The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-10-01
KILLING OF MAJOR
Is BEFORE JURY
CONTINUED From Page ~

pulled out his pistol to fire at a tin
can, that two or three shots were fired
and then the major fell MORALLY
wounded The findings were sent to
the war department !, and apparently
the matter was ended with the burial
Of the brilliant young officer.
Major General Cronkhite. however,
came home from France in June, 1919,
and reopened the investigation in the
belief that his son did not commit sui
eide, that he was too expert with pis-
tol to have shot himself accidens tally.
and that it was impossible for an acct
dental shot to have wounded him in the
spot where the fatal bullet enter. I.
General Cronkhite consulted all avail
able records in the case and declared
them faulty. He then took the matter
up with A. Mitchell Palmer. Attorney
General under President Wilson, and
several government investigators were
set to work. Rosenbluth and Pothier,
the last persons with Major Cronxhite
before his death, were questioned again.
On March 10, 1921, Pothier signed a
confession that he was responsible for
the death of Major Cronkhite. Pothier
said his pistol was discharged acct
dentally.
The next day Pothier; altered his
story and conf ssed that he had will
fully shot and killed Major Cronkhite
ut The request and command of Captain
Rosenbluth. Pothier said he had bor-
rowed pistol and ammunition at the
instigation of Rosenbluth, and had
killed Major Cronkhite according to a
plan mapped out by Rosenbluth.
Pothier explained that Rosenbluth had
strange influence over him, but de-
MED that he had received any reward,
or promise, for accomplishing the al
legged murder beyond the pledge that
he would be protected completely.
Pothier made several statements in
the course of his confession, and they
varied considerably from each ether.
He was lodged in Jail Providence,
r. J., near which city he was working
on railroad. Rosenbluth was taken
into custody in New York City. He
declared the charges utterly without
foundation. A few days later Pothier
asserted in newspaper interviews that
he had been induced to confess to the
murder by thir, degree methods. He
denied his guilt.
There then arose a question whether
the federal government o. the st: of
Washington has jurisdiction in the case.
This was finally decided in favor of
the federal government, whereupon the
Department of Justice assigned the case
to the United States district court in
Tacoma and instructed Judge Edward
E. Cushman to summon grand jury
to determine whether Rosenbluth ant
Pothier should be indicted.
In the meantime, there was much
discussion of the case both within an6
without the army. Rosenbluth, who is
of Jewish parentagc, openly charged
that he was the victim of secont
Dreyfus affair, that he was being per
secuted. General Cronkhite and hi.
supporters answered that Rosenblutl
had escaped trial through the effort,
of powerful friends. The controyers,
became so spirited that accuse ton,
were made by both { 'des against tn,
Department of Justice and the War Dc
partment, and two United States sen
atois, Glass of Virginia ard Reed O.
Pennsylvania, gave notice that the,
would demand a congressional investi
cation of the entire matter unless til,
case was aired in court.
The grand jury met in Tacoma il