Police Reject New Mellett Murder Story
Article taken from The Lima News, February 21, 1932
PORTSMOUTH, O., Feb, 20-(AP)-Lloyd Lockhard, 27, was released by police here tonight a few hours after he surrendered and said he could solve the mystery of the slaying of Don R. Mellett, Canton vice crusading editor, in 1926.
Police discounted Lockhard's story that Mellett was killed by man he knew as "Louie Dian" and that Pat McDermott, convicted of the crime was innocent. He said he decided to tell his story after he read in newspapers that McDermott had tried to commit suicide in his cell at Ohio penitentiary, Columbus.
Lockhard, described by police as a well known character here, said he was riding in an automobile with McDermott, Dian and three women the night Mellett was killed. he said Dian left the car in Canton and returned a few minutes later in a nervous condition. Dian, Lockhard said, jumped quickly into the car and murmured "well, the job's done."
Lockhard told police he learned later that Dian's statement referred to the Mellett slaying. He said McDermott "took the rap" for Dian because he was "in love" with Dian's sister, May. The girl, Lockhard said, is employed in a Chicago restaurant 93609 Ogden-av.)
Before he walked into the police station, Lockhard telephoned his story to Warden Preston E. Thomas of the penitentiary.
The warden relayed the story to McDermott in the prison hospital and later informed the police that McDermott could not recall Lockhard's name. In his telephone conversation with the warden. Lockhard said that he killed Mellett but questioning by police brought the statement blaming the man he named as Dian.