The sun., 1917-06-26
COCCHI'S TRAIL
LEADS-TO POLICE
HEADQUARTERS
Sister of Slain Girl Called
There and Told of
Suspicious.
WARNING is UNHEEDED
Father OH Stand Says Ef-
forts to Speed Search
Were Unavailing.
WOODS TO BE CALLED
Other Officials Also Will Be
Summoned in Wallstein
Investigation.
WOODS TO BE CALLED

The Rev. Father Gaspar Moretti. head
Of the st. Rachel Italian Immigrant So
ciety's Home for Women and Girls. at
10 Charlton street, admitted to Deputy
Police Commissioner Frank A Lord and
Assistant District Attorney A. r. Rorke
hast night. after more than an hours
to him during the middle or latter part
Of February and made confession
to him as a priest. Commissioner
Lord, who told newspaper men at I
o'clock this morning that such an ad-
mission had been made by Father Mo-
retti, Immediately summoned a stenog-
rapher and the priests statement was
recorded. Mr. Lord said that Father
Moretti would be served with q SUBJ
pena this morning and would be brought
into the case as a material witness
Some day in February l returned
from Ellis Island" Said Father Moretti.
Il found Cocchi at my home. He had
been waiting two hours l had not
seen Cocchi for five years. l heard his
confession as a priest, after which he
left and did not tell me where b, was
going About a month later Miss Cruyer
and a young man called at the home
Y and asked IL Cocchi had been there. i
told them he had not. Inasmuch as they
were not officers did not think 1t
necessary that l should give them the
Information
The attention of the police was
drawn to Father Moretti by cable from
Bologna, Italy, where Cocchi is held.
In which the self-confessed murderer is
quoted as saying that he spent two days
with the priest before sailing for Italy.
Father Moretti denied that he was in
anyway responsible for Cocchis disap-
pearance or that he had anything to do
with the murderer leaving the United
States. The priest neither speaks nor
understands English with any facility,
but in answer TO questions he said he
became acquainted with Cocchi ten
years ago. when he was summoned to
Ellis Island by the immigration authori-
ties and married Cocchi to his then
hancee, who had just come over from
Italy.
Father MOretu Explains.
During the first part of his question
Ing by Commissioner Lord and Mr.
Rorke Father Moretti said he had seen
Cocchi only once since then and that
was four years ago. when he had gone
with a friend to Cocchi's shop to have
motorcycle repaired. He also said that
no detectives or policemen had called to
zee him about Cocchi. but that he had
been visited by young man and Miss
Helen Cruger, sister OF Ruth. He
said he had told neither the young man
nor Miss Cruger of the admission which
Cocchi had made to him When he was
asked IL he had seen Cocchi since the
man disappeared Father Moretu refused
At first TO answer and then sarb some
thing in broken English about the "sa-
credness of confession"
Would you tell what you know to a
Judge" asked Commissioner Lord.
Perhaps" replied the priest.
Father Moretu also remarked that
'Cocchi Is insane II he says l helped
him get away"
Mrs. Grace Humiston accompanied
Commissioner Lord and District Attor-
ney Rorke to Father Morettis home. but
was not allowed to be present during
the interview with the priest. A sharp
tilt occurred between the Deputy Com
missioner and Mrs. Humiston when he
told her she would not be permitted to
be in the room while the priest was
being questioned. Mrs. Humiston de-
clared that she would take the matter
up with Commissioner Woods. and that
she hoped to be able to see Father
Noretti alone this morning.
Trail Leads to Headquarters.
ne Mayor 3 investigation OF pollCe dS-
tigmatism In the Cruger murder case has
led straight to Police Headquarters.
Miss Helen Cruger. a sister of Ruth.
testified before Commissioner OF Ac-
counts Leonard NJ. Wallstein yesterday
that she placed at the disposal OF Head
quarters on February 1G. only three days
after Ruth disappeared. information
pointing to Cocchi
Unable to see Inspector Faurot, to
whom she had a letter of Introduction
from former Police Commissioner Doug
las !. Mckay. she related her story to
the detective officer in charge. This Of
feer has been identified by Commissioners
Wallstein as Lieut.. William Funston.
The production of the letter TO Faurot
and the testimony given by Miss Cruger
In this connection is regarded by Com
missioner Wallstein as perhaps the most
Important discovery which has been
made. II tends to show that the listless
Fourth Branch detectives. who referred
to CoSchi as "Ar' and who maintained
with certain stubbornness that he was
"a reputable business man who must
not be annoyed by the police. were not
alone responsible for the failure to APP
prehend Cocchi and for the failure 10
search Cocchis place with such diligence
as to find the body that was hidden
there.
Cruger's Words Unhceded.
In other words, Commissioner Wall
stein brought out that Headquarters
responsible officials at HEADQUARTERS
was informed within three days after
Ruth disappeared OF all the circum'
stances duplicating Cocchi. circumstances
that pointed like steady fingers 10 this
man Of evil reputation, yet found M
reason TO spur the Fourth Branch mer
into activity or to speed up the case.
as Mr., Cruger puts t. The assumption
is plain to Mr.. Walls,ein that Lieut.
Funston. subordinate. could have done
no less than report 10 his superiors the
facts so pa!nstakingly carried to th'
Central Office by Miss Helen Cruger.
This revelation, one that made q
Continued on Fourth Page.