Evening star., 1939-05-15
Indictment Of Six
Will Be Sought in
Insurance Murders
Arson-Bombine Ring
Operated as Subsidiary,
Police Believe
D. the Associated Press.

- the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, May 15-Mur-
der indictments against at least half
a dozen of the "a persons held in
connection with the Eastern mass
murder syndicate will be sought this
week, Assistant District Attorney
Vincent P. McDevitt announced to-
day.
He said evidence would be pre-
sented in as many cases las we can
reasonably put through"
These may number "six or seven" j."
Only few of those arrested have
been indicted in the known deaths.
already past So The first mass
trials begin next week.
Mr.. McDevitt called the murder
ring "the most complex, double-deal-
ing, double crossing gang I've ever
met"
He said investigators had discarded
earlier theories that a single mas
ter mind" directed the rings schemes
while subordinates did the dirty
work"
Alleged Leaders Named.
"The dominating influence prob
ably was divided" he said.
Mr.. McDevitt named Paul and
Herman Petrillo, cousins, and Nor
ris Bolber, also known as Louie the
Rabbi" as among those who shared
ring leadership. Herman Petrillo
has been convicted Of flrst-degree
murder and faces electrocution. The
others have been charged with mur-
der.
There were a couple more
wouldn't want to name at this mo-
ment," Mr.. McDevitt added.
He disclosed close relatives-as yet
unidentified-of five new suspected
victims are in custody. The bodies
Of four men and two women will be
exhumed next week.
Meanwhile, police studied the pos
sibility that an arson-bombing ring
operated as subsidiary of the slay-
for-pay syndicate.
The frequently suggested posi-
bility of the sideline business came to
the fore again as Dominick Caraffa,
At, was held without bail, charged
with suspicion of burning down the
home of Herman Petrillo, convicted
of poison murder, in an insurance
plot in 1885. Investigators have said
IN the past that arson may have
been used by the ring.
Police Official Quoted.
The Philadelphia record quoted a
hieh yN0lirn NfHnio1 uyhnv,o ~ liI ,,nt
identify, as saying that Herman
Petrillo had given information about
professional arsonists and bombers
hired by the gang to operate in New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
The arson jobs, the police official
said, occurred at dwellings insured
to the hilt" in advance-just as the
poison ring did with its human
victims.
Police officials who six months ago
dismissed reports of the murder for
insurance rings activities as i'm
possible" were ready today to admit
"anything is possible"
They've been convinced-by one
amazing revelation pyramided over
aQOLQer III recent weeks.
"a Under Arrest.
The police investigators have this
to show for their weeks of work:
l. Twenty-four persons behind
bars accused of a part in the mur-
ders and two others in custody for
questioning. Nearly half are widows
2. A growing list of probable VIC
TINS, which now stands at So and
may eventually exceed 100.
3. Information that the gang op-
Grated over 10-year period in
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New
York and possibly Delaware and
many other Eastern States.
Much of the bizarre story, includ-
Ing incidents of witchcraft, already
Is court-recorded testimony. At the
first trial Herman Petrillo was con-
victed of poisoning Ferdinand AL
fonsi, w. P. A. worker. At the
second, fat Mrs. Carina Favato con-
fessed she poisoned three men.
1t was Alfonsi's death last Octo-
Der that broke" the case.
An informer for the Secret Serv-
ice, who had trailed Herman Petrillo
on a counterfeiting charge, testified
Petrillo offered him money to slay
Alfonsi. Petrillo and the victims
pretty young wife, Stella, 20, still
awaiting trial, were arrested and
charged with murder. An autopsy
showed poison in the body,