New-York tribune., 1920-10-30
Cocclni, Slayer
Ruth Crugger.
Gets p Years
Italian Jury Finds Him
Guilty of First Degree
Murder, Assault Attempt
apd Passport Fraud
Slayer's Confession Barred
Brother-in-Law and Watch
maker Assert Prisoner
Admitted killing Girl
Special Gable to The Tribune

Copyright. 1920. New York Tribune Inc
BOLOGNA, Italy, Oct. 99.-Alfredo
Cocchi, on trial in this city this week
for the second time for the murder of
Miss, Ruth Cruger, eighteen-year- old
New York high school girl, in Feb
ruary, 1917, was found guilty to- day on
four counts. He was sentenced to
serve twenty seven years in prison.
The charges against him were mur-
der. attempted assault and falslfying
passports and military enrolment rec
ords.
Testimony introduced at the last day
Of the trial concerned the manner of
the girls death and Cocchis connec-
tion with it. A death certificate signed
by & New York physician was intro
duced to show that the girls death had
resulted from a fracture of her skull
Another physician. who is attached to
the office of the attorney for New York
County, testified through an interpre-
ter He told how the police had
watched ships departing for Europe
believing that Miss Cruger and Cocchi
might have planned to elope. He re-
canod how often, after months Of
fruitless investigation, Mrs. Grace
Humiston, lawyer engaged by Miss
Crugers parents, had insisted upon a
thorough investigation of the Cocchi
shop, and how there she had super,n-
tended the finding of the girls body.
Wife Told of Flight
This physician testified that as soon
as the body had been found Mrs COcchi
admitted to the police that her husband
had fed to Italy and could be found in
Bologna This evidence, he said, had
resulted in Cocchi's arrest. He said
he pitied Cocchi's poor wife in New
York, with her only child, making a
scanty living as seamstress and hav-
ing to bear undeserved misfortune.
The next witness was Signor Baron
cini, Cocchi's brotherin-law. He testi-
fed that the murderer had confessed
his guilt to him and had told him also
Of confessing to Father Mordetto in
New York before fleeing from that city.
Baroncini quoted Cocchi as expressing
fear OF the severity Of the American
law against this sort Of crime
Another witness was Signor Derossi,
matchmaker, who for some time past
has occupied the Jail cell next TO Coo
chi. He testified that the defendant had
confessed to him.
The deposition Of Mrs. Humiston was
read, telling how the BODY was found.
Father Mordetto's deposition. which
was read, admitted that Cocchi came to
him just before leaving New York, but
said the Roman rite prevented his re-
vealing the nature or Cocchi's confes-
sion.
Defense's Plea
Sienor Venturin and Signor Bentini,
attorneys for the defense, IN their clos
ing arguments, tried at first to raise
the doubt that Miss Cruger might have
come to her death a a result OF Jeal-
ousy between her and Mrs. Cruyer.
Later they argued that their client had
been suffering mental torture IN his
domestic affairs and was not RESPONSE
bic. Sgnor Bentini asked for verdict
Of manslaughter.
Justice Franchini, presenting the
case for the prosecution, refuted the
arguments of the defense conclusively
and urged the conviction of the de-
fendant
Cocchi Killed Girl in Shop
Cocchi's crime was committed in the
bicycle shop he operated at b42 West
l2Tth Street. Miss Cruger had stopped
there TO get pair of skates she had
left to be sharpened. She never was
seen alive afterward.
The girls disappearance mystiAed
the New York police for months. Sus-
Iiclcn WAS attached - Dpecnl ne
cause Miss Cruger last had been seen
entering his shop and because he van
ished soon after the crime.
Almost six months after the girls
disappearance her body was unearthec
in the basement OF the bicycle shop. a
warrant was issued for Cocchfs arrest
and attempts were made TO extradlte
him, but failed because Italian law does
not permit extradition. of an ltallar
citizen for crime. Cocchl was arrested
tContinued last paae)