New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-02
Waiter Accused of Shoot
ing Down Harry Cohen,
an Informer
Is Identified by
Elevator Runner
District Attorney Questions
Sam Schepps; Connec-
ton Not Known

1T TIA Prospect Avenue, The Bronx,
Branch Detective Bureau on the charge
of killing Harry Cohen, who had offered
to deliver" five notorious gamblers
into the hands of District Attorney
Swami.
~ am convinced that this is the
murderer" said Assistant District At
torney Smith after he, Captain Nc
Kenna of the 4th Branch, and Assistant
District Attorney Cardone had ques-
toned Rothernburg for an hour last
night. "He has made several conflict
ing statements" he added, "and l am
now going downtown to check them
up
When asked what he believed was the
cause of the shooting, Mr.. Smith said:
ut is the result of the $4,000 fund
appropriated by the gamblers to stop
the John Doe proceedings"
Cohen was shot at a. m. yester-
day in the reception room of the
Raleigh Apartments, West Ninety
second Street, where he had lived for
three years, about an hour after he
had telephoned Smith that he would
meet him at Fifth Avenue and West
Thirty sixth Street
Rothernberg was picked up by De-
tectives La Heureaux, Finan and Null
Inns, of the Fourth Branch, at Broad
way and Forty-seventh Street about II
O'Clock. Joseph Edney, negro elevator
runner in the Raleigh Apartments, who
witnessed the shooting, at once de-
clared that the prisoner was the man
who did the shooting.
Says Identification Is Error
Rothernberg said the negro was mis-
taken. He admitted however, that he
had spent the previous night with
Cohen at 40 Sixth Avenue, where a
craps game was in progress, and that
he and Cohen and small man of dark
complexion, about twenty-five years
old, left the place at o'clock in the
morning. Rothernberg said he left
Cohen and the little fellow at Sixth
uptown to restaurant at Seventh Ave
nue. and Forty Street, where
he remained until 1880, after which he
went to his home.
I've known Cohen for four years
and l have owed him. money, but
never had any trouble with him." said
Rothernberg.
The prisoner admitted that he had
once been convicted as a gambler be-
fore Judge Wadhams in General Ses-
sions and fined $75 He wore a dark
gray suit light brown overcoat and a a
dark fedora hat when he was arrested.
He has scar or his right cheek.
Assistant District Attorney Smith
was notified of the shooting and,
as soon as he identified Cohen, he
ordered Captain McKenna, of the
Fourth Branch Detective Bureau. to
send his men at once for Sam Schepps,
the corroboratlng witness in the Becker
case, Schepps was found in a little
Jewelry store which he runs at Seventh
Avenue and Forty-seventh Street, and
was taken before District Attorney
Swami. He was questioned several
times and was released late last night
after he had agreed to return in the
morning with valuable information"
Cohen Furnished Information
According to Mr. Smith, Cohen also
had given him valuable information
regardinging the activities of Schepps' s
trend, Grace Leslie, alias marie Won
n
house fortnight ago by Magistrate
Groehl on the charge of maintaining an
illegal house on Riverside Drive, near
West 10th Street. 1t was learned yes
terday that the Leslie woman was born
In Germany and thai she has been un-
der investigation for some time by
Federal agents.
The story of Cohen's appearance in
the District Attorneys office as a
lny.V {o1I h.
follows:
Soon after the beginning of the
John Doe inquiry into gambling, a
man called me on the telephone Civ
ing the name of Baldwin He said he
could give me some valuable informa-
ton and offered to come to my home.
! told him that l preferred to meet
him elsewhere SO he agreed to meet me
at the southeast corner of Broadway
had been feeced in hotel in the
Tenderloin where phony roulette
wheel was in operation. He promised
that he could deliver this wheel to m,.
Two or three days later he met me
again and gave me the names of other
places where crooked games we're be-
ing played.
Arranged to See Smith
olHce tnen ne mas personally seen
District Attorney Swami and has called
at my home. told him he was too
indiscreet. He said he didn't like to
talk with me on the telephone because
he believed my wires were being
tapped. Incidentally, he told me that
his name was Cohen and not Baldwin.
expected to hear from him last Satur-
day, but he didn't get in touch with
me. About 6 o'clock Monday morning
! was awakened by telephone call
from him. He told me that he had
something good to hand to me, and
asked me to meet him at 1880 in the
afternoon at Fifth Avenue and West
Thirty sixth Street. Two hours later
was informed over the telephone that
ne had been murdered"
Mr.. Smith said Cohen formerly had
an interest in three gambling houses
which had been forced to close since
inspector "Honest" Dan Costigan be-
gan to get after the gamblers last
January.
From Charles Zinck. of 78 st. Marks
fiace. and Joseph Zorach, of 1875 Sec