Evening star., 1936-05-07
Third of Series in "BIunder''
Staying of Wilson Gets
Under Way.
Defendant is ACCUSED
OF EMPLOYING GUNMEN
McDermott Gets Life Sentence
After Conviction for First
Degree Murder.
BY WILLIAM ii. SHIPPEN, JR.,
Staff Correspondent Of The Star.

SOMbCILAINO, hO, way u AN
third of the series Of Allen B. Wilson
'blunder" murder trials got off to
swift start today, with prosecuting at
torneys prepared for vigorous effort
to add the conviction of Albert S.
Sutton, Washington gambler. to those
of Albert McDermott and Ernest w.
Myers.
Selection of a jury for the Sutton
trial, which began this morning, was
completed at 1880 o'clock.
At the same time, attorneys for
Sutton, whom the State has labeled
the brains" of the Staying plot, an
nounced his wife. Mrs. Nan Sutton,
would testify in his behalf.
Among other witnesses summoned
from Washington, it was learned, were
Sergt George Deyoe of the police
gambling squad and electives assigned
to the so-called Wilson squad" who
have worked on the case since Will
son was shot down in Takoma Park,
Md, on the morning of October %,
1894.
Accused of Hiring Gunmen.
Sutton, 38, is accused of having hired
McDermott, Myers and three other
gunmen to rub out" Edward (Micky)
Mcdonald, rival gambler. The
hoodlums, after lying in ambush at
McDonald's home, shot Wilson when
they mistook the newspaper carrier
for the gamester
A jury late yesterday returned a
f1rst-degree murder conviction against
McDermott, alias John (Slim) Dunn,
defendant in the second of the series
of trials. The jury specified against
capital punishment, however, making
life sentence mandatory.
Defense Attorney F. Brooke Whit
ing of Cumberland announced at the
opening of the trial that Thomas /.
Dawson of Rockville had withdrawn
as counsel for Sutton because of ILL
ness. Dawson, Maryland secretary
of State, recently was injured in an
automobile crash near Rockville.
Dawson, who obtained a separate
trial for Sutton last Monday, since
has been i'll in hotel here. j. Philip
Roman, former States attorney for
Allegany County, was retained last
night by Mrs. Sutton to aid in the
defense of her husband.
The II men who found McDermott
guilty were excluded from possible
service on the Sutton jury. At the
outset of the trial, the judges asked
a dozen prospective jurors If they had
heard testimony in McDermotts trial.
All replied in the affirmative and
were excused.
More Witnesses Expected.
States Attorney James H. Pugh of
Montgomery County expected to sum-
mon more witnesses against Sutton
than he produced to accuse McDer-
mott.
The three judges withheld sentence
on McDermott
A heavy guard has been maintained
here since he went on trial Monday.
State police patrol the corridors
and approaches to the court house
and a dozen others are spotted at
strategic points about the court room.
McDermott was brought here from
Alcatraz Prison where he was under
sentence in the "tri-State" gang hold
up of the Heurich Brewery, in Wash
ington.
McDermott's attorney, Fuller
Barnard, ST., said his client would not
testify against Sutton.
Sutton was turned over to the Mary
land authorities for trial by Lorton
Reformatory, where he is serving 20
year sentence on an assault charge
When Wilson was shot down in front OF
McDonald's home, Sutton was out on
parole. The parole was later revoked.
Accused as Brains.
The State claims that Sutton want
ed Mcdonald out of the way SO
he could take over his lucrative
gambling business Although the
State admits Sutton was not at the
scene Of the crime, he Is under a
murder indictment through his al
legged overt acts in hiring the profes.
sional gunmen.
Dorsey K. Offutt, attorney for Nc
Dermott, said he expected to ask for 9
new u 1dA VI ocSh GA dPPCoA' LAC AoA "
faced defendant took the jurors de.
cisions in a casual manner and there
was no evidence of emotion. However
he lost his composure and appeared
shaken when his sister, Mrs. Johr
Collier, and young brother, Johr
McDermott, wept and tried to tall
to him while he was being led bach
to jail.
McDermott was brought here from
Alcatraz, Federal prison, where he il
serving a 15-year sentence for rob
berry. Whether he will finish tina
sentence before beginning the lif'
sentence here. or whether the Federal
Government will yield him to Mary
land at once for imprisonment has
not been decided.