Out of a Deep Freeze

The murder in May 1949 of Willie Lurye, an International Ladies' Garment Workers Union organizer, was a sensational news story. Shortly after he was stabbed to death in a telephone booth in Manhattan's garment center, the union posted a $25,000 reward for the capture of his killers; a few days later, tens of thousands of garment workers joined the funeral march (TIME, May 23, 1949) as 100 New York City detectives hunted the killers. The hunt was still at its height when Columnist Walter Winchell got into the case: from a friend "on the side of law and order" he learned the names of the two suspects, broadcast a plea to "B.M." and "J.G." to surrender. Later, the two men sought by the cops--Benedict Macri, a garment manufacturer whose shop the union had been trying to organize, and John Giusto, an ex-convict --were indicted for murder.

Last month, suspect Macri's older brother Jimmy began trying to make a deal to surrender him. Brother Jimmy was sick & tired of the close watch the police had put on him. Furthermore, Benedict knew he could not hide much longer because his money was running out. First Jimmy tried to persuade a prominent public figure to accept Benedict's surrender, but got a turndown. A few weeks ago, Jimmy went to Columnist Winchell, made a deal with him to accept the surrender. While the details were being worked out, Winchell, always a shrewd showman, broadcast two more "appeals" to Benedict Macri to give up. Last week the columnist told the New York Mirror to get its story and Page One headlines ready. But twice Benedict Macri broke his date with Winchell. Apologized a go-between: "Please, Mr. Winchell, we got him in such a deep freeze that it's not easy to dig him up." Then, on his radio broadcast last week, Winchell finished his buildup; he announced that he would turn Benedict Macri in to the cops that very night. About 10:50 p.m., a black coupe pulled up alongside the waiting columnist on a street in downtown Manhattan. After identifying himself, Winchell added: "Benedict, I am sorry to meet you under these circumstances." Replied nattily dressed, 36-year-old Macri: "I understand, Mr. Winchell. Thank you very much." Then the two walked together, past a thoughtfully posted Mirror photographer, to a police station only 100 feet away. There Winchell, pale and "sick to my stomach," turned Macri in, claimed the $25,000 reward for the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund. It was the second time Winchell had surrendered a man wanted for murder: in 1939, he handed over the late gangster, Louis ("Lepke") Buchalter.

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