Evening star., 1937-07-22
MURDER CHARGED
! IN CRATER CASE
Probe to Be Revived as Wife
Says Political Enemies
Slew Missing Judge.
- the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
Z NEW YORK, July 22.-Revival of
the almost legendary mystery-the
disappearance seven years ago of Su-
preme Court Justice Joseph Force
Crater-brought from District Attor-
hey William C. Dodge today an an
nouncement he would be glad to
make thorough investigation" OF
charges that the justice was slain by
political enemies
Dodge said he was willing to 20 over
the entire case with the missing
turist's wife, Mrs. Stella M. Crater,
quoted yesterday in a newspaper inter-
view as charging her husband pos
sthly WAS murdered in connection with
his political career and that police
were lax in their original investiga-
ton.
Dodge said the inquiry into Justice
Craters disappearance was handled
by Abraham Unger an assistant dis
trict attorney now away on vacation.
The case was well handled, since
Mr.. Unger was in charge" Dodge said.
r, Disappeared in 1890.
He added he was sure. in view OF
the close cooperation Of the homi-
eide squad and the district attorneys
once that the case had been COM
pletely and competently investigated
Il understand that Mrs Crater, at
the time of the disappearance, testified
before the grand jury that she did not
know Of any political enemies Of her
! husband" Dodge said.
The police department already has
fe-opened its own investigation into
what happened to Justice Crater after
he got into a taxicsb in Times Square
on the night of August s, 1880.
The inquiry was launched on or
ders from Acting Police Commissioner
Harold Fowler after the World Tele-
gram published an interview with the
missing jurists wife. Mrs. Stella NJ
Crater, quoting her as charging her
husband was murdered" in connec-
ton with his political career" and
that New York police we're "ineffi-
cient' in their original investigation
Denies Murder Mentioned.
Mrs. Crater. located at her Summer
home, near Belgrade Lakes, Me, de-
MED last night she had mentioned
murder" and that she had criticized
the police, but the new Investigation
was on.
Mrs. Crater said she believed her
husband is dead.
He must be dead" she said. Il
cannot think anything else. If he
were alive l would have heard from
him sometime in the last seven years {"
Declaring the strange disappearance
was Just as much of a mystery now
rs 1t ever was" Mrs Crater added:
I don't think he would have COM
r1ltted suicide. What reason would
he have had for doing SOP
Her attorney. Ralph O. L. Fay. in
New York said his theory was that
the justice had taken his own life,
prooab bly, after mental breakdown.
Leo Lowenthal, chief deputy United
States marshal, who WAS police
headquarters detective at the time of
Judge Crater's disappearance, said he
believed the jurist had been slain the
night he dropped from sight.
SCOTS at Political Murder.
Stating there is nothing In the
case that points to political connecs
ton with the murder" Iowenthal.
who was active in the investisa ton
seven years ago. said:
There are half dozen reasons for
Judge Crater's murder, and as many
theories. but none Of them has pro-
duced anything concrete. The girl
theory Is out-Judge Crater had
nothing to do with any girl And he
was no suicide-Joe loved life too we'll &"
Relating how his investigation had
traced Judge Crater to "gyp" taxi
cab-not company cab-on the
night Of his disappearance, Lowenthal
said it was his theory the driver and
confederates killed the justice to rob