The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-22
STATE SCORES IN
 M'GANNON'S TRIAL
Girl Declares She Saw Shot Fired by Judge, Who Tried
 to Buy Silence
By Associated Press

Cleveland, o. December 2l.-The state scored heavily at this afternoon session of the second degree murder tria, of William H. McGannon, chief justice of the municipal court, charged with staying Harold Kagy last May when it's chief witness, Miss May b. Neely. a nurse. for 6 years the frlenu of McGannon, took the witness stdhu and swore she saw McG1annon shool Kagy and also swore that the Juos% offered $500 to keep her mouth smut about the shooting and go 10 County Prosecutor Rastin and retract what she had told him and the grand jury re- garding the case. She testified that her sister. Mrs. Louis Webb was con cealed in a closet in the room at the time and heard the offer of $500, q saw McGannon pull something from his pocket and simultaneously a shot rang out. Then Harold kagy lurched forward" Miss Nicely testihed'
 Seven days after the shooting, she testified, she went to the judges pfi- vate office and told nin to make pup lie the facts. advising him to say the shot was fired accidentally, and also offered to take the blame for the shooting
 Tt is too late now" she testified McGannon replied
 These were the high spots in Cleve- lands most sensa tional murder trial. The courtroom was packed to suffoca- ton and hundreds of others fought despite locked doors leading to the courtroom to gain admission.
 TRAILED JUDGES AUTO
 Miss Nicely told how she had fol- lowed McGannon on the, day of the murder and had trailed his automobile to East Ninth street and Hamilton avenue, where Kagy was shot She said McGannon and Kagy left an East End apartment house together on the morning of the shooting. She testified that she met Judge McGannon 6 years ago, and that for the first few years Of their acquaintance she saw him every day. Up to six years ago, she said she had seen him every week; up to one year ago, every six or eight weeks and during the last year she again saw him every day.
 The attorneys for the defense made every effort to prevent Miss Nicely telling the story of her connection with McGannon and her reasons for following him on the day of the shoot ing. Once, she testified, she had talked with Judge McGannon's wife on the day of the murder, but an objection by defense attorneys was sustained by Judge Bernon and this testimony was stricken out.
 On the day of the murder, she said she went to the Cleveland Bar asso- citation, but was unable to give the reason because of an objection by the defense.
 It Is known Miss Neely had filed a complaint with the association against the judge. It was upon this complaint that the association based its grounds for disbarment proceedings that are now pending against McGannon. After 10 minutes cross-examination, the de- fense excused her until tomorrow morning.
 It was largely upon testimony given the grand jury by Miss Nicely in second Investigation of the kagy case following the acquittal of John w. Joyce for the staying of Kagy, that judge McGannon was indicted Since her appearance before the grand jury, she has been under constant guard of state detectives.