The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-11-14
FORCE EVIDENCE
Chain AT hot
CAR RING TRIAL
Government Attempts to
Link TraugOtt, SuSSmans;
IL Testify.

responsible for theft and sale of
more than twenty expensive auto
mobiles in five midwestern states.
Trial of the fifteen defendants
of the twenty-one indicted in the
motor theft conspiracy case, started
Tuesday morning with presentation
of evidence by Albert Ward United
State district attorney. More than
five months was spent by the
government in building the case in
which twenty-three persons we're
PANIED in ten indictments.
Twelve witnesses gave testimony
~ form the basis Of the govern
mentS case against the three In
dianapolE nen.
Tells of Recovering Car
The barrago started with A. D.
Collins, Packard automobile factory
executive, Detroit, who read factory
records of three stolen Packard cars,
including one stolen from Mrs.
Elizabeth Parrish, Cleveland, who
testified also.
Robert James, state licensing
bureau title division head, testified
a certificate of title and license
plates for the car were obtained on
an Ohio bill of sale.
Charles Bridges, state police lieu
tenant in charge of the states in
vestigation, told of recovering the
coupe from Max Goldberg, SGT High
land drive, July Is, and finding all
nnbers except the body number
changed.
Goldberg said Bridges confiscated
the car five minutes after Elmer
Sussman delivered it to him. He
identified his check for $3.50 which
he said he gave Sussman in pay
ment for the car.
Sold for $1,000
Continuing to trace the car, Clay
ton McGregor, Terre Haute, was
called to the stand and testified he
came to Indianapolis in December,
1927, to buy car, meeting a Walter
Russell" in the Claypool lobby.
Learning of his mission, Russell,
he said, offered to sch him Pack
ard coupe for $1,000. McGregor said
he paid $500 down, and drove the
car to Terre Haute that night after
having his brother, Wylie McGregor,
former local insurance agent, obtain
certificate of title for the car.
Clayton McGregor identified the
picture of Leo Baldwin as resembling
the "Walter Russell who sold him
the car.
Next day, he said, he decided not
to buy the car and brought it back
to Indianapolis, telephoning the
brother to return it to Russell at
the Edward Traugott & Co. store
and get the $500.
Talked With LibOwitz
Wylie McGregor testified he went
to the Traugott store and couldn't
find Russell. He said he told Trau-
gott he was returning the Car be-
cause his brother believed it was
shot"
After returning several times, he
met Harry Sussman, he said, who
gave him 5000 and took possession
Of The car ard title.
Several months later, he testified,
Traugott telephoned him and asked
for a duplicate title, saying the first
was lost. Going to the Traugott
store, McGregor said, he met Elmer
Sussman, who went with him to
the statehouse, where he procured
a duplicate certificate of title.
McGregor testified that several
months later, while in the Traugott
store, he was asked by Harold Llbo-
WITT. who died as result OF burns
sustained in the Traugott store blast
of Aug. &c, to notarize the certitl-
cate of sale by Charles Medcat TO
Mortimer Wohlfeld, a defendant in
the conspiracy indictment, of Ca
dillac coupe. Medcalf wasn't there,
but I knew Libowitz, so 1 did 1t,
IcGregor declared.
Sussman Has Car
Possession of a stolen La Sale
coupe by Harry Sussman was dis
closed in evidence by Bridges, who
was called to the stand for the
third time.
r. A. Schwartz of Cleveland, testi-
fed that La Sale coupe was stolen
from him Jan IL, 1928. In August
the car was brought back for 1den-
LITIGATION, by three men, one OF
whom he knew to be a government
agent, and the other an insurance
agent.
He did not recognize the third
man, and when George Barnard,
attorney for the SuSSmans asked II
it was Harry Sussman, he was I'M
able to declare so, although Suss-
man rose to his feet to be rec
ognized.
Bridges declared that Sussman
called him up and told him that he
was in possession of a La Sale
coupe believed to be stolen. Bridges
checked the car July 81, 1928 and
later traced it to Schwartz.
The title for the car, while in
Sussman's possession was made out
in the name of Robert Palmer, who
gave his address as the Marott hotel.
Keys Found in Car
Sussman repurchased the car
from the insurance company after
turning it over to Bridges, the lat
ter declared.
F. E. Dunmeyer, clerk at the
Marott hotel, declared that no
Ralph Palmer had been registered
at the Marott hotel during the
period in which the car was sold
to Harry SuSsman.
Leo Baldwin was arrested in
Adrian, Mich, under the alias of
r., Rell while in DoSseSSiOn of