A TERRIBLE TALE.

NZ Truth, Issue 70, 20 October 1906, Page 3

A TERRIBLE TALE.

OUT-JUNKING UPTON SINCLAIR.

Horrible Fate of a Pretty Russian Jewess Immigrant m Hellisli New York. A despatch to a London paper of recent date, from New York, says :— Remarkable evidence has been given at New York m a charge of abducting a pretty Russian Jewess named Rose Cohen, aged 17 j'ears. According to her story, she arrived m New York some time ago as an immigrant, and obtained work at a. button factory. She became acquainted with two fellow-employees— Lena Saleno, an Italian woman, and a man whose name she did not know, but I who was known to everybody as | "Frank." With this man she fell m | love, and he took her for short trips into the country. Under the promise of marriage he" seduced her. Afterwards he took her to a house (which proved to be the headquarters of an Italian gang), where she was indecently assaulted by a number of men. From there she was taken to' a saloon kept by Joseph Rugguro, and locked m a room, and for over a weekvisited daily by 10 or 15 men, who beat her if she resisted. Finally the man "Frank" removed her to the rooms of the woman Saleno, who KEPT HER A PRISONER and took away her clothes. - "Frank" continued to visit her, as did also many of the other men. Whenever she rebelled against her treatment, she was whipped into submission by a powerful Italian called "Mig." said to be Saleno 's husband. The ( weapon he used was a big leather >'whip. After the lapse of a few days SHE WAS SOLD BY AUCTION to a Brooklyn man for 25 dollars. "Frank" took 20 dollars, and "Mig" the balance. She was given her clothes, and her buyer took .her away. While the man's attention was distracted for a moment she ran towards a policeman and BEGGED FOR PROTECTION. Her purchaser took to his heels. Detectives investigated her story, and, finding it to be true, proceeded to arrest the principal offenders. Rugguro and Saleno were caught just m time; the others had fled, and the police are on their trade. The whip used by "Mig" was produced m court, and proved to be a brutal-looking instrument. The butt is l£in m diameter, and the lash'SMt fong. It is made of ox-hide, braided and stitched m symmetrical ridges around a steel wire, which runs the whole length, and makes the whip stiff. At the tip is a small, hard ball of knotted leather, and from this a steel-pointed tack or spur protrudes. The butt- is covered with a coating of heavy leather, md is made solid with brass tacks. On the girl's hack were deep marks into which the ridges of the whin perfectly fitted. The savage treatment to which ths girl was subjected has created, even m New^ York, a profound sensation.