The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-06-29
DEMANDS TRIAL
OF 4SLEUTHSIN
CRUGER BUNGLE
Commissioner Wallstein in
His Findings Charges
Negligence.
HUNT DELAYED 5 HOURS
Lieuts. Brown, Stainkamp and
Flannelly and Sergt. Nc
Gee Accused.

The trial Of Lieut.. william Brown.
Sergeant Francis MCGEE and Lisuts.
Francis A. Stainkamp md John J. Elan.
nelly OF the Fourth branch detective
bureau on charges Of gross negligence
and oversight In following up the re-
porsed disappearance OF Ruth Cruser u
recommended by Leonard NJ. wallstein.
Commissioner Of Accounts. In a letter he
addressed last night to Police Commis-
sloner Arthur Woods. In another letter
Mr.. wallstein requested District Attor-
ney Swami to take appropriate action.
In his letter Commissioner wallstein
recommends the trial OF Lieut. Brown on
the following charges:
First. violation OF general order - OF
Of the Police Department in emitting TO
enter upon the daily record Of the
Fourth Branch the Information which
had been conveyed to him that Ruth
Cruger had been missing from her home
and unaecounted for since 2 p. NJ. OF
the preceding day and failing to take
such further steps In the search for her
as proper police procedure required.
Second. falsely testifying before the
Commissioner of Accounts on June 27
that he had told Mr. Alfred NJ. Brown
he had sent Detective Edward NJ.
Will out on the case when he had not
done so, and falsely testifyinG that Mr..
Brown had instructed him to hold the
case In allegiance and not to telephone II
10 Headquarters for publication.
Case for District Attorney.
These facts. In the opinion OF Com
missioner Wallstein, are OF such O ma
ture as to require their submission to
the District Attorney. He points out
that Lieut.. Browns failure to act
promptly in the matter resulted In De-
tective Sergeant John L. Lagarenne re-
ceivirg the case for action at : o'clock in
the afternoon instead Of S;30 O'Clock on
the same morning, at which time Cocchi
probably was actually engaged in bury
ing the body.
He further recommends that Detective
Sergeant Francis McGee OF the Fourth
branch be tried on charges Of gross neg
ugence In falling to make a complete
and adequate search Of Cocchrs suop
and that Lieut.. Francis A. Stainkamp
Of the Fourth branch be tried on charges
Of violating general order - In enter
ing the case Of Ruth Cruger as re-
ported at 9:s5 A. III. of February II
when ne knew that the case had been
reported about midnight on February
10 He also recommends that Lieut..
John J. Flannelly of the Fourth branch
be tried on the charge OF violating his
duty as a desk lieutenant In failing to
ascertain that the missing person COM
plaint in the Cruzer case had not been
entered on the daily record.
In his letter to the District Attorney
Commissioner wallstein calls attention
to the alleged false testimony given at
tie hearing by Lieut.. Brown and adds
that II Is submitted "for Appropriate ac-
ton"
Omcers shifted the Blame.
A good deal Of the wallstein hearing
on the matter OF stupidity. carelessness
and negligence In the handling Of the
Cruger case had to do yesterday with
Lieut. Browns responsibility for the de-
lay in inaugurating a swift. intelligent
police inquiry. On Wednesday the lieu-
tenant had made motions which looked
to Wallstein as II he was trying to
pass the buck" to his associate lisuten-
ants at the Fourth branch. Stainkamp.
Flannelly and Bonnoil. But yesterday
these persons passed 1t right back to
Brown.
Lieut. Brown had asserted that after
A. VI. Brown, Mr.. Cruger's business as
sociate, reported Ruth's disappearance
on the night OF February Is he had
left with his successor on the desk
Lieut. Sta!nkamp. sufficient Information
to guide Stainkamp. the further sup
position being, of course. that Stain
kamp. having this information. must
have relayed 1t to his successor. Flan-
nelly, and that Flannelly must have
handed It on to his relief man. Bonnoil.
II was McGee also who brought out
that the District Attorneys investigation
Of the Cruger case along In March
hadn't been distinguished by any more
intelligence than the police displayed.
The District Attorneys ONCE kept telling
McGee to Investigate college students
IN connection with Ruth Cruger." Nc
Gee couldn't recall that he had ever been
directed by the District Attorneys ONCE
to connect Cocchi with the girls disap-
pearance.
women Numerous at Hearing.
Many women were in the examination
room Of the Commissioner Of Accounts
when the hearing was resumed at 10 :3O
y. NJ. The presence of many Italians was
noticeable. Very many swarthy. brigh'
eyed young men have listened with the
closest attention TO testimony concern
ing Alfredo Cocchi
Lieut. Francis Stainkamp, recalled as
the first witness. told OF having received
a telephone message from Mr.. Cruger
about > 30 l.. N. on February H. but he
sad he couldn't remember whether the
girls father said Ruth had left hei
'kates at cocchi's. Stainkamp was fol-
.owed on the stand by Lieut. John ]
Flannelly. one of the desk officers Of the
Fourth branch.
Flsnnelly has been In the department
twenty-five years. He testified that hi
vent on duty at 12:45 A. NJ. on Feb
iunry ~. which was arter A. ". Brown
hsl reported 10 Liens. william Brown
Tho facts OF Miss cruger's disappear
hnce. He testified Lieut.. Brown hat
ie't him IN the dark about the case. He
said Brown had not mentioned the
name of Cruger and had given him nc
.n'ormation as TO whether the missing
leTs1n reported at midnight was man
"'1nlan 90 child. black or white. F1an
nelly said lac had glcsced over the re
port on missing persons and had signed
Il dramatically as n fo?m.
Talks of passing the Buck.N
The witness contradicted the testi
mory Of Lieut.. Brown. who had SAID
lire mentioned a complaint from a mar