The New York herald., 1922-07-28
BARBER Is HOOTED
AT SLAIN GIRL s BIER
Crowd Of 5000 Almost in Riot
as Bertha Katz's Sisters
Resent Jeers.
POLICEMEN GO TO RESCUE
Reisler in Contempt for Not
Paying Alimony-Kin in
Jail on Murder Charge.
POLICEMEN GO TO RESCUE

When they carried the body OF Bertha
Katz out Of her home. 1885 Sterling
place. Brooklyn. yesterday 10 take it to
the cemetery there were more than 5000
persons in the street. The mob jeered
and moaned laughed and lamented,
nooted and became hysterical. The un-
dertaker's men and the police had to
buck the crowd that the coffin bearers
might proceed down the stoop and across
the pavement to the curb where the
hearse waited.
Bertha Katz was murdered on
Wednesday. Her sister Minnie. wife of
John the Barber (John Reisler). man
ager of prize fighters insists she did the
killing and rejoices in 1t. saying that
Bertha stole the affections of John the
Barber. Mrs. Reisler and her brother,
Max Katz. and her two sons, Morris
and George. are in Raymond street Jail
awaiting the action of the Grand Jury.
Bertha Katz said before she died that
Morris shot her.
John the Barber attended the funeral
and the mob hooted him. There came
very near being riot when the coffin
was being carried out of the house. Just
behind 1t was Mrs. Jennie Katz, mother
or the slain woman. On either side Of
the elderly woman walked a daughter
IL was hard to tell for whom the boots
and hsses were meant. At any rate the
boots and Kisses were loud and pro-
longed
"Oh. such woman Oh. such
ha in,
street. Their tones suggested nothing
but scorn. John the Barber walked be-
hind his mother-in-law and when he
appeared the disapproval became even
more pronounced. He was sartorially
splendid. but his morale appeared to
have suffered.
She was such good kid" he cried,
She was such good kid"
That awoke no sympathy in the crowd
and the hooting increased John the
Barper was weeping when he reached
the pavement.
But the two daughters supporting Mrs.
Jennie katz didn't weep. They began
to reply to the crowd and that only made
things worse. One Of the daughters left
her mother for moment and plunged
into the crowd. She grabbed a straw
hat from mans head, struck him on
the face with 1t and then dashed into
the face of a woman who laughed The
other daughter began splitting at the
upturned faces. She was on the top
stoop and the woman she spat upon tried
to retaliate. Both daughters began
splitting furiously and the police went
to the rescue.
There were only eight motor cars in
the procession to Washington Cemetery
About fifty taxicabs had flocked to the
scene thinking to pick up volunteer
mourners and parties of the curious.
But business was bad. The crowd hooted
az the cortege wound out OF the street
and then 1t melted away.
District Attorney Ruston said he
would hasten the case to the Grand
Jury on the theory that all four of
those held are equally responsible for
the death of Bertha Katz. Warden
Harry Honeck of Raymond Street Jail
said that his prisoners are nervous, but
| otherwise all right.
In the meantime John the Barber was
being adjudged in contempt of court for
having failed to pay $50 week to his
wife pending the outcome of the suit
for separation she instituted last year.
Reisler was not in court when he was
| found in contempt.