The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1915-05-28
[standard, May 22.l

Prosecutor Myers statement to the
Court in the Wagner and Ayers cases
was full and complete. Nobody should
condemn Prosecutor Myers. He did his
full duty His statement is as follows:
May the Court. please
This indictment Is brought under sec
tion 1914 G. c., which reads as follows
Whoever, being eighteen years of age.
carnally knows and abuses a female per-
son under the age'of sixteen years with
her consent shall be imprisoned in the
penetentiary not less than one year or
more than twenty years, or six months in
the county Jail or workhouse. The court
is authorized to hear testimony in miti-
cation or aggravation Of such sentence.
That is the section Of the law that this
Indictment is based on
AS to the sentence in this case, / will
not begin to take it upon myself because
with all seriousness feel that this court
with his many years of experience in pub
lie life, and with his many years as a law
yer, practicing law, and with his many
years of experience, especially as a judge
that it would be improper for me to make
any suggestion as to the sentence in this
a young man, young in experience, in
public life and cannot see where it would
be proper for me to advise the Court, es-
pecially along that line.
| feel that of all the tasks that ! have
had to perform in my short career, that
there is none that weighted more heaV-
lily upon my mind than this one, and es-
pecially since it was intimated to me that
they would probably enter the plea that
they have entered, that of Guilty" My
task would have been easier to perform
10 nd nf trio is "a
cause here it falls upon my. shoulders to
inform the court of the facts and sur
roundings of this case, and as said to
families of these defendants and to their
attorneys, that | would make a plain
statement of the facts of this case as
they are known to me, and that further
because l felt that the court, was much
more able, with his years of experience,
to do, than l would be to advise.
1t is fact, have feeling of sym
these defendants, and their wives, and
Mr.. Ayers little girl / believe their par
ents are good people, and that their
wives are good women, and | know that
Mr.. Ayers has as bright little girl as we
probably have in our town; because of
this it makes my duty more unpleasant,
put still it is duty; it is a sworn duty
it is a duty that | owe to this little girl
in her unfortunate condition and TO the
people and ourselves, in this great state
of ours this county and this town.
llll5 6lll 10 al VI BIitih 81 -
with adopted parents. She is II years
and months of age, if | remember cor
rectly, She weighs about 80 to 80
pounds. She wears short dresses and ap-
know-I don't know, l don't believe that
her parentage has been OF the best,
which the court might well understand
because children of good parents rarely
fan in these unfortunate circumstances.
This girl, according to her story, was
met down street by Mr.. Wagner one of
I. Ia,N af
to a room in the Odd Fellow Temple, on
West Market street, Celina, Ohio This
room was equipped with a toilet, and
some furniture, including a couch, | be
leve as she described it. She was taken
there by Mr.. Wagner, and while she was
there, according to her story, on the first
occasion, she had sexual relation with
him. But as it appeared to the Grand
Jury, and out of fairness to the DEFEND
ants, from the girls conversation, al
though denied by her, this is probably not
the first time she has fallen. She says
Mr.. Wagner is the first party she ever
had sexual relation with. but l will say in
all fairness to the defendants, from the
girls conversation it appeared to the
ably been with somebody prior to TINS
time
She was there on several occasions, ac-
cording to the girls testimony Later on
she was introduced to Mr.. Ayers by MIR.
Wagner, and taken to the same room
In fairness to Mr.. Ayers, according to the
ship with him but once, while with Mr..
Wagner four or five times.
This room whichAWaS rented, l belleVe
was rented in the name of Mr.. Ayers, the
purpose of which do not know, was used
by both of the defendants, and | do not
know for what other purpose 1t was used
except as a place to take this girl.
Evidence before the Grand Jury shows
that the girl was at the age when she was
changing from girlhood to Womanhood, as
the court will probably understand
Evidence before the Grand Jury shows
that after Mr.. Wagner was arrested, and
after Mr. Ayers name had been mention
ed as connected with the case for some
reason or other which | do not know q
purse was arranged of about $500. and
girl, and she was taken from the Juris-
diction of this court taken to lndtanap-
oils, Ind. She was later apprehended, and
the money turned over to the officers.
Evidence also shows that both of these
defendants had frequently been with
other girls and other women, this one
girl that I know of under age they have
been with.
Now that about covers the material
AS to the girls condition. l do not
know. l don't know whether the girl is
in a family way or not, l do not know
that she has been examined.
The girl Is with the sheriff at his resi-
dence and it, the court will care to in
quire of the girl. she will be brought into
court for that purpose at the Courts re-
quest
all the material facts and circumstances
of this case, as they were within my
knowledge, all that / can give as reliable
facts There might be some minute Cir
stances still untold, but which would be
of no aid to the court
] have not talked to either one of these