New-York tribune., 1919-08-05
Declare They Have Name of
Cohen Slayer and Woman
H. Who Bore Death Message
and Plan Arrests To-day
Parallels Baff Killing
Threatened Strike of Fur
Workers and Old Extor-
ton Case Leading Clews

The police announced yesterday they
had virtually unravel!sd the mystery
Of the murder of Joseph Cohen, a
wealthy fur dealer, of Manhattan, who
was shot in the back at Coney Island
on Sunday afternoon. They know the
name of the man that did the shooting,
they say, and his Arrest, together with
that of others implicated, is expected
any moment.
While the police are inclined to be-
lieve that much of the story of Harry
Norman, another furrier, who was
wounded when Cohen was killed. ex-
Guiding the idea of business fsud,
may be true, they declare the case
bears all the earhmarks of an imita-
tion of the Baff and Rosenthal mur
ders in both of which crimes the vic
Tins were lured to their death by a
message
In the present instance the death
messenger is believed to have been IA
cabaret singer with whom Korman and
MS business partner. Max Barron, went
IN an automobile to Coney Island a
few hours before the shooting. The
identity of this woman is knownto the
District Attorney, who is certain she
will be arrested to-day.
OlStrlct Attorney Lew1S, NOl prook-
iyn, who, with Assistant District At
torney Reuben Wilson, visited Coney
Island to interrogate witnesses, said
last night, however, that the evidence
50 far unearthed was atrongly against
The idea that the man BID been lured
to his death. 1t is His present opin-
ION that Cohen vast g innocent vic
tim of brawl over the woman who
accompanied Barro' and Norman to
the island.
Barron Feturns Home
Barron, 1t wps learned by the police
sesterday. ret 4rned to his home at
N3 Stanton Street, Manhattan, soon
fter theaEs .ooting. He lives there
III his kwife and three children. He
I'D b;sSswife of the affair, but said
se,sb d nothing to do with it. Mrs
Esafnn} said he left the house later,
"a /he is in a position to clear him
,lsA special effort is also being made to
locate a man known as Sugar" who
is declared to have been involved in a
Iight at a restaurant in Coney Island
with the Norman party Immediately
preceding the murder. The police are
watching q place at Twentysecond
Street and Surf Avenue, Coney Island,
room.
Suspicion that business rivalry may
have been at the bottom of the affair
was created by the finding of letter
in the dead mans pocket. 1t was ad-
dressed to Cohen by Louis Siegel, an
attorney of 345 Broadway, requesting
payment of $l00 for legal services in
case against Barron. Barron and
Norman are partners in a fur business
at 681 Broadway, and are said to have
done considerable work for the Cohen
drm for several years.
The letter led to the discovery that
Barron, whose address was then given
IS 495 East 173d Street, was indicted
on May l for attempted extortion from
,hc murdered man.
ohen charged that on April ~ last,
.-hile a furrier strike was in progress,
Barron obtained 5000 from him by
representing himself as an agent for
ihe striking furriers and claiming that
TO harm would come to any of Cohen's
employees during the strike upon pay
nent of the money. The 5000 WAS
aad in marked bills in the presence
az Detective Botte of the Mercer Street
Station, in Cohen's Office.
He was arraigned before Judge Otto
4. Rosalsky May 27 and was remanded
for sentence the following week. On
Jane Barron withdrew his plea Of
guilty and entered one of not guilty,
IS a result of which he was released
On $4,000 bail. which he gave through
the National Surety Company.
Louis Siegel. whose bill for $1O0 was
found in Cohen's pocket, said it was for
service rendered in connection with the
Barron extortion case. Mr.. Siegel said
that as far as he knew Cohen showed
70 special antagonism toward Barron.
Additional information on Cohen's S
troubles with Barron was given by his
brother, Emanuel Cohen, who told the
ponce that his brother was worth $125,-
600 in personal property and real estate,
and that for long time he had been
the victim o: threats to call out his
fur workers unless he paid money. He
cfton paid, SAID Emanuel.
Cn the basis of his information the
police are inclined to believe that the
woman in the case may have been
brought to Coney Island to compromise
Cohen