The New York herald., 1922-02-17
Boxing Promoters Madison
Square Garden Control
Said to Be in Danger.
SUCCESSOR Is DISCUSSED
Accused Sporting Man Says
He Will Make Public State
ment Soon.

Two indictments were found yester-
day by n Supreme Court Grand Jury
against George l.. ("Tex') Rickard,
lessee of Madison Square Garden and
boxing promoter. alleging that he had
improper relations with Alice Ruck
and Sarah Schoenfeld, each fifteen
years old. The indictments enumer-
ated three counts in each case and in
volve Rickard in charges of assault
and abduction.
Supreme Court Justice Wasservogel,
to whom the indictments were handed,
continued Richards bail Of $4,000,
which was set by Magistrate Simpson
last Saturday Pleas of not guilty were
entered
Coincident with the announcement
Of the indictments was a report that
Richard had resigned as boxing di-
rector of the Garden and president of
the Madison Square Garden Sporting
Club The promoter refused to dis
cuss the report or to comment upon
his indictment. However, Max D.
Steuer. counsel for Rickard, and who
has appeared for him in all actions
growing out of the recent charges,
said empha tically that Rickard had
not resigned either as matchmaker of
the Garden or president of the COR
poratior operating it.
Richards only statement, issued
through his secretary, Frank L. Coultry.
was:
II have absolutely no comment to
make at the present time. but will have
q public statement in a day or two re-
garding the situation. This is all care
to say at present"
Garden Report Is Persistent.
Despite Mr.. Steuer's denial that Rick
ard would sever his connection with the
Garden enterprises the report persisted
In sporting circles that the promoter
was through. The story generally cred
tied was that Richards resignation had
been offered and accepted at a special
meeting of the directors Of the Madison
Square Garden Sporting Club last
Wednesday night. at which John Ring
ling, member of the famous circus fam
lily of that name, and Richards finan-
cial backer in the Garden activities. was
present and agreed to assume Rickard' s
duties. temporarily at least.
1t was said at Madison Square Gar
den that Mr.. Ringing had left for the
South following news of the burning of
his yatcht CT Cortez. Fla. and conse-
quent slight injury TO Mrs. Ringing.
In sporting circles the "dopesters"
were busy selecting Richards successor
as director of the Garden. Prominent
among those mentioned. unofficially OF
course. were George NJ Cohan, theatrical
producer James ]. (Jimmy) Coffroth of
San Francisco. late lessee of the race
track at Tia Juana. who has been anx-
ious to invade the New York boxing
field for some time, and William Well
man. Others mentioned in the same
connection were James Johnston, Charles
Harvey and Billy Gibson. manager for
Lightweight Champion Benny Leonard.
The indictments against Rickard were
found on testimony given before the
Grand Jury by the Ruck and Schoenfeld
girls and four others-Anna Hess, Nellie
Gasko. Elvira Renzi and Mary Horbatulk.
all six companions and neighbors and
residents of the section east OF Madison
Square Garden. The charges were made
by Vincent Pissara, superintendent OF
the Chidren's Society. and allege that
Richard enticed the Ruck and Schoen-
field girls at different times to the tower
Of Madison Square Garden and Alice
Ruck to an apartment In West Forty
seventh street. leased. IT is said. by one
OF Richards employees at the Garden.
Previous Charges Amplifcd..
ot,a
Jury yesterday by Ferdinand Pecora.
Chief Assistant District Attorney. sup
plement and amplify those upon which
Magistrate Simpson held the promoter
last Saturday.
The charge of abduction grows out of
the alleged spriting away Of the
Gasko girl from her home to Wappin-
gers Falls. where she was arrested. II
Is alleged that she was taken to a farm
at Richards suggestion that she would
not be available to testify against him.
Nathan PolbransSy. alias Nathan Podd.
of S607 Eighteenth avenue, Bath Beach.
charged with the actual abduction OF
the Gasko girl. is already under indict-
ment and held In $4,000 bail. All six
Of the girls in the case are in the GUS
tody of the Children's Society.
Rickard was arrested first on January
81 at the instance OF the Children's So
ciety following a story told by Alice
Ruck and eleven-year- Anna Hess
after they had sought a nights refuge
in Bellevue Hospital and their story OF
having drank iodine and been kidnapped
had been dlsproved by the hospital au-
thorites. The girls have since admitted
that those stories were pure fabrica
tions. but when turned over to the
Children's Society told the story OF
Richards alleged relations with them.
which Assistant District Attorney Pc
cora says was corroborated by the other
witnesses. Another witness questioned
by Pecora was Herman Roth, janitor
of the apartment house in Forty-seventh
street where the girls say they met
Richard
On the occasion of his first arrest
Rickard denied all charges made against
him and insisted that the charge was
surprise to him and he knew none of
the persons mentioned in the com
plaint