New-York tribune., 1921-05-12
kauff Says He
Repaid $4,000
On Stolen Autos
Former Giant Ouffielder.
Tessifying in Own Be-
half, Asserts He Returned
Money to Avoid Publicity
Denies Theft OF Auto
]. ]. McCraw and Burns
Go ON the Witness Stand
as Character Witnesses

Benny Kauf, former outffelder for
the Giants, who is on trial before
Judge Thomas C. 7. Grain and q jury
in the Court Of General Sessions on
a charge of stealing an automobile
al then selling it, was the principal
witness for himself yesterday, ther
witnesses were John J. McGraw, man
ager OF the Giants; George Burns, left
fielder for the same team; Detective
ohm j. HorRn, who arrested KaufF, and
Jgnatz Engel, of Ga West 125th Street,
who purchased the car in question
from Kauff.
Horan, who was formerly connected
with the police department. auto squad
and who is now under indictment for
receiving unlawful fees, told of plac-
the baseball player under arrest.
Ignatz Engel told of having met
Kauh through Joseph Schwartz, a
tailor, OF SO West 125th Street Engel
said he told kauff that he was in the
market for a car. He said that one
of the men connected with Kauff in
his auto accessories shop on Columbus
Avenue asked $4,000 for machine,
and that subsequently he bought the
car for $500. He said that no one
was present when the payment was
made to Kauff and that he had paid
for it in cash. When the car was
seized by Detectives Owens and Horan,
Engel said he communicated with
Kauff and that Kauff told him he did
not know the car had been stolen and
offered to refund the purchase price.
The $1,000 was returned.
McGraw a Character Witness
McGraw and Burns testified to the
good character Of Kauf.
kautf then took the stand in his
own behalf.
He first denied the stories told by
James Shields and James Whalen. He
denied that they had ever visited him
at his home and that he was with
them when Brennan's car was stolen.
He said that since he has been in
organized baseball he has owned at
various times ten cars. He told of
having purchased a car from William
Dorst, whom he met at the Polo
Grounds, He said that he did not
Know where Dorst was at this time.
During the cross-examination AS
brought out that Kauff had sold q car
TO William Redd ngton in December Of
1919 for his partner, Jesse Barnes.
hauff received 5000 commission. II
later developed that the machine had
been stolen, and when Reddington com
planned the full purchase price OF
$l,1OO was returned TO him by Barnes.
kauf said that Joseph Schwartz had
purchased an automobile from one o.
hautf's employees. and that this, too,
proved to be d stolen car, and that he
kautf). on the advice of his counsel
Emil Fuchs, had refunded to Schwartz
81 800 which had been paid for the car.
He said that this was done solely for
the purpose of avoiding publicity.
In both instances Kautf said he re-
turned the money without even exam
lining the cars.
The cross-examination then shifted
to the relationship between Kauff and
Frank Holm. Kauff admitted that
Hohn was known as Frank Kauff. and
that under this name was employed as
a chauffeur for John J. McGraw and
later for Kauff. The witness said that
he did not object to Holm using the
name kauff. He said further that Holm
had stolen between $4,000 and $4,000
worth OF tires from the place in which
hautf and Barnes ware partners.
kauff denied that Holm was his half
brother and admitted that his father
had married a second time, but said
that he did not know the name of his
atepmother. He also said he had met
Holm in Lancaster, Pa, through his
sister. Since Hohn's disappearance
Kauff testified that he had tried to find
him by writing to his sister qnd by