New-York tribune., 1921-02-02
Brooklyn Backs Ex-Convict and
Miller, Fearing Woman Seized
Transit Smash In Turk Murder
He Declares Mrs. Schmertz
H ire d Him 10 Kill
Druggists Wife, Police
and Officials Assert
Husband Thwarted Plan
Met Him i'm Home and the
Revolver Was Discharged
in Struggle, He Asserts

Robert Brown, twenty-eignt years
cid, an ex-convict, confessed early last
night, according to the police, that he
shot and killed Israel Turk, the East
Side druggist, in Turks home at 271
East Broadway at 2 a. m. last Satur-
day.
Brown made complete confession,
the police say, after he had been grilled
by Assistant District Attorney Hennis
and detectives for hours and after they
lad despaired of getting a confession
from him. His confession revealed, it
IS said, that Mrs. Turk and not Turk
was the intended victim and that he
had been hired by a woman. jealous
of Mrs. Turk, to put her out of the
way"
After four hours questioning BY the
police, Mrs. Rose Schmertz, twenty-five
years old, of 70 Adams Street, Hobo
ken, N. j., also was arrested at 230
A. NJ. to-day and charged with homi-
eide. She is accused of "acting in con-
cert" with Brown in the murder of the
druggist.
Brown broke down, it was said, only
after he had been subjected to Sc
we're examination. He is said to have
made his confession in the presence of
the Assistant District Attorney, Cap
tain Arthur Carey, in charge of the
Homicide Squad and detectives from
the Madison Street Station.
Struag gIed With Turk
Brown, according to Captain Carey,
said that he had picked the hour of
2 a. m. to get rid of Mrs. Turk, be-
cause he had heard that at that time
her husband was away at a Turkish
bath. He declared, according to the
police, that he climbed the back fence
at 271 East Broadway, and then climbed
a fire escape and entered the Turk
apartment from a window.
He had just entered the apartment,
it was said, when he w&s confronted by
Turk himself. Brown, according to his
alleged confession. began struggling
with the man and drew his revolver
as they whirled about the room. Grip
ping the revolver in his left hand, he
Ilreu SeNeIal SIloLS anu L uIR SaiIh 70
the floor mortally wounded. Brown, it
was said, then grabbed the druggists
wallet and fed. The wallet contained
SAG. Brown is said to have told the
detectives that after shooting Turk
the thought of getting" Mrs. Turk
vanished from his mind and that he
was concerned only in making good
his escape.
Died an Hour Later
Turk died at Gouverneur Hospital
about an hour later. Brown, the detec-
tives said, did not describe his move
ments after leaving the Turk home.
According to Assistant District At
tory Hcnnis, Brown was engaged to
put Mrs. Turk out of the way" through
his wife, who is said to be acquainted
with the woman now sought in con-
nection with the murder.
When the plan to get rid of Mrs
Turk was first conceived, according to
Mr. Hennis, it was agreed that Mrs
Turk was to be lured from the house
knew the name of the woman in the
case.
Asked what he was to receive for
getting rid of Mrs. Turk, Brown is said
to have declared that the woman prom
iser to reward him Handsomely.
Browns wife is i'll at Bellevue. It
was not said last night whether she
will be arrested upon her recovery.
Brown, according to police informa-
tion, escaped from the Vermont State
Prison about two years ago. He was
serving term for burglary. He was
later arrested in New York for i'm
personating an army officer, convicted
and sentenced to eighteen months in
the Federal penitentiary at Atlanta
At the expiration of this sentence he
was surrendered by the Federal au-
thorities to the Vermont state authori-
ties. While being taken back to VeY-
mont he jumped from window of a
train running at high speed and es-
capped. He suffered only minor in
juries.
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