The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-25
"She Did All in Her Power to
Attract Me-" Says COcchi.
What Happened Like a Dream;
Claims Memory Fails Him.
DENIES ANY OTHER GRIMES
Italian Youth Completely Over
come by RemOrse.
Brought Skates to ShOp-First
Time He Ever Saw Her.

Bologna, June 25.-The interroga-
tion of Alfredo Cocchi, self confessed
slayer of Ruth Cruger in New York,
Is Kept secret by law in Italy until
Just before trial. when counsel are
ailoWed to examine the result of the
investigation made both by the police
ana Judge According to unofficial
information, Cocchi recounted to
Judge Zucconi his history in America
He said:
My machine shop gave me a salts
factory position. / earned sometimes
SlOO week. 1 had never seen Ruth
Cruger before she came to my shop
TO have her skates sharpened From
the very beginning Ruth did all in her
power to attract my attention 1 felt
something strange when her dark,
penetrating eyes fixed on mine
Il was still more disconnected when
she came again February IS to get
her skates. An overpowering attrac-
ton for the young woman seized me.
What happened afterwards seems like
dream. My memory at this point
fails me utterly.
Killed Her but Did Not Mean To.
I'm view of the facts which have
| been presented 1t must be true. l at
tackled and killed her. But God help
! me, did not mean to. My will power
could not resist any more. When 1
returned home 1 was like a person IN
trance. L remember speaking of
this peculiar mental condition and
thought 1 was ill.
| II began to realize the gravity of
my position the morning of February
Is, when newspaper reporters came to
my shop to make inquiries and police
L were lost. My only anxiety was to
escape. 1 secured a passport which
kept among my papers and succeeded
in reaching italy. On my arrival
was overcome by remorse. / cannot
myself believe that my hitherto UNI
blemished life has been destroyed for
ever. This is my first offense, but II
is of such a nature that 1 cannot be-
i1ieve it to be true. The greatest pun
Iishment is to think what suffering and
agony my wife and children are I'M
dergoing as, notwithstanding or mis-
understanding, we love each other
most tenderly.''
With records of the police activities
lin the Cruger case before him, Leon
ard NJ. Wallstein, city Commissioners
of accounts, today resumed the in
ouiry ordered by Mayor Mitchell to
place responsibility for the failure OF
the fourth branch detective bureau to
solve the mystery of the missing girl
Mr.. Wallstein spent all of yesterday
digging into the records of the office
Altho detectives working on the
case of Ruth Cruger conducted
search for Cocchi after the man hac
fled they sought him as missing
person rather than as a criminal ano
closed the case so far as he was con
Icerned as soon as they ascertalneo
that he was at Bologna, according tc
records examined by Mr.. Wallstein.
The principal witness called today
was Henry D. Cruger, father of the
victim 1t is expected that he will be
under examination all day.
Papers to Extradite Cocchi.
New York, June 25.-Papers re-
quired for the extradition application
to bring Alfredo Cocchi, self-con-
fessed slayer of Ruth Cruger from
Bologna, Italy, where he fled, were
completed today by Edward Swan
district attorney. In the opinion OF
Mr. Swan and lawyers conversan
with Italian law, Cocchi can be ex'
tradited.
The present friendly relations be
tween Italy and the United States, &C
cording to the lawyers, were expected
to cause the Italian government tC
stretch a point oy not insisting upoI
observance of its penal code, Whicf
prohibits the extradition of Italian
citizens taking precedence over it
treaty providing for reciprocal extra
l1itinU