The New York herald., 1921-09-30
GIVE UP CRUDCE IDEA
IN REUSCHLE MURDER
Police Believe Mate Was
Killed in Sudden Enc0un-
ter With Lawbreakers.
SUSPECT is ABSOLVED
Fifth Man of Party Arrested
by Policeman Gives Up
and Proves Alibi.
MAN AND WOMAN HELD
Persons With Criminal Records
Have Detailed Reports Of
Riverside Staying.
MAN AND WOMAN HELD

The theory that Policeman Joseph
Wednesday morning while on duty at
1Gsth street and Riverside Drive, was
the victim of some sudden encounter
with lawbreakers and was not killed to
satisfy a grudge, was strengthened
yesterday when the last of five men
he arrested early this month. and who
were supposed to bear Ill will against
him, appeared voluntarily at the Dis
trict Attorneys Office and insisted that
he had nothing to do with the crime.
The man, who is known both as
Joseph Curry and Joseph Casey. was
never in trouble with the police be-
fore Reuschle arrested him and four
companions on September when they
were driving along Riverside Drive
late at night. In court the next day
he charged them with having carried
weapons, but they were held on a
charge of misdemeanor when it de-
veloped that although there were pis-
tolls in the car they were using none
of them was actually carrying a
weapon.
Man and woman Arrested.
At Police Headquarters last night
Curry told the police that for the last
two weeks he had been living with a
woman and another man in an apart
ment in 450 West Fifty-thrd street.
Detectives Oswald and Tully went to the
house and took to Police Headquarters
Joseph Spitz and Anna May. Spitz. the
detectives said, has served terms in Sing
Sing and his picture is in the Rogues
Gallery. while the woman is said to have
admitted serving sentence In a Mich
gan prison.
Oswald and Tuly said that on q
bureau they found many clippings telling
of the murder of Reuschle, and other
clippings telling of the arrest of the five
hen in an automobile. Spitz had a re-
volver I'm police holster and pair OF
police nippers. He said the gun was
his, and Curry said that he had an argu-
ment once with a subway guard and
took the nippers and the holster away
from ti,.
Spnz told the police that he knew
notbing OF the murder of the policeman,
hut he was placed under arrest when IL
was charged he admitted completely In
the attempted holdup of jeweller In
1900 Southern Boulevard, The Bronx, on
Septcmbcr %. when two shots were fired.
He is also said TO have told the detec-
tives that he helped hold up q store OF
the Sheffield Farms Company in West
New York. The May woman was also
held az material witness.
Curry OHers Alibi.
Curry told Acting District Attorney
Banton yesterday that he was asleep
in Turkish bath In Second avenue at
the hour Reuschle was killed and later
proved that he told the truth. Three
Of the other men arrested with Curry,
Henry Garfunkle Edward Lewis and
Abraham Meckler. have told stories
that have satisfied the police so far.
The nth man, Samuel Block. has been
In the Tombs since his arrest. Gar
funkle has explained that he was driv-
ing taSicab at Coney Island when
Reuschle was killed, Lewis says that,
like Curry. he was at Turkish bath,
and Meckler insists he was at his home.
Only one of the five men-the police
will not say which one-ever was ar
rested before Reuschle seized them.
Capt. Arthur Carey. mead of the homi-
Ciue puTtdu dt fOlite anu
In charge of the investigation into the
policeman's death. said yesterday that
he was more convinced than ever that
Reuschle was killed while attempting to
stop an automobile containing persons
who either had committed crime or
had some other reason for not wanting
TO submit to arrest or even to identifica-
tion. He went TO Yonkers yesterday.
with the pieces of an automobile head
where Reuschle was killed. In the hope
that they might AT a car with broken
light which was being repaired in a shop
there. The clue. however, proved to be
II false one.
The dead poIicemans funeral will be
held tomorrow morning from st. Ed
mund's Episcopal Church at 117th street
and Morris avenue. The Bronx. Burial
will be In Woodlawn Cemetery and
there will be police escort of an
inspector. two captains, four lieutenants
upd efghfy t,afroDapu