Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-06-24
Tells in Detail How Girl Was Killed When She
 Repulsed His Advances
FEELS RELIEVED"
 DECLARES SLAYER
"I Have Freed Myself From Night mare Which Tortured My COn- science" He Says-New York
 Police Believed Re Implicated.

Bologna. Italy, June 23.-(By The Associated Press )-Alfredo Cocchi, the fugitive New York motorcycle dealer abandoned today his pretense of innocence of the murder of Ruth Cruger and confessed his guilt. Jealousy was his motive. He was un- able, he declared, to win her love and became furious when she rebuffed his persistent attentions.
 The admissions of the young Itali- an, whose escape the New York police failed to prevent, were made in tears after searching interrogations by Judge Zucconi Prior to this cxami- nation. Cocchi had coolly and insist ently maintained he had known Miss Cruger only two days before her dis appearance in February, when she went to his shop to have her skates sharpened. and had declared his con- duct toward her was entirely correct.
 Under Judge Zucconi's searching questions today, however, Cocchi fin ally burst into tears. He became so agitated as his confession fell halt ingly from his lips that the persons surrounding him believed he was about to have an epileptic fit.
 He was granted time to recover and then resumed the story of how the 1S-year-old Wadleigh High school graduate met death at his hand in the building where her body was recently unearthed from the cellar.
 After making up his mind to tell the truth COcchi talked freely and without reserve gave full details of his crime, including the burial of Miss Cruger's body. After the con- fession had been completed, the judge directed the clerk to read to Cocchi the written report of his deposition. The prisoner said it was correct and later signed it.
 "Freed His Conscience."
 On returning to his cell, Cocchi said to the prison attendants.
 "At least I feel relieved. I have freed myself from a nightmare which tortured my conscience. Now have told everything and I am ready to suffer any penalty"
 Judge Zucconi questioned an Amer ican woman, relative of Miss Cruger, who came here for the purpose of giving testimony concerning the mo- tive for the crime and the circum- stances under which it was commit ted The name and address of this woman have not been ascertained.
 Fled in February.
 Alfred Cocchi went to Bologna from New York in February, after the disappearance of Ruth Crnger, a girl IS years old. When the girls body was discovered in the basement of Cocchi's motorcycle shop in New York. Police Commissioner Woods cabled to Italy asking for the mans arrest on charge of murder. This was followed by request to the same effect by the state department at Washington and Cocchi was arrested on June 20.
 He at first vehemently protested his innocence and insisted he had left America on account of trouble with his wife. The mans nerve broke down after he was placed in solitary con- finement, although he retained a lawyer and announced his intention of fighting extradition. There was some question as to the possibility of his being returned to this country due to the Italian law which requires Italian citizens to be tried in Italy even for ocfenses committed abroad.
 Believe Police Implicated.
 New York. June 23.-Simultaneous- ly with the news from Rome that AL fredo Cocchi had confessed to the murder of Ruth Cruger, 1t was re- ported on high authority that at least a dozen motorcycle policemen will be suspended as an outgrowth of the case.
 Investigation begun by Inspector Faurot already has disclosed certain alleged irregular practices by mo- torcycle policemen, which substanti- ate belief that motorers have been victimized. with Cocchi as go- between in many such transactions.
 Cocchi's confession will not hinder the investigation of the police hand ling the case. He had many friends among the police, and his confession