The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-12-25
Gull TY, PAT
MAY REVEAL.
PLOT, BELIEF
Juror Expresses Hope as
MCDermott Is Convicted
of MeIIett Murder.
SNARLING AND DEFIANT
Defendant Awaits Sen
fencing on Monday.
By Tuitcd prcss

Bg Unitcd Press
CANTON, Ohio, Dec. 25.--Christ-
mas day brought to Patrick McDer-
mott, red'haired gangster. the pros
pect Of spending the rest of his life
behind prison bars. A jury Of ten
men and two women late yesterday
found McDermott guilty of first.
degree murder, after one hour and
twenty minutes deliberation.
The publisher was shot from am.
bush shortly after midnight last July
10, as he stood outside at his home
garage. lie had waged vigorous war
nhis paper on municipal corrup.
tion in Canton and his death was
laid at the door Of the underworld
he had sought to subdue.
Two More Face Trial
Louis Mazer and Ben Rudner face
trial for participation in the murder.
McDermott's conviction bolstered
the States case against them, Prose.
cutor c. B. McClintock said.
McDermott will be sentenced Mon.
day. The State had demanded his
life, but the jury recommended
mercy to Judge Diehl.
II cannot sentence a man to life
imprisonment on Christmas eve,"
Judge Diehl said. Il will pronounce
sentence Mondav.n
Prosecutor McClintock announced
today he will fight just as hard for
the death sentence for Mazer and
Rudner as he did in the McDermott
trial.
Mrs. Florence Mellett, widow of
the slain editor, said she believed the
conviction of McDermott will cause
him Ito tell all he knows, so the
State may punish the higher.ups."
Shows Defiance
McDermott, snarling and defiant.
was returned to his cell to await
the formality Of sentence.
The EDITORS widow, who had testi.
fed for the State on the first day
of the two weeks long trial, said:
II feel that the jury has done it's
duty. I thought that the States
case was strong enough to warrant
the death penalty, but I believe that
the jury was perfectly fair"
Only a few spectators were In the
court room when Foreman Bert
Sweetzer pressed the buzzer in the
jury room to, notify the balllff that
the Jury was ready to report.
McDermott, who had been waiting
in the basement of the courthouse
under heavy guard, was summoned.
AS soon as they appeared inside
the rail, Judge Diehl asked Foreman
sweetzer if the jury had reached
verdict.
Eyes, your honor, we have"
Sweetzer said.
"What is your flnding?"
1--WE find the defendant guilty OF
murder in the first degree and rec
ommend that he be shown mercy"
Charles Durand of defense coun.
sci, apparently pleased that he had
saved his clients life, extended his
hand to McDermott in what ap-
peared to be a gesture of congratu-
lations. McDermott looked blankly
at the preferred hand. Then, twist
ing his mouth into a wry smile and
without saying a word to his attor-
ney, he turned to his guards and was
led out of the room.
Canton had been aroused by the
killing Of Mellett, but there was no
demonstration in the courtroom
when McDermott was found guilty.
Instead there was amazement among
the spectators at the swiftness of the
Christmas eve verdict.
One of the jurors said there had
been only one ballot.
There was no argument he said.
The State proved it's case, but we
regard McDermott merely as the
tool of higher-ups. We hope that
now he will tell the authorities all he
knows"