Evening star., 1937-11-21
CHARGES DRAWN
j. BY MRS. CRATER
Missing Justices Wife to
Speak on Radio Today
on Mystery.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
New York's Supreme Court Jus
t1os Joseph Force Crater Udnished
August s, 1880, in the midst of the
sensational disclosures of the Sea-
bu'y investigation. He ,Dus one OF
the leading members OF the bench,
friend and protege OF United
States Senator Robert F. Wagner
and other Tamn1any bigWigs.
He may hare gone dtDdy Doluntdr-
ny; he may hare been kidnapped; he
may haze suffered an attack of
amnesid; he may haze been mur-
dered in hold-up, or for political
or personal n,otiue.
His aUtte-or widop - three
months ago bitterly criticized the
Office OF the district attorney of
Ne.o York County-,vhich Tam
n1any batting, racket busting
Thomas E. Dewey Will take ouer
merit Jdnuary-tor its handling of
the case. She said something
sinister connected ,Oith politics"
caused her husband to disappear.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Nov. 2o.-Mrs. Stella
M. Crater, whose politically prominent
husband, Supreme Court Justice JOS
eph Force Crater, vanished mysteri-
ously seven years ago, was described
by friends today as ready to make
sensational charges" about his un-
solved disappearance.
She will, they say, demand a new
and sweeping re-investigation of the
whole case by District Attorney-Elect
Thomas E. Dewey. Dewey, vacation
Ing in Bermuda, plans to fly home
Monday.
Meanwhile, Mrs Crater was hidden
IN the city by friends She is sched-
uled to speak on an N. B. C. red net
work broadcast tomorrow at 3 pm,
(E. S. TO, when she intends to amplify
the charges, her representative said.
Insurance Uncollected.
Mrs. Crater has delayed filing an
action in Surrogate's Court to have
her husband declared legally dead
postponing the use of his life insur-
ance and estate of about $50, ,O0O-in
order to make her request OF Dewey,
her friends said.
On August 6. 1880, Crater cashed
two checks totaling $3.50. He dined
In restaurant off Times Square that
evening with two friends. He told
them he had tickets for a musical
show which had already started when
he waved good-by to them on the
sidewalk in front of the restaurant
and drove away, alone, in a taxi.
He was never seen again.
Next day the Federal grand jury re-
turned an indictment against his close
personal and political friend, City
Magistrate George F. Ewald. Evi-
dence turned up during that irvestiga-
ton led to Ewald's resignation.
Mrs. Crater Silent for " hile.
When Mrs Crater. in Maine, learned
Of her husbands disappearance, she
telephoned many of his political and
personal friends. She was advised,
she said, to stay away from New York
and not to report his disappearance
to the police.
Mrs. Crater said later Crater had
spent August and with her, at
Belgrade Lakes. Me-: had told her
Tammany leaders we're opposing his
denomination, and that he was going
to Insist" upon it.
When Crater's absence finally leaked
out detectives, searched their Fifth
avenue apartment. listing every item
they found. Months later, after
Christmas, Mrs. Crater returned,
found nearly $1,000 in cash, stocks and
insurance; cryptic note in his hand
writing. and list of debts owed Linn
by political associates, only one of
which, she said, ever was paid.
Crater was subsequently reported
seen IN nearly every State in the
Union, in the West Indies, Canada,
Alaska and Europe. More than $780,
900 was spent by New York detectives,
friends and newspapers in running
down reports.
But no other clue ever was found.