The New York herald., 1921-02-02
CONFESSION In TURK
MURDER ALLEGED
Police Believe Wife of Slain
Druggist Was the In
tended Victim.
EX-CONVICT BEING HELD
Told by Woman That Mrs.
Turk Ought to Be Gotten
Rid OF Police Say.
EX-CONvICT BEING HELD

The murderer of Israel Turk, the
druggist who was shot in his apartment
at 271 East Broadway early Saturday
morning. is alleged by the police to have
confessed during examination yesterday.
Furthermore, the District Attorneys
Office expects to establish that Mrs. Turk
and not her husband was the intended
victim The theory is that the man who
committed the murder was hired by
another woman to get rid of Mrs.
Turk, of whom she was jealous.
The man from whom the police say
they have obtained confession is Rob-
ert Brown, alias Robert Norman, who
has been living in furnished room in
West Sixty-flfth street According TO
Capt Carey of the homicide squad
Brown is an eX-convict and n fugitive
from justice.
Capt. Carey said Brown told him he
shot Turk during a struggle which fol-
lowed directly after the druggist heard
him enter the apartment through win
dow. Concerning the woman, whom
John r. Hennis, Assistant District At
torney, believes to be at the bottom of
the case, Brown, according to Capt.
Carey. would say only that she told him
Mrs. Turk fought to be gotten rid Of"
The whereabouts of this woman are
known to the police.
Brown was arrested yesterday morn
ing by Detectives Martin and Kenney
Of the homicide squad, who found him
in his room, nursing an injured ankle,
which the police say he sprained in
escaping from the Turk apartment. He
was taken to Police Headquarters, where
he was questioned by Capt. Carey and
Assistant District Attorneys Hennis and
Dlneen all afternoon.
Capt. Carey said Brown gave Mrs.
Turks diamonds as his motive for going
to the Turk apartment. He said Brown
told how he visited the apartment first
on Friday evening, while nobody was
there, to get the lay of it. He re-
turned a few hours later, believing Turk
absent. But the druggist heard him
open the window leading to the fire
escape, which he had climbed and at
tackled him. Brown admits, according to
Capt. Carey. that he drew revolver
and fired at Turk. Whether more than
once he couldn't say.
Before Brown left the apartment,
Capt. Carey said, he picked up a wallet
belonging to Turk. which lay on table
near him, and took it with him. The
wallet contained $50 in gold and bills.
Assistant District Attorney Hennis ir
convinced that Brown was engaged by a
woman to do away with Mrs. Turk. Ac-
cording to Capt. Carey. Brown told how
q certain married woman whom he knew
called him by telephone recently and
asked TO see him. He said he met her
and that upon that occasion she re-
marked that Mrs. Turk ought TO be
gotten rid Of" Brown is said to havo
stated that he thought this woman
meant for him to get some one to Kill
Mrs. Turk but that he wasn't expected
to do II himself.
Brown Is credited by the police with
terms at the Vermont State Prison
and Atlanta Penitentiary on burglary
charges. They say he escaped from the
Vermont institution and was later ar
rested in New York charged with OBJ
tanning clothes from Browning. King &
Co by fraud and was sent to Atlanta
At the expiration of his term there he
was turned over to the Vermont au-
thorities, but escaped from the train on
which he was being taken back. That
was last November. Since then he has
been living in West Sixty-fifth street
He was held at Police Headquarters OF
a charge of homicide.