Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-14
81
Father Unable
10 Testify al
Bryant 5 Trial
Both He and Son
Break Into Tears
At Defense Query
By Richard Rodgers
Ssur Stcff corresnondent

StuF Staff Correspondent
ELLICOTT CITY, Nd, July IA.
Eugene Elmer Bryant's father
was overcome with emotion on
the witness stand and unable
to testify today at his sons trial
for the murder Of his extranged
sweetheart.
The father. cambridge E. Bry-
ant. q milk pasteurizer for q
Washington dairy. had just been
asked whether his son had q
childhood accident that might
have had mental effects.
well. sir. when Eugene was q,
he was just starting to walk
the father began, and could speak
no more.
Son Breaks Into Tears.
At that, his son broke into
tears, the first time his COM
posure has been upset during
the trial.
Court then recessed.
The State today completed its
case against the 21-year old
Hillside (Md) Korean war vet
eran charged with the April is
Staying of Joan Marie Ruzza, II,
Suitland High School drum
n1ajorette.
Dismissal Is Refused.
A defense motion for dismissal
was denied by Judge James
Clark hearing the case in How
ard County Circuit Court after
its transfer from Prince Georges
County.
Howard Vogel, Bryant's law
yer. ran into trouble attempting
to establish by his own witnesses
that Bryant's mental condition
was changed by an auto accident
several years ago.
Edward L. Bigger, 1906 Fifty
fifth avenue. and Ellis L. Mace,
1912 Fifty-f1fth avenue. both of
Hillside. acquaintance Of the de-
PENDANT. testified they saw no
change in Bryant after his traffic
smashup.
But Mr.. Mace'S sister Resale
and his mother. Mrs. Helen l..
Mace. both testified the accident
left Bryant unstable mentally.
Judge Crane Called
The defense also called Trial
Magistrate Mia S. fIinman Crane
Of Upper Marlboro. She presided
at q March assault case against
Bryant when he was convicted of
trying to run his car over Miss
Ruzza, who had returned his
ring.
Mr.. vogel wanted her to relate
what she recalled Of the assault
testimony. But the court upheld
prosecution objections, and
Judge Crane was dismissed.
Before he began calling his
own witnesses, Mr.. Vogel was
defeated in an effort to question
Leonard Harrelson. a private de-
tective from Washington who
gave Bryant a lie detector test.
The defense lawyer astonished
the courtroom last night by in
sisting the lie detector graph be
admitted as evidence even though
it appeared damaging to his
client.
The prosecution side had the
lie detector test made. But the
States lawyers say they didn't
dream it could be admitted. They
said they had no intention Of
submitting it in evidence.
And Judge Clark said he never
heard Of a lie detector test adj
mitted in q Maryland court be-
fore.
BVSGs , NVutG1AtAUWs
Mr.. Vogel contends Bryant,s
confession was not voluntary,
but was wrung from him while he
was in deep psychological shock.
The dapper. defense attorney
says this shock was induced in
part by photos shown to the de-
fendant before he broke" The
pictures. exhibited in court, show
Miss Ruzza's body after the
medical examiners made various
incisions.
Mr.. Vogel has repeatedly de-
scribed his client as the, admitted
father OF her unborn baby.
Mr.. vogel told the bench he
needed the lie detector test in
evidence to "show this jury this
confession was not voluntary. =
He said it was significant his
client did not sign a confession
until after the lie detector test
Details Of Confession.
The confession tells how Bry-
ant. q Korean war veteran. stole
the gun from q friends home
and, on the night Of the shooting.
hunted up Miss Ruzza. He told
police he meant TO kill her and.
i had planned to shoot myself
! don't know why / didn't"
When he drew the, gun she
grabbed for it and he pulled the
trigger. the confession said.
HarreIson's Testimony.
Mr.. HARRISON testified Bryant
volunteered to submit to the lie
detector ITO prove his innocence. !"
The private detective twho
worked for Fulton Lewis. ir.. in
that hroadcaster's feud with st.
Marys County politicians said
the test produced g beautiful
chart q once-in-a-lifetim
chart. =
The detective claimed the tests
showed Bryant was lying when
he made several statements.
Union Leader Stricken
CINCINNATI. July Il tP.
Hugo Ernst, rs, general presi-
dent Of the AFL Hotel and Res