The following is word for word from a section of the testimony given by the state's star witness, Charles Dryer, one of the defendants. The Harrison Prosecutor, Fed Orum, was asking the questions. This occurred on before noon on Wednesday September 19, 1938 in the Harrison County Court room Cadiz, Ohio during the Sereno trail. The 1st of the 3 trials. The defendants were Peter Sereno, Bernard Massulla, Booker Johnson, and Charles Dryer (also known as Ford)
"Q. After you have met these men as you testified to, what if anything did you do -- the four of you? A. We got in a car; we went towards Steubenville.
Q. When you got in the car was anything said by any other occupants as to where you were going? A. Not at the time until after we got to Steubenville.
Q. Did you come to Steubenville? A. Yes.
Q. Did you stop at Steubenville? A. Yes.
Q. Where did you stop in Steubenville? A. We stopped at a house on Wells Street.: the fellow that was supposed to run the hose was named "Steubenville Skip".
Q. That name "Steubenville Skip", is that a nick name? A. That is the name I have know him by -- I don't know.
Q. Did you stop at this place in Steubenville -- the car load of you? A. We stopped and Massulla and Book Johnson got out and went inside.
Q. Who remained in the car? A. Sereno and myself.
Q. How long did you sit there in the car, you and Sereno? A. We sat there approximately 15 minutes.
Q. What if anything then happened , after you sat there 15 minutes? A. After we had been there 15 minute Johnson and Massulla came out again.
Q. Then what did they do? A. They said we were going to Delaware, Ohio.
Q. Where did they say they were going? A. They said they were going to Delaware, Ohio.
Q. Who said this? A. Johnson and Massulla said that when they came out.
Q. Did they say why they were going to Delaware, Ohio? A. Massulla had an appointment with a girl there.
Q. Who told you that? A. He said so himself.
Q. Sir? A. He said so himself.
Q. How long did you remain at "Skip's" in Steubenville before leaving for another part of Ohio? A. About 15 minutes.
Q. Where did you go from Steubenville? A. We left Steubenville for Delaware.
Q. Taking what road if you know? A. So far as I know, Route 22 up to Zanesville. We turned off there.
Q. Prior to this trip you are speaking of, how many times had you been in Ohio, Charley, before that time? A. I had been in Ohio twice before that.
Q. To what place? A. Steubenville.
Q. Was you to "Steubenville Skips" those two times? A. No I have never been there before.
Q. Where did you go to Steubenville before this day? A. I went with a cousin of mine to visit a friend of his.
Q. How long prior to last spring or spring before last, was that you had been there? A. About a year.
Q. Is Steubenville as far west in Ohio as you had ever been before this time you speak of? A. Yes.
Q. Now Charley, did you arrive at Delaware on this trip? Did you go to Delaware? A. Yes
Q. Who told you it was Delaware? A. When we got to where we were at, Massulla said this was Delaware.
Q. After you arrived at Delaware or this place Massulla said was Delaware, what if anything happened then, Charlie-- what did you immediately after arriving at this town? A. When we arrived there we met the girl after we arrived there.
Q. How did you meet this girl? A. We was going along a street there--there is a girl standing about the middle of the block; Massulla said stop the car and he got out and went over and talked to the girl.
Q. about how long a time did he talk to this girl? A. Well, it was about two or three minutes.
Q. Then what if anything, happened next? A. He brought her over to the car and she saw the three of us in there-- the other three, and said she didn't want to go with him then.
Q. Then what reply was given to that? A. He said "You are going anyway".
Q. What did the girl say? A. She said she didn't want to go so he slapped her.
Q. Who did? A. Massulla slapped her. Held her arms and put her in the car.
Q. Did anyone else assist in putting her in the car? A. After the girl was in the car Johnson held her hands: she kicked me and I held her legs.
Q. What happened after that-- what seat was this girl in? A. In the rear seat.
Q. Who was in the rear seat with the girl? A. Myself, Massulla and Johnson.
Q. What kind of car were you driving on that trip? A. A Buick '35 or '35.
Q. What kind of body did it have? A. Sedan.
Q. Four door car? A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know who claimed to own this car? A. Johnson claimed to own it.
Q. After the girl was in the back seat of the car with as you say, Massulla, Johnson and yourself, what next happened? A. Well, she was struggling trying to get loose and Massulla took a hypo and gave her a shot in the arm with it.
Q. What do you mean by "hypo", Charles? What is a hypo? A. It is an instrument you administer shots to a person with.
Q. What kind of shots-- what kind of material? A. Narcotics. Or different intoxicants.
Q. What if any reaction did this shot have on this girl? A. It quieted her and she stopped struggling.
Q. Now, where was the car and where was the crowd when this hypo was administered? Did you do that while it was standing along the curb? A. The car was still standing there.
Q. Then did the car afterwards move out of there? A. Yes; Johnson got out-- she had a overnight bag with her; he got out put the bag in the car and got in the front seat.
Q. Whit whom? A. Sereno.
Q. Where did the car go to with this crowd? A. We went back towards Steubenville.
Q. Did you ever arrive at Steubenville on this trip? A. Yes, we went back to Steubenville.
Q. Did you stop at Steubenville on your way back? A. Yes, we did.
Q. Where did you stop? A. The same house were Johnson and Massulla stopped before we went to Delaware.
Q. Did anybody get out of the car at this place? A. Johnson and Massulla got out with the girl.
Q. What if anything did Jonson, Massulla and the girl do? A. The girl was taken into the house.
Q. Can you describe to the jury how she was taken into the house? A. There was one on each side of her that helped her out of the car and took her in the house that way.
Q. Did you make any observation of the condition of the girl when she was taken out of the car at Steubenville? A. She acted as if she was under the influence of a narcotic.
Q. How long did your crowd remain in Steubenville at that time? A. We were there about ten minutes.
Q. Did you get out of the car? A. I got out and started to take the overnight bag in and Johnson taken it from me and told me to stay there.
Q. Who did go into the house if anybody? A. Jonson and Massulla.
Q. Did anybody but Johnson and Massulla go into the house? A. And the girl.
Q. Who remained outside with you? A. Sereno.
Q. Was he still driving the car? A. Yes.
Q. How long was it before Johnson and Massulla returned to the car? A. About ten minutes.
Q. Then what if anything was done next by the four of you? A. When they came out we went back to Pittsburgh."
