New Britain herald., 1917-07-07
COCCHI HELD BETS
 FOR GAMBLING COPS
Had Handbook on Races at His
 Repair Shop

New York, July 7.-District Attor- 1 ney SWann's investigation into the re- i lations between ahe police and AL 1redo Cocchi, murderer of Ruth Cru 1 ger, reached a new phase yesterday l when a man appeared at the Prescott 1 tors office and said that Cocchi had i run a handbook on the races in his motorcycle repair shop on West One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Street. He accepted bets from policemen and others who frequented his shop, the informant said. This man asked 1 that his name be kept secret, as he is employed near Cocchi's shop. He as- serted that Coc"hi was not the actual principal in the gambling business, but l was backed by man who had cap- ital.
 A policeman went to the shop the 1 day before Ruth Cruser was mur-
 dered and placed a $5 bet with Coc-
 chi on 8 20 to 1 shot. The horse won.
 Three days later the policeman went to collect his winnings. He found Cocchi gone and expressed his in- tense disgust to man near the shop. The Assistant District Attorney l who heard the story was convinced of it's truth and so reported to those in l direct charge of the Cruger investiga- tion. The name of the policeman credited who won the $100 bet has been obtained.
 The Grand Jury yesterday heard Commissioner of Accounts Wallstein, two of his stenographers and Henry D. Cruger father of the murdered
 girl. MT. Wallstein and the stenog
 raphers were called in the case
 against Lieut. Browne, who is ac | cused of having perjured himself at the Wallstein hearing. The presenta- tion of the evidence against him was
 finished with the exception of the tes- timony of MT. and Mrs. Arthur Brown,
 who will testify Tuesday.
 The accused Lieutenant again vis- 1 ited the Prosecutors office and asked l for the privilege of going before the Grand Jury. He expressed his will lingness to sign a waiver of immu
 nifty.
 MT. Cruger began the story of his dealings with the police from the time the girl disappeared until her body was found in the excavation. It was known beforehand that he was ready to tell of the manner in which
 the police had met his suggestions
 that Ruth would not have stayed away from home of her own free will. their insistence on the high moral chara cter of Cocchi and the reports
 they made to him suggesting that the girl was anywhere but in the place where her body was finally found. Mir Crugers testimony was not | finished and he will return next week. To expedite the inquiry MT. Swann l has asked the jurors to sit an extra 1 hour every day. But even if they do l this it Is likely the inquiry will last 1 a month or longer.
 1 The state department has informed ! the prosecutor it is "hopeful' of get.
 ting Cocchi back.
 Police Commissioner Woods re- ceived a message yesterday from his representative in Italy, stating that l the privilege of presenting to Cocch1 the interrogatory prepared by MT. l Woods had been denied and that 1 preparations were being made to have l the same set of questions submitted
 through the American ambassador.
 Commissioner Woods, with his
 hands freed by the ending of the | wallstein inquiry, is preparing to re- sume his investigation of the actiVl-
 ties of the Motorcycle squad, to ma
 to what extent grating prevailed l among the men.