The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-10-07
PROTESTS
INNOCENCE
Cleveland Man Arrested in
Erie Yards.
HE IS NOW In JAIL
Citizens Indignant at Erie's
Detectives.
Man Claims he was HurryiDg TO
the Depot TO Purchase a Ticket
to Dayton.

These Erie detectives who in the
few months they have been in the
city have mode arrests by the whole
sale and against whom there have
been irregularities in the handling
of prisoners, put another one over
Tuesday afternoon. when they ar
rested Alfred Wells, aged rs, Of
Cleveland and brought charge of
liotering and trespassng against
him.
Wells is nicely dressed, fine APP
pearirIy young man end is evidently
accustomed to an atmosphere OF
refinement. He was hurrying down
the Erie track toward the Union
I station when apprehended by the
, Erie detectives" When the detec
tives arrested him Wells protested
| claiming that he was hurrylng to
get to the stPtiCn to catch the
/ train for Dayton and he told the
officers that If they would go to the
station with him he would purchase
a ticket for that place Wells Is on
has way to Dayton to accept a po.
sition which he'd been offered him
It is now probable that he will lose
II through the eagerness OF the
sleuths who stand guard over the
Erie property and who have filled
up the county Jail with prisoners
arrested on various charges-prison
'ers whom the county must feed for
several weeks In order that the Eric
detectives may get their fees for
mrkng arrests.
Wells claims that while on the
way to the police station one OF
the Erie detectives offered to release
him II he would put up s. for his
appearance. He was too wise for that
though. he says, and would not
put up the money with the detective
The prisoner was then kept at
the city prison until ten o'clock this
morning before he was given a bit
of food. A policeman secured him
a sandwich. No Erie detective show |
ed up to give him his breakfast.
Wells WAS willing TO pay for
breakfast but could get no one to
go after 1t.
Finally he was taken to the court
OF Justice Gompf. where he was ar
raigned. The justice says that Wells
pleaded guilty TO the charge agpinst
him but Wells II axes denial of
this and claims that when he was
brought up he told him that he was
not guilty and explained the circum-
stnnces, whereupon the authorities.
declared that he was guilty aud
assessed fine of 81 and costs
Wells had his money put where II
could not be found and went 10
Jail rather than pay a fine under
these conditions
An effort is being mple to ge.
the young man out of Jail. County
Auditor c. L. Alien, who has the
power to release prisoners from the
county Jail when sent there for the
non-payment OF fines and costs. has
been appealed to and will investl.
gate the case ta.s afternoon. ATpny
have been aroused by the
practice OF the detectives and intend
that their cases shall be thorough.
~ investigated and If cases are mede
against them TO demand that the
Erie railroad employ them at some
other place than Marion. It hes
cost the county great amount to
iced these prisoners, most OF whom
are put in jail without the slight,
Est provocation.
80 far have the Erie men exceed ,
"a their authority in the past few I,
months thet the police have refused :
10 allow them to use the patrol !
wagon.