The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-11-25
WITNESSES IDENTIFY HARRY BALD|N| is THE
SLAYER OF LEE RANKIN, !. { ]. PAYMASTER
TAXI DRIVER TELLS
STORY OF THE CRIME
More Than Score Testify for
Prosecution Yesterday
at St. Clairsville.

Paul Pickcns, of Martins Ferry,
driver of the taxi in which Lee Ran
kin, superintendent and paymaster
Of the Y. 4 O. Coal company'S mine
al Glenn'S Run. was riding with more
than $4,000 10 pay the employees al
the mine when he was held up, mur-
dered and robbed on the forenoon of
September 9, related his story OF the
hold-up and shooting before the jury
in the trial Of Harry Baldini al ST.
Clairsyille yesterday.
After several days were consumed
in the selection of a jury, viewing the
scene Of the crime and other prelimi-
naries, considerable progress was made
in the case yesterday, and more than
twenty witnesses testified for the
prosecution. The Indications are
that the trial will continue far
into next week, unless something
unexpected happens, as the stale has
anE Witnesses
aaH a5aHd IL th5 TefRnSe VIII apnfg more than
twenty on the stand.
Baldini still maintains the same in
difference that he has shown since
the trial started Regardless Of the
fact that he Is on trial for his life. he
seems to take but little interest in
the examination of the witnesses and
still shows the iron nerve that has
characterized him since his arrest on
the night Of the crime, September y.
Pickens' Story.
81 work for the Martins Ferry taxi
company" Pickens testified before
the Jury. 81 knew Lee Rankin in a
business way for eight or ten months.
was to make the trip with him to
the y. 4 0. mine on the morning OF
September 9.
II went with q machine 10 the Mar
tins Ferry express office. MIR. Rankin
WAS waiting there for me when | got
there. He had a box containing the
mine pay, which looks very much like
that box there" indicating the box re-
covered from q hillside near the scene
of the holdup and murder by posses
searching for the assasslns OF Mr.
Rankin.
1T was 1O:4b o'clock when We left
the depot at Martins Ferry. | had
puncture and it. took 10 or IL minutes
10 fix it. 1t takes about twenty ln!n-
utes to run to Glenns Run, i'll ordinary
driving"
Describing the scene and presence
of persons AT the place where the
hold-up occurred, the witness said: e.
DESCRIBES ne Urine
az first saw Mrs. Earl Brown driving
ahead Of lis after hitting the crossing.
Then | saw two men. sec one GI
those men here" pointing to HAIRY
Baldlni The first thing [ saw him do
was shoot. ! heard shot and stop
ped the machine. Then [ heard
wild Hallo-o-o', and another report
OF a gun. Then Mr.. Rankin fell out
I aHe. ottpnODt
get away. | started the car but one OF
the men says, Throw up your hands.
| couldn't get away. He came running
up to the car and opened the back
door and took the box out.
Ills face was within three feet Of
mine. didn't notice anything around
his neck. He had very wild look in
his face. He had a dark complexion,
several days growth Of beard. His
eyes and that face-I never will for
get that face
Mrs. Brown Saw Baldini
Mrs. Viola Brown, Of Glenns Run,
wife of Earl Brown, the bookkeeper
AT the Y. & D. mine, who was driving
along the road near the scene of the
hold-up when it occurred, testified
that Sne had known Rankin when heI
was superintendent OF the Y. 4 o.
mine.
Il drove to Martins Ferry on the
morning of September 9 in a one-borse
buggy" she testified in substance On
direct examination. THE buggy top
was down. / drove back on the river
road and crossed the traction line at
Stop 10.
Il saw the mine people at the second
cut after crossing the street car trait.
Then ! saw TWO men sitting along.
side the road. Que had on a cap OF
dark cloth That docking III Il cap
shown her by the prosecuting attor
neyl looks something like the cap The
bigger fellow had on. That handkar-
chief indicating a handkerchief
among the eXhibitsl looks like Tho
same one Harry Baldini had on his
nocl- 4
Before / crossed the crossing he
frOu+irua1 on Parn Tyun1yal