The New York herald., 1922-03-17
Knew Men in Group That
May Have Plotted Two
Wall st. Failures.
SUICIDE THEORY SECUTED
Somebody Turned Meter OH
Again After Odor Caused
Kin to Stop Supply.

An independent investigation has
been started by the police into the case
Of Mrs. Martha Zapf of 1417 East Sew
enth street, Brooklyn, who died by gas
asphyxiation in the kitchen of her
home on March ., because Of the
womans alleged connection with some
Of the men who have been arrested in
the embezzlement of funds. said to
total 100000 from the export firm of
Alexander & Baldwin of 50 Wall street
The Kings county medical authorities
reported the death as accidental, but
later when it was found that the woman
was to have been a witness the fol
! lowing day in bankruptcy proceedings,
and already had given some testimony
concerning one of the prisoners, the
police decided to trace every circum
stance in connection with the case.
The woman was found lying on the
floor of the kitchen. while gas was
flowing from leak in a tube attached
to a burner resting on coal stove
Meter Had Been Turned off.
William Zapf, brother-in-law of the
woman, testified that earlier in the
evening he had smelled gas throughout
The house and had gone down stairs and
turned off the meter. Presumably some
one turned it on again after he left the
house and when he returned with his
brother the woman was dead.
Because of the fact that there was
no evidence Of generalization and no
precautions had been taken TO prevent
the escape of the gas through cracks In
the doors or windows, DR.. NJ. M. Marten.
the Deputy County Medical Examiner,
discarded the theory OF suicide and the
possibility of deliberate murder.
Following the arrest of Richard
kretzmer cashier for Alexander &
baldwin who is being held in the Tombs
| in default of $4,000 bail, and Harold
S. Thomas. who has been released IN
SIC, 900 bail, both being accused of com
plicity in the robber:es which are said
to amount to nearly half million dol
lars, the firm of S. G. Blowers & Co..
canned goods brokers. with offices at 50
Wall street. were thrown into bank
ruptcy.
| Mrs. Zapf was the sister-in-law Of
Kretzmer. and in the bankruptcy pro-
.eedings before Commissioner William
\ Parlin testified to the purchase of
| $50, 900 house by the former cashier and
was to have continued her testimony
the day after she was found dead. Blow
4 ers is said to be the brother-in-law of
1 Thomas, who was one of the assistant
managers for Alexander & Baldwin until
December 81 of last year.
Tracing Blame for Failures.
One of the reasons for the failure of
the brokerage house was that II had
been victimized by the same group of
men who are alleged to have conspired
to dafraud Alexander e. Baldwin.
The police are working on the theory
that Mrs. Zapf might have been intim-
idated by some one who had reason to
fear her testimony Before the Federal
Commissioner or that there might
actually have been a deliberate opening
made in the gas tube in an attempt to
cause suffocation.
\ Homicide by gas is most unusual
I occurrence" DIR. Marten said last night,
land It would be almost impossible to
cause death in this manner to any one
in full possession of their senses. There
is a possibility that the woman COM
mitted suicide. but after careful
| search of the premises and the exami-
nation of several witnesses we came to
the conclusion that the death was
purely accidental"
The police have not reached the point
| where suspicion points to any particular
4 group or individual but general sur
vey of the case Is being made.