Sheriff Orville Wells
Sheriff Wells was born on November 27, 1877, and died on September 3, 1952
Sheriff Orville Wells served as Sheriff of Grant County from 1935 to 1936
Sheriff Wells was elected Sheriff after a turbulent set of years. Sheriff Wells attempted to bring the Sheriff’s Deparment into the modern age by working closely with the Indiana State Police and obtaining Grant County’s first radio scanner for vehicles. Sheriff Wells even had success with it which shows in the following article:
From the Linton Daily Citizen issue date Friday, November 8, 1935
LABORATORY FOR WAR ON CRIME IS TO BE IMPROVED
Equipment for Recording Confessions is Considered.
DON STIVER, STATE CHIEF, GIVES PLAN
Believes State Has in Making Outstanding Police Force
By Frank A. White
I.N.S. Staff Correspondent
Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 7.—Indiana’s state police crime laboratory may ultimately contain equipment to record confessions of criminals in a sound movie reel that can be shown the jury as evidence, Donald Stiver, state safety inspector, said here today.
Superintendent Stiver, along with several other state police chiefs, saw the sound movie reel confession recording demonstrated by Major Norman Schwartzkopf of New Jersey, who figured in the search for the Lindbergh kidnapper. Such recording eliminates any talk that police have coerced a criminal in obtaining a confession, Stiver said.
It is the opinion of Superintendent Stiver who has just returned from the state police heads conference in New Jersey that Indiana has in the making one of the most outstanding police foreces in the country. White its budget will not permit immediate adding of such devices as sound recording it will come in time, he said.
Gangdom On Run.
Through the devices of police radio, chemical laboratory tests, ballistics, fingerprinting, and modern techinique, the forces of organized gangdom are on the run in the United States, superintendent Stiver believes. One thing that has done much to put a chill in the criminal has been the federal prison at Alcatraz Island in san Francisco Bay. In this prison there are no radios, no newspapers, no priviliges, all letters are rewritten to warrant against use of code, there is no talking except at specified hours, and the prison is practically exscape-proof.
The objective which superintendent Stiver is now working upon to improve the operation of the state police force is to obtain the warmest cooperation with law enforcement officers in towns, cities, counties and other local units to build up cordial relations with the Department of justice and to erase through such instruments as the interstate compact, in which Indiana has pioneered, state borders in pursuit of criminals.
Indiana’s new $75,000 police radio system which blankets Indiana and is an important link in radio communication in the middle west has done much to bring about cordial relations. All department of justice cars operating in Indiana, and those of most of the county sheriffs and local police are installing radio receiving sets tuned in on the state broadcasting system. A daily routine of messages are cleared in cooperation with Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Kenteucky, and neighboring states.
The efficiency of the state police radio is shown by the following instance. On Sept. 13 state police network broadcast that a car had been stolen in Grant County. One hour later four red headlights converged on a car driven by Marion Ault, 23, of Marion, Innd., the suspect. One motorcycle was from the state police, from the south Sheriff C. C. Currens, of Howard county, from the north the north came Kokomo detectives and from the east came Sheriff Orville Wells of Grant county. All had picked up the broadcast and joined in the arrest. In another case West Virginia authorities notified Indiana State Police of a woman wanted for murder supposed to be riding in a moving van. She was under arrest within 12 minutes after the broadcast by state police who heard the radio message on a motorcycle and made the arrest near Lebanon.
Bank robbing seems to have become an unpopular crime in Indiana with the increasing of the state police force and the close cooperation between agencies. Two years ago the Indiana Bankers association listed this state as the “black heart of bank banditry.” By coordinated effort Indiana officials solved nine of 12 bank robberies in 1934 and recovered $17,000 in loot. In 1935 Indiana had but three bank robberies to date. Other types of major crime can be made equally unpopular by local state and federal cooperation, it was state here.
Leader Tribune
September 4, 1952
FORMER COUNTY SHERIFF DIES
Orville Wells, 74, who served one term as sheriff of Grant County following his election in 1930, died at a nursing home in Charlotte, Mich. At 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. He had been ill for the past two and one-half years, following a stroke of paralysis. He had lived in Charlotte for the past 14 years, having moved to that city from Marion.
Born in Liberty Township, a son of the late James and Emmiline Wells, pioneer Grant County residents. Mr. Wells served two terms as Fairmount Township trustee in the 1920’s, and later served as deputy sheriff under Bert White and Jacob Campbell. He was a member and active leader of the Republican party. While acting as trustee he made his residence in Fairmount, moving to Marion after his election as sheriff.
Survivors include the widow, Hazel; one daughter, Virginia, Charlotte; one twin-brother, Otto, Fairmount; and two sisters, Miss Margaret Wells, Fairmount, and Mrs. Florence Bannnister, Toledo, O.
The body was removed Wednesday night at 425 N. Main St., Fairmount pending completion of funderal arrangements.
Chronicle Tribune
September 4, 1952
ORVILLE WELLS
FAIRMOUNT, Ind. – The body of Orville wells, 74 former Fairmount resident and sheriff of Grant County in 1930, has been taken to 425 N. Main St. He died at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at a Charlotte, Mich., nursing home. Relatives said he had been ill for two and one-half years after suffering a stroke of paralysis.
Mr. Wells moved to Charlotte approximately 14 years ago.
Son of James and Emiline Wells, Liberty Township, widely known Grant County residents. Mr. Wells served two terms as Fairmount Township trustee in the 1920’s. Later he was deputy sheriff under Sheriffs Bert White and Jacob Campbell. He was elected in 1930 and served one term as sheriff.
Mr. Wells was an active worker in the Republican party. While acting as trustee he established his residence in Fairmount. Later he became sheriff, he moved to Marion.
The following are the survivors; The widow, Hazel; one daughter, Virginia, Charlotte; one twin brother, Otto, Fairmount, and two sisters, Miss Margaret Wells, Fairmount and Mrs. Florence Bannister, Toledo, O.
Leader-Tribune
September 5, 1952
FUNERAL SERVICES ARE SET FOR ORVILLE WELLS
FAIRMOUNT- Funeral rites for Orville Wells, former Grant County sheriff, who died at a Charlotte, Mich., nursing hom Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. will be held at 425 N Main St. will be held at 425 N. Main St., Saturday at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Park Cemetery.
