The New York herald., 1921-03-29
CRONKHITE KILLING
IN DEEPER MYSTERY
Sergeant Who Admitted Shoot
ing Is Taken From State
Prison in Providence.
e S. OFFICIALS SILENT
Meantime Ex-Capt. Rosenbluth
Seeks Bail Prosecution Is
Not Ready to Permit.
e S. OFFICIALS SILENT

The Department of Justice continues
to throw as much mystery as possible
about the whereabouts OF Roland r
Poth!er. the former army sergeant. who
has admitted the shooting Of Major
Alexander P. Cronkhite IN Camp Lewis
at Tacoma. Wash. a year ago. Warden
Linscott of the State Prison In Prol.-
dence, r. l.. where Pothter has been
confined. said again yesterday that
Pothier had been taken from his custody
and that he understood the man had
been taken to New York to confront
Robert Rosenbluth. a former army cap
tain. who also is under arrest In connec
ton with the shooting of Major Cronk-
hlte.
In New York last night, however, De-
partment of Justice officials continued
their policy OF silence. and In Washing
ton the department heads said they
could not comment on the case or give
information regarding 1t because II was
a murder case and the investigation had
not been completed. Bt'ups Harris. the
Washington State superintendent of the
Department of Justice, returned TO New
York yesterday from Investigations into
the Cronkhite case, but he refused either
to affirm or deny the reports that Pothier
had been brought to New York. 1t
was understood last night. however, that
the former sergeant is now In this city
and will remain here for some time be-
fore being taken to Tacoma to plead TO
the indictment brought against him
there by the Federal Grand Jury.
Mr.. Harris also refused to comment
on the statement OF Warden Linscott
of Providence This statement was
oorrooorated last night by District At
torney Peter G. Cannon OF Providence,
who said that Pothier had gone to
New York in connection with the in
vestigation of the charge against
Rosenbluth United States Marshal
John ]. Richards, however, would
make no comment concerning the
whereabouts Of Potnier, who left Provi-
dence a few hours after II was an
nounced that his relatives were arrang-
ing 10 furnish $4,000 bail.
Rosenbluth will appear before United
States Commissioner Hitchcock at noon
to-day in an attempt to obtain lis re-
lease from the Tonll,s on bail. Rosen-
bluth accompanied by his attorney,
Jonah j. Goldstein, appeared in the Fed
eral Building Saturday in an effort to
get bail fixed. but failed. AT that time
John G. Joyce, United States Attorney
prosecuting the case. refused to recon-
mend bail. Commissioner Hitchcock de-
clared he would not fix hail unless by
consent of the Government attorney.
Mr.. Joyce refused TO recommend bail
on the grounds that he was not fully
familiar with all the acts in the case
and was awaiting information from
Attorney-General Daugherty's office
and from the United States Attorneys
office in Seattle. He said that he had
received no Information from either Of
flee. but felt sure advices would reach
him this morning.
Rosenbluth was questioned for nearly
three hours yesterday by Mr.. Joyce. Fol-
lowing the interrogation Mr.. Joyce re-
fused to comment on the case. He also
refused to state whether the examination
weakened or strengthened tn Govern
mnt's case. Mr.. Goldste.n declared that
the case was weakening. He said that
the Government had abandoned its orig
inal attitude that the mysterious death
OF Major Kronkhite was deliberate
murder.