New-York tribune., 1920-02-24
Arnstein's Wife
Says Officials
May Open Safes
Fannie Brice, Believing in
Innocence of Husband,
Asserts She Has Nothing
to Hide From Authorities
Shows No Uneasiness
Police Find No Trace of
Alleged Master Mind of
Recent Bond Robberies

Federal, state and local police au-
thorities can inspect the contents of
any safe deposit boxes in her possess
sion and are welcome to anything they
find, according to statements made yes
terday by Fannie Brice, actress wife of
Jules w. Arnstein, who, the police
charge, is the master mind" behind
bond thefts from many of the most
prominent banks and brokerage houses
IN wall Street in the last few months
Those safe deposit boxes contain
only papers pertaining to my own af-
1alrs,' said Miss Brice, There is
nothing in them that would want to
conceal. The authorities can investi-
gate my entire life ana every bank ac-
count ever have kept. They will find
nothlng that is not entirely legitimate
Many OF the things contained in those
boxes relate to business connections |
had long before l ever met Mr.. Arm
stein."
To Make Application To-day
Despite this statement by the wife
OF the missing Arnstein, an application
Will be made to-day before Judge Hand
IN the Federal Court for permission to
open the safe deposit boxes and to
question Fannie Brice as to her know-
edge of her husbands financial activi
ties: This application will be made by
Saul s.. Myers, attorney for the Ma
tional Surety Company, the concern
which filed the involuntary petition in
bankruptcy against Arnstein and re-
vealed his alleged connection with the
bond robberies.
In addition to applying for permis-
sion to check up Mrs Arnstein's tinan-
cial connections, the lawyer for the
surety company will ask the Federal
court for authority to question Joseph
Gluck. one of the Wall Street messen-
gers now under arrest, whose alleged
confession is said to have implicated
Arnstein
Moses II. Crossran, of the law firm
Of House. Grossman & Vorhaus. VINO
has been retained as Mrs. Arnstcin's
attorney, said yesterday that the safe
deposit boxes held in various banks in
Mrs. Arnstein's name would reveal
nothing that would throw any light on
the crimes in which her husband is
alleged to have been involved.
Wife Shows No Worry
Whether legal steps would be taken
to-day to prevent the opening of the
safe deposit boxes could not be learned.
conference between District Attor-
ney Swami and one of his assistants
who is in direct charge Of the Arnstein
case, scheduled for yesterday, was put
OF until to-day, owing to the holiday
Mrs. Arnstein drove to the New AM
sterdam Theatre yesterday afternoon
rehearsal Of a revue that is to open
there next week. Ned Wayburn, who is
dlrectlng the rehearsals, said she never
handled her songs and lines with more
verve and spirit, and declared that if
she was worrying about her husbands
troubles she didn't show it in her work.
She drove her car to and from the
theater, and when she was leaving the
stage door she stopped only long
enough to throw kiss to a group of
reporters who were waiting to question
her about her husbands affairs. The
car Mrs. Arnstein used to attend re-
hearsals is small electric of the
limousine variety, upholstered in old
rose and trimmed with gold.
Although every large city both here
and abroad is being searched for Arm
stein, no clue to hiss whereabouts was
Forthcoming esterday. The police
here have questioned many of his
closest friends without gaining the
SllghtcSt clue as TO Wnere he might
have. gone when he left his wife on
the. afternoon of February r.
Was Trusty at Sing Sing
While an operative of one private
detective agency who has known Arm
stein for many years told Tribune
reporter yesterday that he was CON
vlnced Arnsten had sailed for Europe
the local police are of the opinion
that he has not wandered far from
Manhattan Island.
An examination of Arnstein's prison
record shows that his minimum sem
tence of two years and ten days given
him by Judge Otto Rosalsky was short.
ened by eight months and fourteen
days on the order of Governor Whit
man. Arnstein arrived at Sing Sine
March lS, 1916, after having been con-
vlcted on charge of grand larceny
ne was entered on the prison records
at that time under the name Of
Nicholas Arnstein. Not long after bis
arrival at The prison b became
trusty in the warden's residence and
was gwen many privileges not ac-
corded the ordinary convict.
"a AH