Evening star., 1938-12-16
Snyder Trial Nears
End /, With 4 Versions
OF Alderman SHOOTING
Accused Ex-Husbund Of
Ruth Etting Claims
RivuI Was Armed
By the Associated Press.

~ tue ASSOClntto ETc6S.
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16.-Martin
(the Gimp Snyder's trial on at
tempted murder and kidnapping
charges moved swiftly toward its
conclusion today, with four versions
of what happened in the Hollywood
Hills home of Pianist Myrl Alder
man the night of october Is pre-
sented for the jury's consideration.
Snyder is accused of wounding
Mr.. Alderman, Of attempting to kill
6ongstress Ruth Etting, now Mr..
Alderman's bride, and his own
daughter, Edith Snyder; of kidnap-
ing the three of them and of pos
sessing a gun with the numbers
defaced. He faces maximum SEN
tences totaling lis years if convicted.
In jargon of clipped words all
his own, the former Chicago news
boy who married the f1aXen-haired
Miss Etting 18 years ago and guided
her climb to theatrical fame, told
his story of the shooting yesterday.
1t varied in two important essen
tials from the descriptions furnished
by Mr.. Alderman, Miss Etting and
Miss Snyder.
Claims Alderman Armed.
They said Mr.. Alderman was un-
armed and was shot as he opened
his mouth to plead with a cursing,
revolver waving Snyder. The de-
fendant testified he reached for his
own gun when Mr.. Alderman pro-
duced one and threatened him.
Mr.. Alderman charged Snyder
with forcing him, at gunpoint, to
drive to the house. Snyder de-
clared he went along at the pianist's
invitation.
En- route, "the Gimp" announced,
he remarked to Mr. Alderman that
he understood the pianist had been
showing friends picture of Miss
Etting in bathing suit and saying:
''look at those bedroom eyes :.
Boy, when I tickle the worries I
make 'em all fall. That's my new
honey"
When they reached the house, he
testified, they all went into the liv-
ing room and sat down.
Didn't Know He Had Gun.
II said to Ruth" he continued,
"'I hear you two are married.
She said That's none of your -
business Mr.. Alderman got up from
a piano bench and said the same
thing. With that he pulled a gun.
Ruth said Get the - I pulled
my gun and with that the lights
started to flicker. I shot in the
direction of Alderman. Then the
lights went out"
Under crosS-eXamination, he said
his gun was given him by the door
man of New York gambling house
one night when he won heavily. He
added that he couldn't recall putting
1t into his pocket the day of the
shooting, but:
II just remember that when I
thought he was about to shoot me,
I reached back to my hip pocket
and I was glad to find my gun was
there"
Alderman Shadowed.
y. b. Worley, former Canadian
mounted policeman, who followed
Snyder to the stand, testified he had
been "shadowing Mr.. Alderman for
Mrs. Alma Alderman, the pianist's
divorced wife, and that he was sit
ting in a car the night of the shoot
ing, saw Mr.. Alderman and another
man alight from another machine
and enter the house. He said Mr..
Alderman stopped to talk to a dog
in the street.
The blond Mrs. Alderman, called
to the stand to corroborate the fact
that Mr.. Worley was in her employ,
testified that her former husband
has not seen their 14-months-old
baby since it was month old and
has not contributed to its support.
The defense was expected to be
concluded today, but attorneys in
dicated that final arguments will
be DELAYED until Monday.