The sun., 1917-06-17
RUTH CRUGER'S
BODY FOUND IN
COCCHI CELLAR
Girl Had Been Killed by
Blow Which Fractured
Her Skull.
BODY FULLY CLOTHED
Ropes Had Been Fastened
Tight About Waist
and Ankles.
SUSPECTS ARREST SOUGHT
He Told "Sun" Correspondent
in Bologna, Italy, Wife Was
jealous Of Him.
BODY FULLY CLOTHED
SUSPECTS ARREST SOUGHT

The body OF Ruth Cruger. the eigh-
een-year-old Wadieigh High School girl
who disappeared February Is, was dis
covered six feet beneath the cellar floor
under the bicycle repair shop formerly
owned by Alfredo Cocchi at b43 West
18th street yesterday afternoon.
It was due solely to Mrs. Grace Hu-
miston, attorney for Mr.. ana Mrs. Henry
D. Cruger. the girls parents, that the
Investigation was renewed about week
ago after the authorities had searched
the cellar and had all but decided that
this mystery, like that in the disappear
ance OF Dorothy Arnold. was never to be
solved
Ruth Cruger was killed by a blow on
the head. administered by a heavy In
strument, such as a piece of lead pipe,
which fractured the skull A fragment
Of the scalp about four inches in cir
conference at the right side near the
back Of the head was missing wher the
body was found.
The body was fully clothed. even tp the
gloves on the girls hands. The skirts had
been nearly torn OF. however. and the
other garments were almost in shreds
touched the thighs and ropes were fas-
tened tight about the waist and the
ankles.
Miss Cruger was last seen in Cocchi's
shop, where she went to have her skates
Gharpened. Cocchl's skate grinding ma
chine was In the cellar. Two days later
he also disappeared. He was found
living in Bologna. Italy. ten days ago
and to THE SUNS correspondent who
Questioned him there he expressed the
belief that the girl had been kidnapped
and taken to Europe.
said Wife was Jealous.
He added that he had left the United
States because his wife was so Jealous
that he could not flve with her
Detective McGee last night swore out
. warrant before Magistrate Murphy,
sitting in the mems night court. for the
arrest of Cocchi. Immediately after he
and Assistant District Attorney Mancuso
drove to the St. Regis. where they pre-
sented II to Gov Whitman. who in turn
communicated with the State Depart
ment officials. requesting that extradl-
tion proceedings be started at once.
Mrs Cocch was detained by the po-
lice as soon as the body was found.
Last night she was taken to the Fourth
district detective bureau. 342 West 123d
street. where she was questioned by the
police officials until late hour. 1t was
said she would be held as a material
witness. Others who were interrogated
there were:
Mrs. Pattison. who lives In the same
house as Mrs. Cocchi. at rs Manhattan
street; Victor Blady. Edgewater, N. J..
chauffeur. said to be q personal friend
OF Cocchis two laborers who took part
In the search yesterday; John Tobbin
janitor Of the premises, and these foul
motorcycle policemen: Willard A
Helms John Ochsenhirt, James Hag
serty and William Rynon.
Existing treaties make II difficult tC
extradite from Italy for murder. Th'
usual mode of procedure is to submit
evidence to the Italian authorities ant
try the suspect In that country. Dis
tr!ct Attorney Swami believes, however
that as The United States and Italy arr
now allies. the Roman Government ma!
permit the extradition as q matter o
courtesy.
Accompanied by Capt. Daniel F. Costi
gan, Commissioner Woods went to tn
Fourth branch bureau and took persona
charge of the Investigation. The Com
missioner also set on foot an inquiry int
the failure Of the police to find the miss
Ing girls body in their previous searches
He intimated that he was highly dis
pleased with the failure of his subordi
mates to solve the mystery. and said:
The whole credit for the solution l
Que 10 Mrs. Humiston."
Assistant District Attorneys Bohar
Mancuso and Fitzpatrick went to tn
detective bureau as representatives O
Mr Swann's office.
Police shakeup In Prospect.
The Commissioners decision to TAX
direct charge Of the inquiry was unprec
edented and his activity gave rise to
runor that a police shakeup which nigh
assume wide proportions would result
Mr. Woods said:
Nothing. no matter how sensational
how drastic, will be left undone. tn
Cocchi cellar will be dug up from from
to rear"
lie limited that other cellars ais
would be dug up as the result of tip
received by the department. but dc
clined to go into details explanatory c
th's statement. The questioning G
toor motorcycle policemen caused
sensation. There were rumors week
ago that at least two men of the cycl
squad had made the Cocchi shop a rer
devious
Detective McGee admitted last Nigh
mat although soon after Ruth Cruger
DISAPPEARANCE he had directed an e,
animation o; the cellar he had not r,
moved the work bench under which III
body was found
Both benches were then nailed to II
wall" he toll a SUN reporter, 'and
didn't consider their presence there SUI
plciUIs"
II was Mrs. Humision VINO took n
very frst step to bring about Cocchi
extradition, Just as IL had been she WI
mad taken most Of the previous steps
solve the riddle OF Ruth Crugers di
appearance. She had no sooner sati
ned herself that the body found In Il
cellar was indeed that OF the mssiT
girl than she telephoned to the Distri
Attorneys ONCE.
In addition to the finding oe the bod
oestsSSsd on Tenth Page. .