Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-20
M'DERMOTT AL|b|
AGAIN SUPPORTED
Father, Brother-in-IaW and
Neighbors of Rudner
Testify at Trial.

BY the Associated Press.
COURTHOUSE, CANTON, Ohio,
December 20.-Neighbors and men,
bers of Ben Rudner's family today
came to the support of Patrick Eugene
McDermott, now on trial. for the MUIR
der of Don r. Mellett, Canton pub
Usher. Rudner was indicted with Nc
Dermott and Louis Mazer for the
murder
The defense witnesses this morning
included Max Rudner, father of Ben;
Herman Rubin, his brother-in.law, and
Mr.. and Mrs. William Sheedy, neigh
bors of Ben Rudner in Massillon.
Ben Rudner's activities and where
abouts July s and 9, the days Steve
KaschOlk, States star witness, testi-
fed McDermott got in touch with
Rudner," and on July 26, alleged by
the State to be the pay off" day,
were covered by testimony of the wit
nesses.
Business Trip Described.
Max Rudner and Herman Rubin tes-
titled that July 8, alleged to have been
the first day McDermott and Rudner
got in touch," the father and his two
sons went to Canal Dover, Ohio, on
business trip late in the afternoon.
July 8, they said, Ben was i'll and went
| to bed early.
Mrs. Sheedy testified that they drove
to Brewster with the Rudners the
evening of July 26.
Mr.. Rudner said Ben and Ed Rud-
ner were driving in an automobile on
Sunday night, July IL, and that when
Ed took him to the depot to go to Chi
cago, he said, he and Ben had been to
police. headquarters together.
The State contended that it was Nc
Dermott and Ben Rudner who went to
headquarters together.
ED" Called Double.
Ed Rudner has been produced by
| the defense as McDermott's double" !"
Ed Rudner and ID. G. Zill, defense wit
| nesses, have testified the trip to head
quarters was because of a traffic acct
| dent. The State claims Rudner and
MS alleged fellow-conspirators were
intimate with Canton police and had
their protection.
Herman Schram, taxi driver. testi.
| fled he took Rudner to a doctor to
have his finger lanced on the morn
ing of July 8, then took him back to
his home.
Harry Van Gutten testified that
last May he sold Mazer a .3S-caliber
gun built to shoot steel jacketed bull.
let's. He said he gave Mazer 1S of
the special bullets at the same time.
Van Gutten said Mazer at the time
| OF the purchase, asked If the gun was
| the same as one he had purchased
| earlier.
Bus Driver on Stand.
Merton A. Robinson, new Haven
ballistic expert, last week testified his
examination showed two guns were
fired at Mellett, both .38.caliber, and
| that at least some of the bullets were
| steel tipped.
A witness, a bus driver, put on the
| stand as one of the defense "sur-
prises," testified first that he had
| driven Steve Kascholk, the States
| star witness and chief informer
against McDermott, Rudner and
MaZer. to the corner on which the
| Mellett home Is situated. The trip. he
said was made July 10.
He declared Kascholk did not get
out of the bus at the corner where the
house is located. The defense asserts
| der than his testimony for the State
| brought out.
Jack Greenburg, Cleveland, brother.
in-law Of Rudner, testified he is in
the habit of calling Rudner by long
distance from Akron and that he made
| such call the evening Of July 26.
Phone Records Produced.
Under Prosecutor c. B. McClintock's
Cross-eXamination Greenburg was un-
able to account for the fact that the
| only long-distance call made to Mas.
silon July 26 was by ''Mr. Jones"
at z pm. Greenburg maintained he
placed his cali between and $50
and that he did not give any name
to the long-distance operator. The
! telephone company record of the call
was used to establish the hour of the
call and the name of the patron.