The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-06
ALWAYS A FRIEND.
Porter Ashe Prepares a
Statement.
TREATMENT OF MRS. TERRY.
On Every Occasion He Defended
the Woman.
OF MRS. TERRY.
HILL AND WILLIAMS SCORED.
The Turfmen Say His Absence Only
Prevented Him From Prosecute
ing Terry's Slayer.


with his stable of racers. spent all day to-
day preparing a lengthy statement in an
swer to the charges recently made against
him before the Superior Court in San
Francisco by Thomas FL. Williams, backed
by a statement of Morgan Hill, alleging
the mismanagement of the estate of Sarah
Althea Terry, whose guardian he is.
Mr.. Ashe denies that he wasted or mis-
managed Mrs. Terry's estate or sold per-
sOnal property belonging thereto and con-
verted the proceeds to his own pocket or
violated his oath and duties under the laws
of California or neglected to take care of
his ward and provide her with the neces-
saries of life and proper medical attend
ance. The salient feature Of Mr.. Ashes
statement is as follows:
ITO recall public notice to some of the
incidents which led to Mrs. Terry's unfor-
tunate mental condition is like stsbbing
The dead. [ had hoped that the last act in
her dramatic career had ended, but this
man Williams has raised her from her
legal grave and attempted, wi the aid Of
her brother, to vent his veDgeful spite.
His unwarrantable acts force me. in JUS
tice TO myself. TO show to the public who
has been her good and true friend,
Thomas II. Williams, her brother, Morgan
Hill, or myself.
81 was not in California when the mur-
der was committed, which l sincerely be-
lievs unhiDged this poor woman's already
tottering reason. Had l been l would
have prosecuted the murderer when on
trial in the United States District Court.
and l would have cr0ss-exa mined Judge
Field when he appeared as chief witness
in his behalf.
Did Thomas 81. Williams or Morgan
Hill move in the matter? Did either of
them try to avenge Terry's death by
bringing the murderer to the bar of JUS
tice?
when a prejndieed press was heaping
calumny on a man so misrepresented, so
little understood. did either of these So
called frieEds Of the siandered dead raise
his voice In His behalf?
sWas It not ! who had to rush into the
breach and call down upon my head the
wrath of the dead mans enemies, because
| told the truth about Fields old political
enmity toward TerryP Was it not who
had to stand the yllification of Judge
Field until Terry's posthumuous letter,
made public by the Hon. Zach Montgom-
cry, completely viad;caied me and showed
that it was not / who lied?
upon my return to California. [ did
everything In my power toward helping
the widow arrange her husbands affairs.
When ber allowance was stopped after
ward she had abso lutely no income, no
real property. II Williams or Hill went
to her assistance then / am completely in
ignorance of the fact. / do know that
ever since she has been financially dis
tressed and in need, and thas her
brother refused her assistance to buy the
npcessaries of life. l have mailed letters
written by her to him at my solicitation
and have read his churlish refusaIs. At
last she became my absolute charge. /
furnished her with money to 90 to Arizona
and prosecute her legal battles there. l
time and again advanced her money to re-
deem jewels she had pawned TO pay for her
very sustenance.
"When tried in the United States Dis
trict Court for an offense for which she
had already been terribly punished, did
Williams go to her assistance? Did he in
terest himself in her or provide any of the
siuews of war? The daily papers re-
corded the fact that was there day after
day. watching and guarding her interests
and helping her make her defense.
"At the urgent request of Judge Levy,
the Superior Judge who committed her, /
consented to act as the guardian of her
estate and person after Thomas II.
Williams, who swears that he is her ola
and personal friend, her next friend abb
II. 10 nd
promise tn see that the brother would
relieve me upon his arrival in the State
from his Partisan home.
"Relying upon the promises made by
him in New York and the further prom.
ses of Williams that he would make him
keep his word. presented my pc ition for
guardianship with great misgivings, know
ing well the ill-fate which has befallen
everybody connected with this remarkable
woman and her case, save her brother.
who is a brilliant exempIifcation of the
old saying: He who fights and runs away,
lives to fight another day.
Immediately after her commitment
had her property in Fresno and in San
Francisco appraised by appraisers duly
appointed by court Her entire personal
DTOp6Iby was dppIhIocu Do Uelu& worth
S2951 Some few months previous Mira,
Terry had voluntarily decided me her
Fresno property to secure payment
of certain moneys / had from
time TO time given her. AS | had
never regarded this money In the
light of loan and had never
asked for scratch of the pen in evidence
therefor / was much surprised and begged
her to reconvey the properly, but when /
saw 1 would deeply offend her by so do
ing, l allowed the title to the property TO
stand In my name. When the in-
yent0ry was taken in Fresno l ex-
planned the condition of the prop
eriy to the gentleman appointed
to sppraise her Fresno belongings and put
in the appraisement as held by me in trust
for her, though the deed to me was aDso-
lutte on its face. Her equity in this prop
erty was appraised as being worth $4,000,
so her whole estate was appraised as being
worth S6951 This is the vast estate which
] am accused of having been splurg-
ing on the last two or three years
1F