The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-01-14
MURDER
Of David BeeTy, East Of Town,
Is Again Recalled
by Arrest of Two Former Celina
Girls--Sensation With Little Meat
Stirs Community

Considerable excitement was caus-
ed here the first of the week, when
information leaked out that Alma
Sweltzer and Marie Howard-Lutz,
daughters Of NJ. L. Merlca. formerly
owner of the secondhand store Of
Bob Landfair's on South Main street,
were being held in Jail here as ac-
completes in the murder of David
Beery, the old man. whose mutllat-
ed body was found on Wednesday
night, April 8, 1912. in the little
Western Ohio waiting station at the
Nickerson club house, a couple Of
miles east OF this city.
The girls were arrested last Sat
urday night by officers Duncan and
Heistan on a charge OF lettering.
It was rumored that they were en-
ticed here so they could be gotten
hold of and this story gained firmer
foundation Monday morning when
Mayor Scranton continued their cases
after arraignment, and they were
lodged in the county jail where they
are still being held.
The girls claim they were brought
to this city from Portland, Ind, by
Willis Shirk and Clyde Burris, both
of this city. The fact that these fell
lows were not arrested and held, as
we'll a sthe girls, lent more color to
the fact that they were being held,
as rumored, in connection with the
murder of Beery.
Marshal Duncan and Sheriff Pun
phrey spent yesterday at Portland
seeking more information on the al
legged story, but undoubtedly were
not very successful, as no arrests
resulted from the visit, although the
officers visited the eMrica home.
The report that the mother of the
girls had died in a Ft Wayne hospi
tai and in "a death-bed statement
mde certain accusations, porved to
be flse, she is alive and well at
Portland.
The girls seem to be of a rather
hardened sort and have told some
mixed up tales. Yesterday they re-
quested to see Mayor Scranton and
wantd him to have them released. |
He said last night that he would re-
lease them from custody to-day un-
less Prosecutor Myers filed other
charges on which to hold them.
Where the alleged story originated !
which caused the detention of the
two girls we have been unable to
solve, and all the information given
out by the officers is that there is
nothing OF the rumors ahoat and the
story as gahered, which is as follows
is purely rot:
The rumor is that quarrel be-
tween the girls caused one of them
to let out information to the effect
that hey had cen inmate biwth Berry
while living here and had found out
that he always carried considerable
money on his person. This informa-
tion was impaired to the husband
of one of the girls. the couple at
that time were living together as
common law partners. The trio
agreed that the girls would entice
Beery to the rear of the secondhand
store building on South Main street
and there secure his money. The
old man didn't play into their hands
as readily as expected and they at {
tempted to rob him. In the scufTle,
which to kplace in the darkened re-
cesses of the rear part of the bund-
ing Beery was struck couple of
hard blows by the man, with a blunt !
instrument which he had picked up
during the melee. /
When the trio realized they had
killed the old man they placed the
body in an old wagon and took it to :
the waiting station where it was
found by members of the Nickerson
club.
The story is certainly a good one,
but the deuce of the matter is to /
prove any of it. \
That's what is confronting Prose- {
cutor Myers and his assistants C