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By May 1926, the newspaper had almost caught up to its rival in terms of circulation, and was closing the gap rapidly. In the weeks leading up to his assassination, Mellett began investigating the murder of a local underworld figure and whistleblower,
226:. He began using the paper to fight local corruption, and was soon successful in pressuring the mayor to suspend the police chief. His efforts also led to the conviction of two underworld figures. Under Mellett, the paper successfully supported a
270:, a detective from elsewhere, was successful in resolving the murder. As a result, four people, including not only Rudner, but the Canton police chief at the time, were sentenced to life imprisonment. The police chief was later acquitted.
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for their efforts in fighting corruption. The citation acknowledged
Mellett's own personal sacrifice. However, after Mellett's death, the newspaper returned to decline, and only months after winning the Pulitzer Prize, was bought out by
251:, of the crime, and printed what evidence he could obtain. He began to receive death threats, and hired a bodyguard, but decided to let him go, shortly before he was shot to death in his garage on July 16, 1926, at the age of 34.
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was created in Canton. Numerous books have also been written about his life, and an auditorium at
Indiana University, his alma mater, was named after him. In addition, Mellett Mall (now
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157:, as the child of a newspaper editor. He followed with the family tradition by becoming a journalist, as did several of his siblings. He studied at
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302:(1928) was based on Mellett's death. A teleplay about Mellett, titled "The Canton Story", was made in 1950. It appeared on October 13, 1950 in
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An early investigation by the local police (of which the integrity was later questioned) turned up nothing, but some time later,
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617:"OHIO AUTHORITIES BELIEVE 'PAT' McDERMOTT'S STORY OF MURDER OF DON R. MELLETT AS AN ACCIDENTAL RESULT OF PLOT TO SCARE EDITOR"
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597:"RUDNER TAKES STAND; FAIRFIELD MAN HEARD : FORMER POLICEMAN QUIZZED FOR STATE IN M'DERMOTT CASE"
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Murder of a journalist : the true story of the death of Donald Ring
Mellett
478:(18). New York City: Motion Picture Weekly Publishing Company: 8–10. 9 June 1928
356:"Ohio newspaper editor gunned down after exposing corrupt cops in 1920s crusade"
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who was assassinated after confronting local organized crime in his newspaper.
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380:"L. E. Judd, 83, Akron Editor Helped in '26 Murder Case (Published 1975)"
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was struggling, and had only half the circulation of its rival paper,
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After leaving college due to illness, Mellett took on work with the
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editor, played a major role in the investigation of the murder.
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candidate for mayor, in a town that had traditionally supported
146:(September 26, 1891 – July 16, 1926) was an American newspaper
501:. Indiana University School of Journalism. Archived from
203:. Then, in January 1925 he accepted an offer to edit the
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Donald Ring
Mellett, Journalist: The Shaping of a Martyr
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545:. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press.
439:"Pulitzer Prize Winners : Don Mellet"
310:Don Mellett Memorial Lecture in Journalism
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332:) in Canton was formerly named for him.
247:. He accused another underworld figure,
641:(list of articles about Mellet's death)
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354:Krajicek, David J. (28 January 2018).
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680:Indiana University Bloomington alumni
577:"Press Freedom Under Fire Of Snipers"
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278:The year after Mellett's death, the
191:. Some time later, he purchased the
326:Mellett Historic Site in Journalism
417:. Arcadia Publishing. p. 50.
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710:20th-century American journalists
670:Assassinated American journalists
284:Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
89:Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis
320:. Mellett was inducted into the
639:Don R. Mellett: A Canton Legend
534:. Southern Illinois University.
322:Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame
603:. December 22, 1926. p. 1
583:. December 10, 1933. p. 5
1:
715:Shortridge High School alumni
312:is named in his honor, as is
464:"Southern Editors Thrill at
695:People from Elwood, Indiana
626:. 18 March 1928. p. 2B
528:Glenn A. Himebaugh (1978).
411:Ronald E. Sterling (1998).
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499:"Donald R. Mellett · 1969"
700:Writers from Indianapolis
690:Writers from Canton, Ohio
675:Deaths by firearm in Ohio
665:American male journalists
129:Stance against corruption
16:American newspaper editor
305:Pulitzer Prize Playhouse
121:(January 1925-July 1926)
685:People murdered in Ohio
624:Brooklyn NY Daily Eagle
324:in 1969. In 1976, the
581:Chicago Sunday Tribune
539:Crowl, Thomas (2009).
282:was rewarded with the
705:Journalists from Ohio
296:The plot of the film
168:Indiana Daily Student
466:Freedom of the Press
318:Don R. Mellett Prize
299:Freedom of the Press
153:Mellett was born in
601:The Evening Gazette
314:New York University
144:Donald Ring Mellett
78:Cause of death
33:Donald Ring Mellett
384:The New York Times
159:Indiana University
98:Indiana University
36:September 26, 1891
567:Donald R. Mellett
424:978-0-7524-0818-7
280:Canton Daily News
216:At the time, the
206:Canton Daily News
188:National Enquirer
182:Indianapolis News
163:The Daily Student
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628:. Retrieved
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585:. Retrieved
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571:Find a Grave
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507:. Retrieved
503:the original
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175:Early career
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70:Canton, Ohio
660:1926 deaths
655:1891 births
482:13 February
245:Paul Kitzig
232:Republicans
649:Categories
397:2021-01-10
365:2021-01-10
336:References
268:Ora Slater
255:L. E. Judd
249:Ben Rudner
228:Democratic
218:Daily News
105:Occupation
62:1926-07-17
40:1891-09-26
392:0362-4331
165:(now the
185:and the
113:Employer
630:3 March
607:3 March
587:3 March
509:2 March
448:2 March
60: (
38: (
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308:. The
148:editor
134:Spouse
81:Murder
72:, U.S.
49:, U.S.
620:(PDF)
238:Death
632:2014
609:2014
589:2014
547:ISBN
511:2014
484:2024
450:2014
419:ISBN
388:ISSN
55:Died
29:Born
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209:in
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