New-York tribune., 1920-12-21
W oman tainted
As Companion
Killed Horton
Mrs. Brooks Gives Grand
Jury Story of Events
That Preceded Shooting
of Heroic Police Officer
Dead Man Called SLAYER
Indictments for Murder in
the First Degree Sought by
Asst. Prosecutor Dineen

The story o. the events which led
up to the killing of Police Lieutenant
Horton last Thursday night were re-
cited to the December grand jury yes
terday by Mrs. Lucille Emma Brooks,
who was in the automobile the lieuten-
ant was attempting 10 stop when he
met his death She was wounded by a
bullet from his revolver. In testifying
before the grand jury, Mrs Brooks
refuse TO sign a waiver Of immunity.
Nine other witnesses were under
subpoena. but she was the only one
called. The others Will testify o-cay
when Mrs. Brooks will be heard again
Before entering the grand jury room
ride to Assistant District Attorney
Benedict Dineen, in charge of the
homicide bureau. Mr. Dineen an
nounced that he is asking the grand
jury to hand up an indictment for first
degree murder The evidence so far
indicates that the police lieutenant was
fatally shot by Joseph Laresch, whom
the lieutenant killed with return fire
before he fell or was pushed of the
running board Of the automobile.
Statements OF witnesses and those in
volved yesterday agreed that the only
other person in the car at the time Of
the killing was Nicholas Laresch,
driver brother Of the dead man.
The story told to Dineen by Mrs.
Brooks follows:
Mrs. Brooks said that she had asked
John Cavanaugh and Nicholas Lareseh
to aid her in moving from the Aber-
deem Apartments at 146th Street and
Broadway to 50 Clinton Place, Brook
lin, where Cavanaugh lives. She said
- n,
and she was asked by Nicholas u take
a ride downtown to 6S John Street,
where he wanted to inspect top for an
automobile that he had ordered made
They met Joseph, his brother, by acci-
dent. she said She said she and Cav
anaugh and Joseph Laresch had all
been drinking, and that she was in y
"dazed" condition part of the evening.
Returning uptown the party stopped
at Columbus Circle for more drinks
and something to eat, she said. and
there Cavanaugh left them They con-
tinued uptown and stopped for more
drinks at 18TH Street. and Broadway.
she said.
An important psrt Of her testimony
to the Assistant District Attorney was
that earlier in the evening the men
were talking about colored porter in
the apartment, who she told them mad
used offensive language in addressing
her
The car was m5vins slowly when it
passed the Aberdeen Apartments, and
she told Dineen she saw Joseuh La
resch jump out hurriedly and run in
the direction Of the apartment house.
The car was still creeping along when
she heard a shot. she said, and Joseph
Laresch came running back to the auto
mobile
According to Mrs. Brooks, she lost
consciousness about the time another
man leaped on the running board This
was Lieutenant Horton. She did not
know what then transpired, she de-
ness until she had been taken to the
apartment at 80 Hamilton Place. She
did not remember seeing d dead BODY
in the car
She admitted ownership of a revol-
yer and said the one used to kill Lieu
tenant Horton resembled her own. She
dlus not positively identify this CUR.
which was found in her apartment
when she was arrested.
All statements agreed that Nicholas
Laresch had not been drinking.
pom 4saving the grand jury room
Mrs. Brooks met her husband, John
Walter Brooks, of Chicago, who ar
rived here Saturday. Il did 10 harm -
she sobbed. as she rushed into his
arms.
Mr.. Brooks told her he believed her
innocent and had perfect confidence In
her. He did not know the Seriousness
Of the trouble she was in until he ar
rived in New York, he said. He was
i'll in Chicago at the time it hap
pened.
The Downtown League announce 4
yesterday that it had forwarded $40
toward d popular fund for the relief of
the family of the slain police lieuten-
ant. The Fidelity Trust Company is
receiving subscriptions. S. S. Conoyer.
president, gave Sl0O.