The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-03-24

A petition for divorce filed by Mrs, Ash
OF this city some weeks aVo, has precipi-
tate q into the courts case which prom
lees to cause one of the flercest fights in
many day in Canton, and one which IL
is probable will evolve some very startling
and sensational features before the mat
ter is ended. IL will be remembered that
several weeks before the petition for di
vorce was filed the NEws.D DEMOCRAT
printed the news that Mrs. Ash had an
piled TO the Probate Court to have her
husband, j. Powell Ash, adjudged insane
and sent to an Asylum, The court
after investigating the case, failed
to ind sufficient cause to warrant
him in holding Mr.. Ash as a Iunatic.
and refused to comply with the
petition OF Mrs. Ash. At this time the
family, lived on South High street and
With them resided one Dr.. Silvers who
had testified that the man was not Of
sound mentality and who seemed to be,
as was Mrs. Ash, very anxious TO get Mr.,
Ash oil to an asylum. Many rumors were In
circulation at that time that were pub
lished in this paper which intimated that
Mrs. Ash and DR.. Silyers were more than
ordinarily intimate and that they had on
pretext OF doctoring Mr.. Ash mado of
MIN a confrmed opium eater until he was
| IN complete subjeclion, when Mrs Ash
succeeded in having him turn over, all his
property to her. Mrs. Ash charged in her
petition for divorce that her husband was
a confirmed drunkard and opium eater
and was guilty Of cruelty.
After the filing of the petition little was
heard OF the case and the public at large
| supposed II would take its regular course
and a divorce probably bs granted. Such
| probably would have been the case had 1t
not been for the fact that Mr.. Ash
mas some relatives in PENNSYLVANIA who
| interested themselves in his weifsre and
cnnclnd"d to investigate the matter
They did SO and the result isfour prominent
| citizens of Evans City, Pa, came TO Cam
ton Sunday morning with on answer to
the petition OF Mrs. Ash. The parties are
Ezra hikens, brother-in-law of Mr..
AsD, kohert Ash, Anderson Ash and
| Joseph Ash who are cousina of the Can.
ton man. Their answer is already pre-
pared and is In the shape Of a cross psti.
ton. They ask that MIR. Ash he granted
! the divorce instead OF bis wife and that
the property he has heretofore transferred
to Iher be given back by the court. The
petition then goes on TO IN Ike some very
grave charges against Mr.. Ash, claiming
that she in conjunction with Dr.. SiIvprs
conspired together and fed Mr.
Ash opium for the purpose of
getting his property in which they have
succeeded. IL further charges her with
ndultery With DR.. Silver5 at Evans City, al
Youngstown and at Canton.
This answer has not yet been filed, but
| unless compromise Is effected at a con.
| ference to be neld this afternoon, it will be
| in the morning.
A NEws-DEMooRAT reporter saw the
| gentlemen This afternoon. They said
! they should demand that Ash be restored
| his farm aud oil interests and Mrs, Ash
| could have the balance of the property,
and unless thig is tone they will Iush the
case and probably have both her and
Silvers arrested for fraud and conspiracy.
Since coming 10 Canton Mr.. Ash's
friends have been looking up evidence
against Ars. Ash and Siivers and they
state that unless u compromise is made
some startling facts will be brought out.