Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-06-22
300 N. Y. GIRLS LURED
AND LOST SINCE JAN. |
Ruth Cruger Mystery Starts
Searching Police Probe
Into White Slavery

NEW YORK, June 20.-More than
500 girls between the ages OF ten and
twenty years have disappeared from
their homes here since January !. II
Uranspired today coincident with an an
nouncement by Police Commissioner
Arthur Woods that he had ordered be-
gun the most searching inquiry into
police conditions since that conducted
after the Rosenthal murder
The investigation is a direct outcome
OF the finding OF the body OF Ruth CRU
ger. a high school graduate. buried IN
the cellar OF a motorcycle shop con-
Quoted by Alfredo CocchI. for whom the
Italian government authorities are
searching at the request OF the state
department
Commissioner Woods today ordered
Joseph A Faurot. head OF the detective
bureau. TO inquire thoroughly into the
methods and operations OF detective
and police officers who failed 10 solve
the Cruger mystery. The girls oody
was not found through their efforts.
but was unearthed by private detectives
employed by Mrs. Grace Humiston,
woman lawyer. who Is counsel Tor the
Cruger family. Several policemen have
been Intercepted At Commissioner
Woods instigatiOn during the past lew
days regarding NAeE S-9PS~0
illness with COcchi.
~Snare no one" was the commission
er's order today in directing the inves-
tiEation All the officers who worked
on the Cruger case were instructed 10
report 10 headquarters at once Other
detectives will cooperate with MIS-
Huniston in an inquiry in the citys
white slave traffic
The reports regarding the missing
girls are on file at police headquarters.
il was learned. II was cOn"eded that
the rolice were without accurate figures
as 10 the number OF these which had
returned home More detectives nave
been attached TO the departments ou-
reau OF missing persons Mrs. Humls-
ton has been quoted as saying she knew
OF a number OF incidents. involving
missing girls, which parallel the Cru
ger case
Commissioner Woods later ordered
an excavation 10 be made OF the cellar
OF every place where Cocchi has lived
or had a motorcycle shop since hts ar
rival in this country from Italy several
wears ago. Experts from the police bu-
reau OF repairs and supplies viii test
every floor and wall OF every building
and a search viii be conducted from
roof 10 cellar.
MRS. COCCHL TALKS.
After two hours grilling by Distric:
Attorney Swami and Assistant Attorney
Dooling, Mrs. Mary COcchi. wife OF the
man charged with Ruth Cruger's murder
gave the police valuable information
tending to show COcchls lhiaIu4I4Oh
with young girls
on advice OF her lawyer, Mrs. Cocchi
said she had determined 10 state all she
knew. She swore that she had been aO-
sent from COcchFs shop on One Hundred
and Twsnty-seventh street, in the cellar
OF which Ruth Cruger's body was found,
from September TO February 16-this
latter date being two days after the
Cruger girl disappeared She knew moth
ing whatever about Ruth Cruger.
Mrs Cocchi admitted that almost ever
since her marriage she had quarreled
witR~her husband about his love AFFAIRS
with young girls. She named two girls
as among those with whom COcchi was
particularly infatuated
Another OF CocchFs affairs was with
a fourteen-year-old girl. Mrs Gocchi
said. The infatuation lasted more than
a year and was the cause OF violent
quarrels between the husband and wife.
The mysterious Miss Consuelo La
Rue" who jumped out OF the third
story window OF her apartment to es-
cape a midnight assailant she says
attempted TO murder her. Is believed
to be an important link in the chain
being forged about the organized traf-
hckers IN girls.
Meantime the net OF circumstantial
evidence drew tighter about Alfredo
COcChi. the Italian bicycle repairman in
ssIcted for numbering Ruth Cruger and
bu-ying her in the cellar beneath his
s bop