Evening star., 1938-12-13

Ruth Etting Faces
In Shooting Trial
Singer Admits Signing
Herself 'Nutsy' in Wire
To Aldermen
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 13.-Torch
Singer Ruth Etting, who signed her
self "Nutsy" in telegram to Pianist
Myrl Alderman, faced cross-exam-
inat1on today on her accusation that
Martin. the Gimp Snyder shot
Mr.. Alderman at the musicians
Hollywood Hills home last October
lis.
Miss Etting first took the stand
yesterday at Snyder's trial on six
felony charges--three of attempted
murder, two of kidnapping and one
OF carrying gun with the numbers
filed of.
In the same throaty voice which
brought her fame as a blues singer,
she charged Snyder, her husband
and manager for II years, with
threatening her life and with
Wounding Mr.. Alderman in the ab-
domen as he sat on piano bench
in the music room of his residence
She painted picture of a curs-
ing Snyder forcing Mr.. Alderman
at gunpoint into the home where
she and Snyder's daughter Edith
were preparing dinner, and an
nouncing "he had us all where he
wanted U.s."
Says Snyder Shot Twice.
Waving a pistol" Miss Ettine
testified, "he forced us into the
music room and told us this was
the end of all three of u.s."
She said Edith Snyder cried "Il
you're going to shoot, shoot!" Anc
her father snapped back II told you
to sit down."
Then" she declared, "Myr
opened his mouth and Snyder shot
twice-and then the light went out
Mr.. Alderman fell off the piano
bench on his face. I screamed.
Then Mr.. Snyder said: I've hac
my revenge. Now you can call the
police"
She described rushing to the bed.
room to get a revolver which "be.
cause OF his (Snyder's) recen.
threats" she had taken to MIR. Alder.
mans house.
He came after me-" she con.
tlnued, "and we met in the bedroom
He made grab for me. had the
gun behind my back and it ex-
ploded."
Admits Telegram.
She fled, she said, when Edith
ran into the room and separated
them. AS she ran from the house
she heard another shot and saw
Snyder dash past her and into the
street.
She divulged how at the time OF
her divorce she gave Snyder stocks
and securities valued at $4,000, q
half interest in her Beverly Hills
home and paid off $5O,O00 of his
gambling debts. Since then, she
said, he had tried to obtain more
money from her.
She was being cross-examined by
Defense Attorney Jerry Giesler
when court adjourned, but he had
not asked yet about the shooting.
She admitted that, leaving Chi
cago after her divorce last year,
she sent Mr.. Alderman a telegram
reading:
Everything went fine. Leaving
tonight on Santa Fe. Meet me at
Pasadena 7:35 am. Friday
(SigneO Nutsy"
Spent Much Time There.
She said she spent considerable
time at Mr.. Aldermans home, DOS.
sibly' signed tradesmens slips a.
Mrs. Alderman" and at times was
there as early as am.
To Mr.. Giesler's question '.in the
morning you would appear in house
dress and slippers?" she retorted.
i usually wore slacks."
Prosecution objections ruled out
such questions as:
Whether she told reporters after
the shooting that she and Alderman
were secretly wed in Tijuana, Mex
leo, last July is: whether she hac
conferred with Mr.. Alderman's law
yers regarding his 1928 900 damage
suit against Snyder growing out Of
the shooting, and whether she was
a defendant in a $15OOOO Glove
theft" suit filed by Mr.. Alderman's
second divorce wife, Alma.