The sun., 1919-03-24
POLICE PUZZLED BY
z BRONX MURDERS
Young MatrOn Found Dead
From Attack in Taxicab,
Driver Arrested.
BOTH HAD BEEN DRINKING
Italian Shot by One Of Two
Strangers Whom He
Befriended.

Two murders were committed In the
early hours yesterday morning in The
Bronx. In one respect the crimes were
similar, as each victim met death in an
automobile.
Mrs. Florence Coyne. n comely young
married woman of Tuckahoe, was found
dead in an automobile by Bicycle Police
man George Leis at Rosedale street and
Newhall avenue, In the Bronx Park sec
ton. with the owner of the car, Ernest
Fritz. 20 years old, also of Tuckahoe,
bending over her and apparently en-
deavoring TO lift her to the seat. Fritz
told the police the girl had collapsed as
they were riding through the park The
woman was rushed to Fordham Hospital
in the car under Leis's orders, but was
dead when DIR. Barrow examined her.
An autopsy was performed later by
Dr. Carl Kennard, Medical Examiner OF
Bronx county, who found the woman
had been the victim of n brutal beating.
Her face and chest were bruised and
her Jaw and nose broken. Death was
directly due to hemorrhage. After ques-
tioning by Assistant District Attorney
Peter A.-Hatting, Fritz was placed un-
der arrest and held by Magistrate
Raphael Tobias In West Farms police
court on short affidavit alleging sus-
picion of homicide, He will be exam
ined further on Wednesday.
Victim Lived in Tuckahoe.
Mrs. Coyne lived with her father.
Daniel Glennon. at Hall and New
streets, Tuckahoe. and is said to have
been the mother of n four-year-old boy.
She was 20 years old. Fritz, who is also
married is 90. and lives at Columbus
avenue and Circuit road, Tuckahoe. He
Is the owner of taxicab business. He
Is said to have explained that he had
known Mrs. Coyne for more than year
and that he called for her on Saturday
afternoon at the office of the Industrial
Acceptances Corporation, Al Park, Row,
where she was employed as stenog-
rapher.
After having dinner they visited a
number of cafes and saloons. 1t was
after midnight when they left the last
saloon OH Bergen avenue and started for
Tuckahoe. Then, according to Fritzs
story. Mrs. Coyne collapsed. Fritz said.
according to the police. that he thought
her death was due to the amount OF al
cohol she had imbibed.
a murder mystery which brought Dis
trict Attorney Francis Martin to the
Bronx Park police station was the
shooting of Dominick Rizzo. %. OF 1927
East 225th street. The Bronx. as he sat
at the wheel of his tourning car. Ac-
cording to the story told by Michael
Rizzo, a brother of the murdered man.
he and his brother were driving north on
White Plains avenue at $40 A. NJ. when
two short, slim young men hailed them
and asked for a ride. At their request
the touring car was driven to the Bronx
Park police station.
Mystery In Shooting.
One of the young men Jumped out and
went into the station house. returning
Rizzo brothers were obligingly waiting.
with the remark TO his companion;
'Smlthy Is still in there"
At 236th street the men asked to get
out Michael Rizzo said.-
Thanks. much obliged" one man
said.
A revolver suddenly flashed in the
hand OF the other man. Two shots were
fired. Dominick dropped over his wheel
with bullet in his heart. The men fed
into the darkness.
Later at the Bronx Park station house
Michael Rizzo was questioned by both
District Attorney Martin and his aid.
Peter Hating. II is said that Rizzo
was not communicative. The police be-
lieve the affair grew out of an Italian
feud.
In the afternoon Rizzo was again
questioned, this time at the Wakefield
station. White Plains avenue and 229th
street, by Captain Andrew J. Wines Of
the detective force and another Assist
ant District Attorney, Albert Cohn. with
little result
Two sisters. Julia and Lucille Acker. OF
a03s Third avenue. attended a party at
500 East 15Sth street with the Rizzo
brothers shortly before the murder.
They knew nothing OF the crime.