The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-07
CONFESSION CLEARS
MURDER MYSTERY
"Schnapps" Luttrell Said to
Have Admitted Shooting
McCrohan.

The mystery OF the death of Thomas
McCrohan. whose body was found
propped up against a fence at West
Broadway and Park place early
Sunday morning was cleared yesterday.
according to John r. Hennis. Assistant
District Attorney, by a confession of
"Schnapps" Luttrel, 35 years old, a
newspaper handler. that he did the
shooting.
"McCrohan had lined me up. and Joe
Burns was pulling when 1 shot Nc
Crohan." Luttrell said according TO Mr..
Hennis. Burns was brought 20 Broad
Street Hospital by two men in deliv-
cry wagon shortly after McCrohan's
body was found. Burns had been shot
twice.
A feud which developed in the ranks
of the Downtown Paper Handlers Club
at IL Duane street was said to have led
to the killing. Afterwards. Luttrell
said, he went TO a picnic on Staten
Island
The police after a look at Merchants
body sized up the shooting as the result
of gang war" and began a roundup
of the downtown district. McCrohan
was Identified as a member of the paper
handlers club, of whicn I.uttrell was
the founder.
"Schnapps" n Park Row Character
"Schnapps" Luttrell has been a famil-
lar leader among the Park Row news
paper handlers for a long time. For
seventeen years he had been employed
as driver by the New York American.
He was arrested yesterday morning by
Detectives Francis G.. Trainor OF the
Homicide Bureau and Jesse .Tosephs OF
the Fifth Detective Bureau. and under
five hours of steady grilling refused to
commit himself.
His story. as given by Mr.. Hennis.
was that McCrohan has stirred up fac
tional strife in the club ranks. and
whenever they met McCrohan was
abusive. After McCrohan had been shot.
Luttrcll said, according to Mr.. Hennis,
there was some doubt about the DISPOSE
ton of the body, and three-quarters of
an hour elapsed before they decided
upon a course of action.
me and another fellow" Hennis
quoted Luttreu as saying, put NEGRO
han in n two horse truck and drove
through Chambers street TO West Broad
way and down to Park place. where we
put his bocy up against the fence.
I'VE then drove the wagon to Warren
street and West Broadway and left It
We went back to the club afoot.
turned over the guns TO one of the boys.
including the one I had croaked Nc
Crohan with and told him to throw
them down the sewer. About 80
o'clock I closed UP the club and walked
over the bridge and took n taxi home.
Sunday afternoon I went to a picnic OF
the Cherry Pickers at New Dorp, Staten
Island"
More Arrests to Follow.
After he was released from the long
grilling Luttrell was taken TO Police
Headquarters for the night. He Is to
be arraigned to-day in Tonibs court. The
paper handler admitted. according 20
Mr.. Hennis. that he served a peniten-
tiary term In 1913 upon conviction be-
fore Judge Mulqueen on charge OF
violating the Sullivan law. His wife
lives at 4716 Third avenue, Brooklyn.
Two men arrested Tuesday on sus-
picion were held In $40. 900 bail each as
material witnesses when they we're taken
before Judge Wadhams In General SEES
sions They were Joseph X. Kafuro. As
Washington street. and James Lenahan.
% Rector street. James r. Kearn of
401 West Sixth street was discharged
with the consent of Mr.. Hennis Sew
eral other arrests are expected In the
case.
Burns Is under care az Broad Street
Hospital. The name OF the man who
shot him has been given TO the police,
and II Is said not to be McCrohan.
The immediate cause OF the shooting
was said TO have been a quarrel which
took place at an outing Of the Paper
Handlers Club on Saturday. The cir
cumstances of this event and those who
figured In the quarrel besides the men
under arrest are being guarded by the
District Attorneys office.
LuttreIl's story that he shot In self
defence IL said to be supported by some
OF the men now held.