New-York tribune., 1922-03-22
Girl Accuser Is
First Witness
Against Rickard
Sarah Schoenfeld, Is, Says
She Visited Sports Pro-
u,oter 3 Times i'm Apart
menis, Once in Tower
Asked Aid for Brother
State Offers Letter Said to
Have Been Written by
Defendant to Her Mother


nal Branch of the Supreme Court as
Sarah Schoenfeld, fifteen years old
testified concerning relations with the
rrizefght promoter that are the basis
=; an Indictment charging him with
second degree assault The child told
~ eight visits she had made to apart
ments alleged to have been main
tanned by Ricksrd.
Sarah, who said that she was pupil
~ Grade 7-B, of Public School No. 12
during the time she was meeting
Rjckard. was still giving direct testi-
mony when Justice Wasservogel ad
iourned court at 5 o'clock. She was
the first witness called by Assistant
District Attorney Ferdinand Pecora
who is conducting the case for the
state. Before that Mr. Pecora had
ortlined tho charges against Rickard
Giving the names of six young girls
who will be called as witnesses against
Kim. The name of seventh girl was
brought into the case by Sarah in the
course of her testimony.
Denies Knowing Any Jurors
The completion of the jury to try
Rickard was delayed yesterday morn
ne bv 3 conference among Justice
Wssservoge. Max ID. Steuer, Rickard S
LAWYER: Hyman Bushel, associate coun-
sci: Assistant District Attorneys
Pecora and Brothers and the foreman
Of the Jury, Samuel J. Best. Best is
an architect and builder, who lives at
87 West 126th Street.
Presently Attorney Bushel emerged
from the council room and leaning over
Rickard, whispered in his ear. The de-
fendant was observed to shake his head
negatively with emphasis. Once he
said mo" Then he turned and ad-
dressing himself to newspaper men,
said: "Somebody has said know some
one on the jury. That's not so. | don't
know any Of the jurors and never have
spoken to any of them
Shortly after that Justice Wasser-
yogel mounted the bench and announced
thst Mr.. Best would be excused from
iury service because of physical dis
ability. Mr.. Best. it was said, became
N during the night. Albert c. Hoy
St4 West Hath Street, a cotton agent
was then selected to serve as foreman
Of the Jury, which was completed be-
fore the noon recess.
Warned Girls, Prosecutor Charges
In his Opening address to the jury
Mr.. Pecora said that the state would
snow that Sarah Schoenfeld had visited
The promoter more than half a dozen
times and that on several of these oc-
cssions she was accompanied by another
child. Nellie Gasko, thirteen years old,
Of f25 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn. A
separate indictment charges Rickard
with having abducted Nellie Gasko.
Concluding his opening, Mr.. Pecora
said:
"After several of the little girls who
are to testify against this defendant
had been taken into custody by the
Chiidren's Society, we will show that
Richard cautioned Sarah Schoenfeld
and Nellie Gasko that if they were
caught they were to say that he had
had nothing to do with them. He told
them if they did not do this they would
be sent away until they were eighteen
and that they would not get any more
money from him, am confident,
gentlemen, that after you have heard
the testimony in this case that you
will find the defendant guilty"
Saw Rickard at Garden Pool
Then q court attendant called out the
name of Sarah Schoenfeld, and an obvi-
ously immature girl took the stand to
confront room crowded with men. All
women had been barred from the court
room. The rosy-cheeked witness shook
her bobbed black hair from her eyes
and, grlnnlng with embarrassment, re-
veaied the lack of four front teeth and
tne cause Of her lisp. She testified
1nat she had first seen Rickard wher
sne went to the swimming pool ir
MADISON Square Garden last August
She did not meet him, she said, until
september after the pool had beer
c!osed. She said Nellie Gasko intro
auced her to him and that Rickard in.
Vlted them into the darkened Garden
where there were only few workmen
enc said he gave her 81 before she left
the Garden.
-, This testimony was given only after
tae court had urged the blushing, STAN
mering child to reply to questions. She
was not fearful; she was grinnine
broadly Then she told of a second
vlslt to the Garden, when she anc
Nellie Gasko went into the Offices ot
fckard and there met some other girl.
whom she identified as Alice Ruck
fifteen; Anna Hess, eleven; Elvira Rem
zle, fourteen; Mary Hobatuk, fourteen
and Helen Fcssbaum, fifteen. Except
ing the last two girls there are indict
ments against Rickard because of hi.
alleged relations with the others named
Tells of Visits to Apartments
On that occasion, Sarah testified
hlckard gave Nellie paper that hae
something written on it. BY the rule.
OF evidence the words written on tina
eit OF paper were excluded But il
MS opening Mr.. Pecora explained tha
the state would show that this bit O.
paper, wrapped in some bills, directed
lhe girls to meet him at an apartment
IN "a West Forty-seventh Street. Saraf
loid OF four visits she made there, ant
every time but once, she said she wa
accompanied by Nellie Gasko. Then
she testified, they were told to go t.
another address two doors below, at o
west Forty y-seventh Street. Always, sh
sald, they were met by Richard afte
..ney rung a bell beneath the nam
Field Rickard, she said, would TAX
tnem into a three-room apartment OF
'he second floor. At the conclusion o
each Of these visits, she said, Rickart
j invariably gave both her and Nelli
apiece
After four or +x,a s.,,h x;.;ta he