Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
IRST THE END
me Rests and Prose
Ion Asks Jury to Do
Duty to Public
MAN TELLS STORY
Testimony in Murder
rial Corroborates That
of Commonwealth

kn case of Vincent Sgucglia, alias
"Butch" Mascia, New York gun
accused OF the murder Of de-
lv6 George A. Eppley on last prim-
6lection day, probably will go to
fury late this afternoon. After
16w the defendant on the stand and
Ax numerous character witnesses the
I&ss rested shortly after two o'clock.
A6dressing the jury In the Court Of
~ and Terminer. where Mssc'a Is
- tried before Judge Carr, Az ant
Irtrict Attorney Taulane, cautioned the
- 10 remember their duty to the COM
@4uity and to give n fair decision which
1ald protect other persons from these
&@Iacks. He said that detective Eppley
6 needlessiy and uselessly murdered /.
I&1t the Commonwealth lost a good citi-
1n and the detectives mother n faith
5<nf son. The defendant. Mr.. Taulane
MA. did everything requested for a few
S<1l1ars for political work. lie pointed
nk that Mascia and the Other gunner
&uld not have been here but for the
4x<th Ward election.
klItstimony given by Mascia today cor.
|f04orAtes the contentious of. the Com
11iouwealth.
AFTER giving in detail incidents leading
~ 20 the shooting on last primary cleo
Hon day Mascia said he was brought
hofo with the understanding that he only
haG to vote and that he shot only to
1fighten those who were fighting at the
6olls where the detective was killed.
Nascia said he was of the men who
ftceived' blackjacks from "a man with
'&yRglasses In Independence Square.
H said that he did not take part in
foiding the Finletter Club, but remained
55otside.
Asked how he come to have a re-
volver. he said he took 1t from one of
the New York men when the latter had
TOO much to drink. The defendant de-
clAred the revolver had been slipping
ont OF the gunmen's pocket at the
Qeutsch Club and that he, Mascia,
picked 1t up so that 1t would not go of.
.*When questioned concerning the fight
nrOund the polls where Eppley met his
death Mascia said that he and the other
men happened to be passing when fight
started. He said he did not draw his
revolver until after he had been beaten.
two other men had guns leveled at me. ''
Gaid Mascia. II fred to frighten them
and then ran"
Judge Carr asked Mascia why he did
not return to New York when he was
offered a blackjack. Masc.a said he was
.<O4Q rttdt tne JdChS were 70 ne useu iOi
protection against the ''pickaX gang
from the Tenth Ward.
Six other alleged gunmen were brought
before Mascia for identification. He said
that all were with him except Christie
phgr. or "Muggsy" Smith. Mascias tes-
,tirnony coincided with that of Michael
nDonnehy and Whitley" Burkhart OK
c&pt In the incidents leading to the
shooting.
Just before leaving the stand Mascia
e1id he heard gunman in the crowd
eh0 was known as George" say that
1ck Ritt. who procured the blackjacks
If distribution, first tried to get them
tlD Third and De Lancey streets sta
fion, and on finding there was none at
~ nation house. bought them himself
1&nouia said that Ritt, who was not cap
&1uod. acted as financier for the MEN
tn defendant testified that he was Il
'U1e the name of James Mascia wheu
<4ting and to give his address as sec
03tth Front street Mascia said he
never voted in New York because he was
not q citizen.
3 Michael Fiscaity, n detective; Benja'
min Greenthal, an attorney, and Detec
tive Sergeant Bonanno, all of New York
the defendant. They asserted that
Mascia's record was generally good anc
that he had been once arrested for as
AAult, but that the prosecutor did not
appear at the hearing.