Evening star., 1924-10-02
TARR|NG Jury GETS
LEATHERMAN CASE
Alleged RingIeader and Mrs.
Shank'S Father-in-LaW
Deny Participating.
Ri PHILIP G. KAUFFMANN.


FREDERICK. Md. October 2.-Har-
ry Leatherman, winner of gold prizes
Tor sunday school attendance and high
in Sunday school work in Myersville.
Md, who is on trial charged with be-
ing the ringleader of n gang that pur-
sued and aided in tarring and feather
ing Dorothy Grand6n on the State
highway near MyerSville the night
of July "a, today on the witness stand
denied any connection with the case
except as disintcrested spectator.
Shortly after this the State and the
defense made their arguments and the
jury retired to decide the verdict.
Leatherman. testifying in his own
defense, laid the entire blame on Mrs.
Mary Shank. who pleaded guilty to
attacking Dorothy "out of revenge for
trying to break up my home" Pre-
viously a dozen other men. all in
dicted on similar charges. had laid
the guilt to Mrs. Shank, each declar-
ing that he had taken no active part
in the crime, nor had seen any other
man participate by word or action.
Says Tnrring Was Surprise.
L went to the scene purely out OF
curiosity, not knowing the tarring
was planned" Leatherman told the
jury. He denied ever having seen the
tar or feathers before they were ap-
piled. or ever having discussed or
planned the affair or even heard of
the plans. He went. he said. merely
to see Mary beat Dorothy, and was
surprised to learn about the tar.
There was very little talk or noise
IN ha
fectly silent and didn't speak to a
soul. l made no remarks to Miss
Grandon or Mrs. Shank during the
fight, nor did any other man in the
mob. I did not turn my fiashlight on
the tarred body of the girl"
Roma Shank, farmer and father-in-
law of Mary, one of the indicted, ac-
Cused Mary of the tarring and feath-
ering. and said she acted alone and
unaided. He swore that no one had
handed her the implements and he
himself had had no connection with
the case at all. Mary Shank again
took the stand and swore that her
father-in-law had handed her the
club. saying, Give that gal the
thrashing she deserves"
Couple Return to Parental Home.
AS a result of this feud Mary has
been banished from the Shank home,
where she has spent her married life.
Last night she returned to the home
of her own parents. Her husband,
Lloyd Shank, over whom the tarring
episode originated, returned with her.
A complete reconciliation has been
made.
Tar is to 'F'rede rick what oil was
to Washington last Winter. The
dramatic case is the chief topic of
conversation on all sides here as
we'll as throughout the county, since
most of the l9 men indicted come
from old Maryland families with rela-
tives all over the State. Interest is
running high as to the verdict, which
is expected this afternoon.
William M. Storm, States attorney,
in fine speech to the jury in his
argument for the State laid stress on
the fact that all the State witnesses
whose testimony pointed to Leather
man being. the ringleader were dis
Interested, whereas the witnesses for
the defense were men indicted them
selves and therefore far from disin-
tereSted.
Following the verdict in the
Leatherman case the trials Of the
other IS men charged either with
tarring and feathering OF with riot
ing, will commence before new
juries. The findings in this case will
have a great deal of bearing on the
other cases.