New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-05
Mayor Mitchell Halts
Cruger Investigation

"Why did you not call them be-
fore ?"
1--WE investigated in the logical man
ner. The case started at the Fourth
Branch Detective Bureau. Our lnves-
tigation of this branch was nearly com
pleted when the halt was called. we
expected on Thursday TO take under
examination the headquarters ond'
This would have included the tesu-
mony Of Mr.. Clney. who wrote 10 Com
missioner Woods on February IA, CIV
ing a complete outline of the Cruger
case and asking the Commissioner 10
give his personal attention TO IT. Inc
letter. with memoranda made at head
quarters attached, was in our posses
sion. II has been turned over to the
District Attorney, together with every
thing else in the case.
Wallstein Reviews Inquiry
Asked 70 enumerate the achieve
ments of the week of investigation,
Commissioner Wallstein said:
MANY who have testified before ne
stand convicted out Of their own
mouths of atrocious negligence.
Whether they were guilty of met
fciency or crime, il remained Tor
further investigation 70 develop. me
issue was boneheadedneess VS.. criminal
ity Boneheadedness was proved.
Commissioner Wallstein said he had
satisfied himself that immunity could
not be claimed by witnesses examined
by him. The Governor, in his telegram
TO District Attorney Swami. expressed
the fear that such might be the case.
81 am satisfied as a matter OF law
that my examination does not grant i'm
munity." said Mr.. Wallstein. 81 wrote
recently TO the Corporation Counsel
asking for an official opinion on the
question. but ! have not yet received a
reply However, | was assured, as the
Mayors statement says, before be-
gan my investigation that immunity
was not possible. for the reason that /
am not a magistrate and since there Is
no defendant before me-
Governor Misled. Says Wallstein
Governor Whitman, Mr.. Wallstein
said, possibly did not properly under
stand the position of the Commissioner
of Accounts. 81 believe the Governor
misapprehends the functions of this
Office and the powers conferred upon
it," he said. 81 think he is misled by
its title.
"Many people think the Commits
sioner Of Accounts sits on a high stool
ard adds up figures As a matter Of
fact. the Commissioner of Accounts is
a duly established investigation agency
for finding out if the city and county
Offices and officers are doing their duty,
and if not, why not"
All recommendation for the better
ment of the detective forces of the Pc
lice Department will be held up by
Commissioner Wallstein until he has
had "a full opportunity to investigate
conditions"
To Continue After Swami Finishes
when the District Attorney has
finished his task Of investigating to fix
criminal esponsibility," he explained.
81 shall consider my commission from
the Mayor to investigate administrative
responsibility to be reinstated. The
field workers connected with this office
will continue their work in so far as
their activities do not particularly ap-
ply TO the Cruger case"
While Commissioner Wallstein pre-
pared to drop out of the ranks of
Cruger crime Investigators yesterday,
Assistant District Attorneys Alfred J.
Talley and John T. Dooling were busy
arranging the mass of evidence which
they will present to-day to the grand
jury.
Attaches of the District Attorneys
Office were actively engaged in serving
subGnas on host of witnesses. Those
served and made returnable to-day in
cluded subpenas for Deputy Police
Commissioner Scull. Captain Alonzo p.
Cooper, suspended head Of the Fourth
Branch Detective Bureau; Detective
Sergeants Lagarenne, MCGEE and Dill
Ion, Thomas Neggesmith, a Fourth
Branch clerk; A. NJ. Brown. who mott
fed the police of Ruth Cruger's disap-
pearance; Henry ID. Cruger. the dead
girls father; Helen Cruger, her sister:
the Rev. Harold Pattison. who told
Commissioner Scull he suspected Coo
chi, and several others. Scull is ex-
pected TO be called early in the in
quiry. Commissioner Woods. Inspec-
tors Faurot and Cray, Mrs. Grace HUI
miSton and Commissioner Wallstein
viii be examined later.
Assistant District Attorney Dooling
yesterday announced that he had
found the name "Rafaele Cocci" on
the steerage passenger list of the
steamship Giuseppe Verdi. Previous
examination Of the lists had failed to
disclose the name. he explained. He is
now engaged in determining the iden-
tity of "Raifaele Cocci" Representa-
tives Of the Italian Transatlantic Com
pany, owners of the Verdi, will help
him to-day.