New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-22
Cruger Case
Brings Probe
OF the Police
Continued from page I

at the back OF his shop. In the light OF
this information it was only natural
that we held the murder theory. We
suggested it to the Assistant District
Attorney who was in charge of the in
vestigation and he told us TO lay off.
Soon afterward we were put off the
case"
Investigation &C the Cruger case was
begun by District Attorney Swami and
his assistants two weeks after the cir
vanished. Henry D. Cruger, the girls
father, requested the investigation, anc
Assistant District Attorney Dooling
with Detectives Caniff and Gallagher
was assigned to the case. Mr.. Crugel
visited the Office of the District Attor-
ney every day for weeks.
Detective Sergeants Niece, Dillon
and Lagarenne were detailed to assist
the investigation, and they summoned
all the witnesses called for by Mr.
Dooling. The investigation continued
more or less actively prosecuted, until
Ruth Cruger's body was found. Up to
the last Mr.. Dooling refused to enter
tain the possibility that the girl had
been murdered.
At the District Attorneys Office il
was denied yesterday that the Burn:
agency had been called off the Crugel
case or that that Office had discouraged
the development of any theories the
agency might have entertained in the
case.
Knife Identified as Cocchi's
DEVELOPMENTS in the dual investiga
tion of the police and District Attor
ney yesterday included the discovery
and Identification Of a knife by Johr
| Ankermann, a youth who worked fol
| Cocchi until July, 1916, and again tool
charge of the cycle shop after The
| Italian had disappeared. The knife
/ the boy said, was one which Cocchi haC
had in his desk at all times. Distric
Attorney Swami declared a dark sub
! stance with which the knife was GOV
cred TO be coagulated human blood
/ The knife could easily have inflicted
/ the wounds found in the Cruger girl
! body, he said.
/ Ankermann's testimony resulted in
general alarm being sent out for Ed
ward Fish, a private detective. of 2lt
/ West Eighty-ffth Street, formerly en-
ployed by the detective agency of al
/ Cohen, an ex-police detective. Anker
mann said Fish was an intimate frienc
of Cocchi and that he was almost con
stantly in the cellar with the Italian a
the latter's shop. Fish, Alderman
said, professed interest in Cocchi's mo
tor sled invention. His cellar visit.
were made in connection with the sled.
perfection, he said.
Sought as Material Witness
This is not quite satisfactory TO tn,
District Attorney, who wants Fish as
material witness. Alderman told Of
helping Cocchi 10 dig in the cellar. II,
displayed unfamiliarity with the exist
ing holes IN the ground beneath the
cycle shop; his testimany had some
what OF a negative value.
Mrs. Cocch was again questioned
The one item Of Importance CLEANED
from mass Of inessentials concerned
the card OF introduction given 10 hel
husband by Detective William Eynon
/ Take cxre Of Cocchi; he's o. X" rcaC
the card. 10 was given her husband
/ Mrs. Cocchi asserted, not 20 enable hin
TO buy motorcycle tires at reduced
| prices, as stated by Detective Eynon
j but 20 save him from arrest for speed
/ ing.
] He had been arrested twice for ex
| ceeding the legal speed limit on hi,
machine, she said The card was in
/ tended 70 forestall the third arrest
which would have brought a heavy fn'
/ or perhaps sentence. Mrs. Cocchi vii
j be examined at length to-day by IN.
/ District Attorney. On Monday she vii
/ be taken before Commissioner Wall
stein.
Inquiry Ordered by Mayor
The order for to-day's public inquir,
was sent by the Mayor 70 Mr.. Wallsteii
yesterday. at the request and sugges
/ tion Of the Police Commissioner" h,
! wrote, "and for my own satisfaction
and information. desire you 20 max,
an immediate and thorough inyestiga
tion Of police activity in the Cruge
case.
| Commissioner Woods is now en-
gagged in a diligent inquiry into thi
Z entire matter. That work he will con
/ tinue, but in making the suggestion 70
an inquiry by you he properly point
! out that lingering doubt Of conclu
sions reached is always apt 20 remain
| in the public mind when department
/ investigates itself without collatera
| check
'Let your inquiry be thorough. bu
/ aim 20 secure, among others, two re
/ suits:
First, an ALLEGATION Of responsibilit!
for the failure by the police 20 find tn
body and 70 prevent the escape OF th'
murderer, together with the reason'
| therefor.
Second, any constructive sugges
tiont for the improvement Of method