Evening star., 1939-05-13
Poison Murder
Probe Spreads
To Brooklyn
PhiIodeI phio Police
Refuse to Talk
On New Phose
BACKGROUND

Investigation by Philodelphia
officials has uncouered amasino
ramifcations OF an insurance.
murder gang. Whose operations
may hare spread to several
States, NTH more than 100
deaths. Among the score or
more persons arrested, or held
for questioning, are physician,
a politician. seueral Ditch doctors
and a number OF ,DidotDs OF pic
Tins. Police belieue many per-
sons may hare been unwitting
tools" OF the ring.
By the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA. May l3.-In-
vestigation of the vast insurance
murder racket spread out suddenly
today to Brooklyn. N. Y, where
police refused to believe fantastic
tale of intrigue when it was first
told three years ago by a man now
an important Government witness.
The man, John Cacopardo, Is
serving life for the murder of his
Brooklyn sweetheart, Molly Starace.
Cacopardo was borrowed" from
Sing Sing Prison to testify here at
the trial of Herman Petrillo, a con-
victed key figure in the plots blamed
for scores of deaths.
Arranging to leave for Brooklyn.
Police Capt James A. Kelly and his
staff refused to disclose the purpose
OF the trip. Nor would they say
whether any arrests were expected.
With them the officers planned to
take Morris Bolber, self-styled "psy-
chiatrist," but known to other pris-
oners as faith healer" Bolber,
who gave himself up May /, has
been charged with murder.
A former Philadelphian. Bolber
had lived more recently in New York.
The ring has been linked by in
vestigators to deaths in several
States.
Says He Was Framed"
Testifying at Herman Petrillos
trial, Cacopardo asserted he was
framed in his sweetheart's death.
He accused his uncle. Paul Pc
trillo, South Philadelphia tailor
now charged with murder in con-
nection with death attributed to
the gang.
Paul, Hermans cousin. was fire.
quent visitor at the Starace home.
Cacopardo declared he believed
Molly's father in danger and went
to the home to warn him. On ar
irving, he said, he found Paul Pet
rillo already there.
Molly was killed, Cacopardo tes-
tilted, while he and Paul Petrillo
were struggling for possession of a
pistol, Cacopardo admitted the pis-
tol was his. He carried it. he said.
because of what he believed were
threats to the safety of the Starace
family.
But Cacopardo's story was labeled
as a creation of his own fancy to
escape the electric chair. A Brook
lyn detective corroborated 1t as
having been told by the life termer.
Prescriptions Seized.
Police chemists here were ana
lying today dozen prescriptions
written by a middle e-aged physician
to determine whether they were a
means by which victims were fed
poison in fatal doses.
Seized from druggists, several of
whom were questioned. the prescrip-
tions were among hundreds ex-
amined. DR.. Edward Burke, one of
the chemists, said the II were re-
tanned for further study after it was
discovered that "a few" called for
poison.
Assistant District Attorney Vim
cent P. McDevitt charged weeks ago,
when the physician first was ar
rested, that he had furnished poison
and obtained prospects" for the ring,
which, police say, may have killed
more than 100 persons for insurance
money in several Eastern States.
Politician Questioned.
At the same time, detectives said,
questioning of the druggists, wom-
an fortune teller and a ward poll
tician indicated that an alarming"
number Of persons may have been
unwilling tools" of the ring.
Capt. Kelly quoted the politician
as saying he obtained II insurance
prospects for Paul Petrillo. a round
shouldered tailor charged with MUIR
der, because he was threatened with
the evil eye" if he refused.
We've got the evil eye on your
brothers and sisters and they're
dying" the politician said he was
told. "The only way they can be
saved is by us breaking the spell.
We won't break the spell unless you
do what we tell you"
The fortune teller, a 69-year -old
gray-haired woman, was described
by Capt. Kelly as a longtime asso-
ciate of Petrillo in witchcraft. He
said investigators suspected she was
used to further the interests of the
murder gang
No charges were placed against
the druggists, the politician or the
fortune teller, Capt. Kelly said.