The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-10-13
A
DEFENSE
Erie Detective Curry Has
Something to Say.
CLAIMS WRONG DONE
Jusufies the Arrest and De.
tcntion of Wells.
Lieutenant Comes to the Defense Of
the Men whu Had the Man
Placed in Jail.

E. G.. Curry, lieutenants of the
Eric police has the following to say
regarding the recent arrest of Alfred
Wells, who was released from the
county Jail through the efforts Of
several newspaper men who had in
vestigated his case:
Lieut.. E. G. Curry mas the follow
ing TO say: ......
The well dressed. fine looking young
man (aged 80 years. and VINO was
stated to have been accustomed to an
atmosphere of refinement as stated in
an article appearing in the Daily
Mirror of the 9Th inst has a police
record in the City OF Akron, o., as
long as the moral law, having been
arrested for numerous onenses and
served time in the workhouse. II Is
stated by the chief Of police OF Ak
ron that this 'Personhcation of In
nocen e" alias Alfred Wells, was
pal Of George Eldrich ana John Wells,
alias John Williams, alias John Will
Alfred Wel'.. they both having been
sent 10 the Ohio state penitcntiary
from Stark county for ten years
each for breaking and entering a
dwelling house In the night time,
and are now serving their term at
Columbus The visiting card to the
penitentiary found upon the person OF
Wells by thc Erie Police gave the
Prison No. of 35i1S, wet Wing, is
sued Nov. ith, 1906, to one Alfred
Wells to visit one John Williams,
his brother. There was also found
upon the person Of this Angel Ter
re .tial" alias Wells. an old rusty raz-
or blade, without handle one large
and one small knife, together with
the ordinary hobo outfit Customary to
thugs and knights of the road
AS to personal appearance. of this
so called refined gentleman (who was
fluukoy Of l.. d. Sewar, Of Akron)
he wore an imitation black satin
shirt, bill cap with the crown of a
stiff dlcer hat underneath device
used by crooks to make quick
changes in their personal appearance
and also fer the purpose of conceal
ing yaluablcs a, Is well known by
any experienced officer who has ever
come In contact with professional
crooks. The arresting officers state
that upon leaving the Eric Telegraph
office, just a few moments before
No. . west bound was due, they dis.
covered Mr.. Wells alfred in his Inn
macula,e raimont nrouching In the
shadow of the Marion steam Shovel
works and on the Erie right of way,
where all hobos and train riders hide
to catch the out going passenger
trains West, and upon being accosted
by the officers AS to where ne was
going. what he was doing. ETC., he
replied that he was doing nothing
and going nowhere, and VAS unable 10
give any sati factory account of him
self. He was then Immediately placed
under arrest and confined in the City
Prison until the following morning,
at which time he was arraigned be-
fore Chas, E. Gompf, Justice of the
Peace, and Plead guilty 10 the charge
of trespass placed against him and
was fined the sum Of one dollar and
costs and in default of payment he
was committed to the county jail
Some time later in the day three or
four sympathizers of Wells together
with Fred Craner newspaper re-
porter who II is said /, relative of
the Wells Bros, called l,pon Auditor
C.. H. Allen, who upon their state
ment and despite ,he fact that Wells
had a sufficient amount Of money on
hic nnrsnn In nav his hnn immnhl