The sun., 1917-06-18
skull Crushed and Girl
SlaShed Before Death
Came.
COCCHIS WIFE Is HELD
Charge of Murder Will Be
Placed Against Fugitive
Suspect.
POLICE INQUIRY STARTS
Shakeup Likely if Evidence
Reveals Friendship With
Bicycle Man.

Ruth Cruger was the victim of a
monster, Of the kind of frightful creature
which humanity throws Off from time to
time.
Jack the Ripper. who terrorized the
East Side of London, who waylaid and
slashed young girls, who mingled in
credible savagery with superhuman cum
ming, was such a creature.
Students Of the psychopathy of sex. and
especially the Germans, who write with
particular authority upon these matters.
have devoted books to illuminating the
perverted characteristics of such muir
derers as brought Ruth Cruger to her
end These books. studded with long
passages In Latin, are read by medical
men and lawyers. 1t is impossible for
newspapers to provide such illumination.
The autopsic evidence in the case of
Mis- Cruger, whose body was found on
Saturday hidden beneath the basement
flooring Of the bicycle repair shop kept
by the fugitive Alfred Cocchi at 542
West 1?7th street, thus partially clear
ing the mystery Of the girls four months
disappearance. indicates that she was
lured TO the basement and slain with
indescribable brutality. In police phrase
ology it was ripper murder" 90
sIashed while Dying.
Dr. otto II. Schultxe, medical adviser
10 the District Attorney. offers this new
and important evidence as the result OF
the post-mortem he performed at the
morgue yesterday. The significant facts
OF that autopsy are that the girl was
.erribly mistreated, then beaten over the
head until she was dying of a broken
skull. then slashed in the abdomen with
a sharp and heavy knife while she was
dying. To doctors and lawyers and
police this autopsy will have special in
terest as showing that they have to
bring TO justice no common murderer. in
deed, but veritable fiend who had
managed TO conceal his horrible proclvi-
ties until special opportunity combined.
rs the Investigators conclude. with un-
controllable desires revealed his long
hidden propensties.
The police and the District Attorney
have no hesitancy in stating that they
purpose TO make the fugitive Cocchi de-
fend himself, as an accused murderer,
against these charges and imputations
fed after he disappeared from his shop
OF February i last, two days after Ruth
'rnger disappeared. He was discovered
there on June by the Italian correspond
81 or THE Sun, and IL was his de-
lh"fate statement TO the correspondent
heard the gsrl was kidnapped and
brought 10 Europe" which convinced a
remarkable woman. Grace Humiston, the
LAWYER. whose insight and stubborn per-
ss'ence achieved the solution OF the
orme after police and District Attor-
rey's office had failed. that she was on
tAe night track and which led straight to
Ne discovery of the body in Cocchi's
cellar
Police Under InvestigntiOn.
This failure on the part of the crime
detection officials, after what seemed to
many only casual activity on their part.
nav lead to important consequences for
~ individuals directly and indirectly
concerned. An investigation already is
uHder way on the part OF Police Com
missioner Woods, Coroner Riordan and
Nslrlct Attorney Swami to determine
WY single woman, with no other ac-
i've assistance than was furnished by a
private detective agency, displayed so
"uch more intelligence. persstency and
energy han the detectives and District
Attorneys office attaches who had been
assigned TO the same job.
Il IS more than hinted that il will,
mean a shakeup in the detective bureau,
loF Commissioner Woods. witnessing the
Hfst actual failure Of his administra tion.
Hahky and actively angry and cha
R'Hed II is an investigation which Is
a,ned 10 ger at the degree OF friendliness
"hlch existed between Cocchi and four
motorcycle policemen who frequented
me basement of Cocchis shop.
hut the outstanding development in
."e inquiry yesterday, aside from the
'Uth'tul facts revealed by an autopsic
'Np'ft OF international reputation, DR..
H'hNll< <e was the discovery in the tunnel
painfully grubbed out by Cocchi under
INC pncrete Of the basement floor of
NUN 'rugers skating shoes with skates
attached, II may be recalled that detec-
..''' called on Cocchi on February IL.
"' day after Ruth disappeared and
gies'ioned the Italian as to what he
lev about the case. Cocchi replied
cas- } mat he knew nothing worth while
nat the last he had seen of Ruth
When she walked away from his
H''p with her skating shoes under her
@Ii
~ pooc of evidence in the whole case
''''N more important to District Attor-
'' S"ann and his assistants, John r.
Tpa'rick and Owen Bohan, and TO Po-
are Commissioner Woods and his assist
ANS Guy.N. Scull and Inspector Cray,
''"' III" discovery OF these skating
'' the hole Where the girls body
was found,
Mrs. tOcchi Is Held.
Ia Third important DEVELOPMENT in