New-York tribune., 1921-04-17
Ex.soldier Charges Capt.
Rosenbluth Ordered Him
to s'Cet'' Major During
Pistol Practice at Camp
Fails to Reveal
Motive for Crime
Accused Officer, ON Way
to N. Y, Denies 1t and
Offers to Face Accuser
specia. Dispatch to Tho Tribune

Z. Pothier, former sergeant of infantry,
told Secret Service agents in Provi
dence, r. L.. late in March, that in
shooting Major Alexander Cronkhite at
Camp Lewis, in October, 1918, he was
acting on orders from his superior Off
GER, Captain Robert Rosenbluth, it was
revealed here to-day. Prosecuting At
torney James w. Selden, to whom the
case has been referred, made public the
text of five confessions by Pothier, in
ono of which he charged that Rosen-
bluth told him to take loaded pistol
and "get" the major.
Both men are at liberty on bonds,
having been arrested on murder
charges. Pothier pleaded guilty to in
voluntary manslaughter recently, say
ing at that time that he shot Major
Cronkhite accidentally.
After going into details of several
conversations Pothier said he had with
Captain Rosenbluth four or five days
before the shooting, in which Rosen-
bluth is alleged to have asked Pothier,
"Cnn you use a pistol?" the purported
confession as made public by Mr.. Sell
den says:
"On the next night, or the night
after, I again met Captain Rosenbluth
at the same place. He asked me if I
was going out with the school Of recon
ing about it, He told me that it was
for | non commissioned officers, and
he did not see any reason why | should
not go.
81 said, IF that is so. guess | am
included with them He then asked
me if remembered what he said to me
the other night about firing pistol.
| answered Yes and he then asked me
if | had any idea what it was for, and
! answered Mo- He then said, y want
to get Major Cronkhite.'
Get Him Out of the Way
IL asked him what he meant and he
said, 1 want you to kill him. | asked
him what his reasons were for wanting
ME to kill the major and he said, Be-
cause we want to get hi mout Of the
way.'"
The alleged confession then relates
the conversation between the two men
as to how the crime should be COM
mitted all of the details of the pro-
posed shooting and how Rosenbluth is
alleged to have promised to give Poth-
ier complete protection.
Pothier's alleged confession quotes
Rosenbluth as saying: II think | have
a good location for it," meaning the
killing OF the major, "and when we
get there I will tell you. Be sure that
you get him in d good place SO he
won't have chance to say anything"
III asked him where he wanted to
shoot him and he said, of course, you
will be standing on his right side and
it won't be a bad idea to get him about
here pointing to a spot even with his
heart.
II asked him what was going to do
after shot him and he said, you never
mind, I will be somewhere around and
when see him fall, will run up and
grasp him. Tlen will yell for doc
tor and get him down there, and we
himself. If there Is any questions
asked I will tell them that he shot
himself accidentally l was to say
nothing, he said"
Warned to Keep Quiet, He Says
Everything happened much as was
planned, according to the alleged con-
fesson After shooting the major,
Pothier's alleged confession describes
the scene as follows:
,s'About this time heard another
shot from the side where I was stand
ing and Captain Rosenbluth came rush
ing up on the scene and picked up the
major and dragged his body so that it
lay in position parallel with the road.
Captain Rosenbluth then drew his gun
from his holster the flap OF which was
unbuttoned and shot a hole through. q
tobacco can and said, DO not forget
about this being target practice and
that the major shot himself accidental
ly. and if any questions are asked about
this let me do the talking and you
keep still
ii did this,,and Captain Rosenbluth
then looked over Major Cronkhite and
said, I think he is dead"
Pothier declared Captain Rosenbluth
met him later and asked him to meet
him again in the place of their former
meetings and told him not to forget
about the target practice story.
Pothier's alleged confess,on states that
he went before the board of inquiry
CONTINUED on page sixtesn>