The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-04-02
Harry Cohen Had Just Made
Pact to Reveal All to
District Attorney.
LIKE ROSENTHAL CASE
Sullen Over Loss Of Thou
sands in Crooked Game,
Victim Sought Revenge.
MAN HELD FOR HOMICIDE
Suspect Identified by Negro
Elevator Operator Who
Pursued Slayer.

Harry Cohen, gambler and burglar.
wss shot and killed in the hallway OF the
a,ar,ment house in which he lived at I
Wes, Ninety-second street yesterday y
morning. an hour after he mad >tcIe-
rnoned to Assistant District Attorney
Smith that he had evidence on which
some Of the big gamblers Of New York
could be convicted.
Norris Rothenberg. who tho police ga y
f.. also burglar. was arrested and iden-
tihed late last night by the hallboy In
tohen's house as the man who shot him.
The negro picked him out of a lineup Of
sixteen men without any difffculty.
You have changed your clothes" said
the hallboy. but know you just the
same"
Eothenberg had on a gray suit. an!
's,er another suit was brought from
bs home at ia Prospect avenue, The
bronx. and the hallboy said he was
sure it was the one RotheFberg wore
when Cohen and he reached the gam
hlsr's home Just before Cohen was
killed \ long scar on the side of
Rothenbergs face made the identifica-
'.on more positive.
Rothenberg told Assistant District At
,orney Smith that he had been a waiter
months Recently he was convicted OF
gambling before Judge Wadhams and
fined $50. Sunday night. he said. he
went to a place at Forty-sixth street
and Broadway, then to one at ~ Sixth
avenue. where he saw Cohen playing
.rspS
After time he and Cohen and mar
wnom Rothenberg called the Greek.
eft there and took a Sixth avenue ca,
TO Forty-eighth street. where they left
Cohen. He and the Greek went to a
restaurant. he said. and stayed there un.
Ill 1880 o'clock. half an hour after Cohen
was killed.
Arrested - Seventh Avenue. 4,
Then he wen, home and last night
went out again. He was found walking
a. Seventh avenue and Forty-eiehth
street By detectives and taken at once
10 the Fourth branch detective bureau,
where he WAS questioned by Mr.. Smith
and Capt. McKenna.
Rothenberg knew Cohen we'll, lie sad
and they used to gamble whenever
Rothenberg had funds to get into the
game The stakes we're always high II
tohen's games, always hundreds ano
Sometimes thousands OF dollars chang
ing hands In a short time. Craps wal
opium with Cohen.
A gambler himself. whose game.
brought him in an income that amount
ed al times to thousands of dollars g
week, Coaen had just lost every cent III
lad in a game of craps. He was SORE
and wanted TO get even. Three BIZ
gamblers were down on his books a.
men with whom he would square &C
cunts through the District Attorney
nAlr
ID one. he said. he had lost $1,000 onl.
a short time before. The added blow
sunday night was too much for him ant
he determined to soothe his injured feel
.ngs by squealing.
When the crap game ended at
o'clock yesterday morning. Cohen and
man left the game, only q stones throw
from Times Square. and went up town
On the way or before ne started--onlS
me man knows which--he telephone.
Mr Smith that he had the goods" ant
made an appointment to meet the As
sis,ant District Attorney yesterday at
ternoon on Fifth avenue.
Somebody got the purpor, OF tina
message and knew waht it meant to tn
gamblers who have been frequentins
Inc ho,els. cleaning up enormous SUM
IN p evenings play and then passing
m 20 other fields. Cohen never had {
cnaAce TO make good.
stranger COhen's Com pa nion.
ABOUT an hour after Smith hat
'"epily gone TO the telephone and, won
ter,rs what Cohen had to tell. had les
seonily gone hack to bed. the gamble
and short. stocky man with the un
r'istakable stamp OF the night haw'
want into the apartment house In Wes
Nj = ar
'.4 elevator. operated by Joseph Edncy
IT" negro hallboy. to Conen's apartnen
an, went in
The stranger stayed out in the dinin
N}n while Conen went into his wife
,ofrn. where she was In bed. and aske'
~ for some money. She said she ha
Nj, $50 bill and 81 bill. in burea
drawer, and Cohen got II. Going dow
In n" elevator Cohen gave the man 81
and said:
This is the smallest have. You ha
l"'i'T take it,"
T""j went out and down to the hal
'ga'n and Cohen asked Edney to cal
W telephone number on the East Side
Gaze. While Cohen sat at the phon
little reception hall on the mai
'all tHe man with him fred three shot
NO lis head aud back. The gamble
'''.'G on The chair and crumpled up o
N" ioor the telephone receiver faliin
beside him
Edney jumped up behind his switch
BOARD in time 20 sec the murderer ri
Gown the hall, throw open the door an
ton down the steps. lie still carrie
IN" revolver, but the ha!lboy made afte
h'm as fast as his black legs could NOV,
JUS before they reached Central Par
Vest the man threw the revolver int
basement He got to the corner an
s'w southbOund car coming an
!1mHei aboard. E.dney was Just to
late % follow. At Eighty ninth stree
the man jumped OF the car and ran int
'~cn'ral Park.
.ns.ds OF an hour the District Attol
fey's stan and the detective burea
we're buxzipg around with an excite
activity that has hardly been duplicate
since the shooting OF Herman RoseT
thai, also q gambler and also on n