The Indianapolis times., 1928-11-16
Theft PLOT is
/ DENIED BY SIX
IN AUTO TRIAL
Defendants Testify in Trial
Being Held in U. S.
/, Court.

Complete denial of any completely
in the interstate motor theft con-
spiracy case was made Thursday by
ring members on trial in federal
court here.
Edward Traugott, 36, senior part
ner of Edward Traugott S5 Co.,
clothiers, 215-17 West Washington
street, whose store was wrecked the
night of Aug. 26 by blast of mys-
terious origin, was the last witness
Of the day.
Traugott made a general denial
of knowledge of any transaction
concerning any stolen cars.
He admitted knowing Harold Lib
owitz, who died of burns received in
the Traugott store explosion. He
testified Libowitz was salesman for
the Rosenburg Cap Company, New
York, and kept his samples and re-
ceived his mail at Traugott's store.
Denies Meeting Palmer"
He said he never owned or had
knowledge of a stolen car, having
purchased his own car, a Hup-
mobile, from local sales agency.
He denied ever having met Rob
ert Palmer" to whom Wolf Sussman
is alleged to have loaned $1,000 on a
LaSalle coupe, later learned to have
been stolen.
He denied also having signed the
name, "Edw. Jones, 4209 Euclid" to
a. bill of sale for a stolen car.
Traugott admitted having met but
once Charles Medcalf," alleged by
government witnesses to have been
Leo Baldwin, defendant in the case
not yet apprN'onded.
Admits IndOrsing Check
.Medcalf, he said, brought $1,1oo
check, issued by Mortimer Wohlfeld,
in part payment for an alleged
'''hot" Cadillac couple, to his store
to be cashed. Not having the cash
to spare, he said, he took the man,
as an accommodation, to the West
street branch, Fletcher Savings and
Trust Company, where he indorSed
the check for the stranger.
. He said he made no attempt to
identify Medcalf other than to call
Wohlfeld and ask if he had issued
the check.
Traugott denied Wylie McGregor'S
testimony that McGregor had gone
to Traugott's store asking for a "N1r.
Russell" from which he sought re-
turn of $500 paid by his brother,
Clayton McGregor, Terre Haute, as
part payment to RUSSELL for
Packard coupe, later sold to Elmer
Sussman, defendant in the case.
and discovered by state police to
have been stolen shortly after its
sale by Sussman to Max Goldberg.
Borrowed Money for Checks
He admitted cashing $500
check for L. A. Wilkerson, Vincen-
mes advertising man who was an
acquaintance of ten years. The
transaction was merely an accom-
mediation, through friendship, he
explained.
Here Traugott testified that in
order to cash checks of working
men, of which the store made
speciality, he said, he or his partner,
Harry Sussman, would borrow large
sums from Harry's father, Wolf
Sussman. Sometimes they obtained
cash and other times checks to be
cashed at their bank. They would
repay the loans with Traugott COM
pany checks, sometimes the same
day and sometimes a day or two
later.
The store also borrowed money
for cashing pay checks from VIII
liam Laffey, proprietor of cigar
store on West New York street,
also a defendant in the case, and
from other business houses.
Traugott said he did not know
either Leo Baldwin or Ted Baldwin,
both defendants. The first time he
ever saw Ted Baldwin, he testified,
was in the court room Tuesday.
During cross-examination by Albert
Ward, district attorney, Traugott
identified a photo of Leo Baldwin
as Medcalf.
Testimony Contradicted
Elmer Sussman, earlier in the
afternoon, in his testimony directly
contradicted testimony of Wylie Nc
Gregor that, McGregor's brother.
Clayton, had paid $500 down pay.
ment on a Packard car to Leo
Baldwin, under the name of Russell,
and that Wylie later went to the
Traugott store where he obtained
his $500 back from Harry Sussman
Elmer Sussman testified he
bought the car for $1,700 cash from
Wylie MeGregor, at that time agent
for an insurance company here.
Later, after two accidents, he testi-
fled, he sold the car to Max Gold
berg SGT Highland drive, for $3.50.
About an hour after he sold the
car, 1t was confiscated by state mo-
tor police as stolen car, he said.
and his uncle Wolf Sussman, re-
turned Goldberg's money.
Took Coupe as Security
Wolf Sussman, who followed
Elmer, told of loaning $1,000 to
Robert Palmer" taking as secur-
ity La Sale coupe. Tie loan was