Evening star., 1923-09-02
SUSPECTS WATCHED
IN DEATH OF BOY
Presumed to Be Under Eyes
of New York Rural Police
Who Wait Father.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
WINDHAM, n. V, September l.
The household at Burtsall Branaugh's
farm, near which seven-year- old
Howard Rothenberg. son of Mrs.
Charles Rothenberg. one of the
boarders, was murdered Wednesday.
was in a state of tension today.
Every one at the farm was awaiting
the arrival of the boys father from
Newark. where he declared prior to
the funeral services yesterday that
he knew who had killed his son.
The entire countryside believes
that some one who was staying in
the house or who had access to 1t
committed the crime. The authori-
ties have not committed themselves.
but are believed to hold such a the
ory as possible.
There will be no arrest until Mr..
Rothenberg arrives" said District
Attorney Charles q. Coffin of Greene
| county today. within the last twen
ty-four hours important evidence has
come to light. l cannot divulge it
at present, however.
Two Witnesses Held.
Mrs Ester Lift, the boys aunt. who
with Anna Sobin the sixteen-year-old
maid. employed by Mrs. Rothenberg.
I has been held as a witness in the case.
spent the afternoon in two-seated
swing on the lawn of the Branaugh
farm With her were her husband. Sol
A. H Berdasher from Brooklyn. her at
| torney. Percy W. Decker and her
brother, William S. Vogel.
They were watching for Rothenbergs
\ motor car. The distant buzz Of a motor
put them all on the alert.
Mrs. Lift, who has been almost be-
side herself since the discovery of her
nephew's body, sat with clenched hands,
her nails biting deep crescents into the
palms. During the two or three minutes
conversation she had with reporters
she shredded a pink handkerchief into
strips.
Minutes of the coroner's inquest,
| which were made public today, show
that the woman'S nerves have been
stretched to the breaking point since
the inquiry began.
The coroner examined his witnesses
in the room where the boys body lay
under a sheet. He had each of them
look at the body. Anna Sobin. al
though Of an extremely nervous
temperament, went through the or
deal without a. culver. Mrs Lift,
however. gave way at the mere sight
Of the sheeted form She became
violently hysterical and was removed
before the sheet was raised or
question had been asked of her.
Boy Went Fishing.
Howard set out with his fish rod
toward Batavia kill about 6:15 am.
Wednesday. Anna Sobin. who ac-
companied him. said that they met
two men of the neighborhood and
the boy went with them while she
went on to the post Office. She got
back at $3.50 or little earlier.
search was instituted.
The minutes of the inquest show
that Branaugh, who took part in the
hunt. started out toward the old mill
on Batavia kill. Mrs. Lift set out in
the opposite direction. toward Ash
land. Both returned soon. Branaugh,
who said later he had gone down the
creek to within about 100 feet of the
mill, reported he could not find the
boy and the neighbors had better be
asked to join the hunt. Mrs. Lift
said that she found she was getting
her feet wet and decided to return
to the house.
Find Boys Body.
Other searchers Joined the hunt. and
one of them, Patrick Boyle, found
Howard's body behind the old mill
Boyle said that the old mill and the
auJdcent poHu were the nrSt places
he thought of when he heard Howard
was missing.
Several Of the searching party were
at the scene when Mrs. Rothenberg
was led to her sons body. All Of them,
including Byron Smith, Mrs. William
Z. Kelly and William Benjamin, testi-
fed they heard the mother exclaim
that she knew who was responsible
for her boys death. One Of them,
Clifford Thorpe. whose home is in
New York. said Mrs. Rothenberg
cried: How could any one do such
a thing after being treated SO kindly
for three years"
Mrs. Lift had just returned from a
drive to the creamery with Branaugh
when the search for Howard was
started They had started about 7:I5
a; IN. The creamery Is in the opposite
direction from the old mill