visit TO the scene by As
sistant District Attorney John T. Dool-
ing.
The discovery Of heating register
covering an aperture in the floor OF the
shop. led 20 the new theory. The
aperture is seventeen inches square
and the belief that the girl was muir
dered and lowered through the opening
% the cellar is strengthened by the
further discovery Of what appears %
nc bloodstains on the heating pipe
which is connected with the grating OF
register. The pipe Ia old and rusty
but the wire with which IL Is attached
70 the grating - comparatively new
leading % the belief that the murderer
disconnected the pipe utilized the
opening 20 transfer the body 20 tho
cellar. and then rewired the pipe "a
the grating. Corrugated iron leading
from the floor level 20 the ceiling OF
the cellar also showed with DARK STAIN
which may be those Of blood. The
whole pipe, register and fixtures have
been taken % police headquarters for
subjeetion 20 tests which will cgtab.