Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-23

mott repeatedly refused to diNulge the
name, declaring:
I'm no rat.
Says He Warned Mellett.
McDermott declared it was kascholE
who induced him to go to- Massillor
last July to hunt for a job. He said
he came to Canton from Massillor
alone and was joined by kascholk
who said he had been hired to slug
an editor Mellett" McDermott said
he called Mellett's home twice tC
warn him.
He denied knowing Ben Rudner and
Louis Mazer. his co-defendants, and
that he had ever had a gun while he
was in Canton. He said he was III
bed early on the night of the murder
and left the next day when he re
ceived a telegram from "R. l.. Strang
instructing him, in code, to clear
out" He said he presumed the tele-
gram was from Kascholg, who
wanted him to clear out because ne
knew too much.
McDermott said he went to Cleve-
land and gave a fictitious name, be-
cause he was afraid he would get
he had warned Mellett. He said he
hid out after his sister told him he
was being sought. He was concealed
by Ben Nadel, for whom he had sold
liquor he admitted and by Dan Pfatf,
both of Cleveland.
He whispered answers into the court
record in reply to his cOunsePs query
on direct examination concerning al
legged transactions between him and
Prosecutor McClintock. The answers
We're barred from the jury's ears by
court ruling which sustained the
States objections.
McDermOtt Takes Stand.
McDermott was examined by L. l..
Mills, his chief counsel.
do you know Steve KascholR:
81 know him."
Have YOU associated with him a
great deal?'
mot much, met him in Cleve-
land"
What did you talk about?''
"He asked me where / was going
and I told him back to Manly Clio,
Pa. He said there wasn't much doing
at Manly Clio and, said, Come on and
go to Massillon with me to look for
job So we went to Massillon.'
What day was that!
"July So
McDermott said he spent most Of
the next day in a poolroom and went
70 Canton that night with Kascholk.
They stopped at a hotel, where Nc
Dermott admitted he registered under
an assumed name.
Says He Warned Mellett.
sXvhat did Steve saw that night
after you came from Massillon?"
HE said he was going to slug an
editor and / said he was crazy"
What did you do after that?
"I called up the EDITORS house.
A woman answered. I asked if Mr..
Mellett was there. and she said, No. #"
"'Then what did you do?"
'I called up Mellett again the next
night and told him to stay away from
his garage, that there were some fell
lows waiting there to get him. "
McDermott then told about his
various meetings with William Bitz-
Ter. the States surprise" witness
during the week preceding the MUIR
der. He related his activities from
day to day up to the murder night.
He said he went to a theater and
remained until 10: 80 that night. then
went home to bed. He denied he
had a gun in his room, as BitZler had
testified.
Admits Getting Telegram.
McDermott said he arose about 10
! o'clock the morning Of July 16 and
did not hear about the murder until
he went out 10 breakfast.
At this point the defense ques-
toned him about the telegram ad-
dressed to Charles Thompson,
which previous witnesses testified
McDermott had received. The de-
PENDANT admitted he got the tele-
gram and left town at 4 O'Clock that
afternoon.
Then McDermott was questioned
about automobile trips to Akron and
Massillon. during which he is alleged
to have been in touch with Ben
pudner, his co-defendant.
Denies Seeing Rudner.
Although he could not recall the
date. McDermott said he made these
trips in company with Homer Con-
nelly and Peggy Cavanaugh, his
friends.
Did you see Ben Rudner"
II did not"
did you call Rudner from
Akron?"
II did not"
McDermott then related how he
surrendered at Twin Rock, Pa
When he was brought to county jail
here he asked to see q lawyer, but
il was 10 days before an attorney
was permitted to visit him, he
testified.
The defense met a barrage of OBJ
iections when it asked McDermott to
relate what promises were made him
by the investigators. His answers tc
such questions as whether he had beer
offered money to testify, whether Ne
| Clintock had said anything about his
candidacy for Congress and whether
rewards had been dangled before his
ewes were permitted to go into the
| court only out of hearing Of the
jury.
Admits 2-Year Sentence.
McDermott was cross-examined by
| McClintock.
| He admitted spending nearly tive
wears in At lanta Penitentiary fol
grand larceny and breaking confine
| ment. He also admitted having beer
court-martialed for larceny while he
| was in the Army. He said he was
/ bootlegging in Cleveland for Der
| Nadel one Of those who aided hin
| In hiding while a countrywide search
| for him was in progress.
| Attorney f. l.. Mills. defense coun
| sci, asked McDermott several ques
| tions about his alleged conversations
with Prosecutor McClintock after his
surrender All of the questions were
objected to by the State and the OBJ
| jections were sustained.
nv NFAT t.,
| cluded queries about alleged offers OF
| NJ