Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1897-03-05
HIS Defense OUTLINED
WHY BUTLER TOOK CAPTAIN
wsLLER's NAME.
The Murderer Was n Marine on
%. NJ. \. Triumph when az
HonoIuiu in 1887.

I
corning the Australian murderer
Butler or Ashe, the extradition
proceedings not yet having ended.
There is little doubt that they
would be finished in time to allow
of his sailing on the Alameda
which is due at this port next
Thursday. His attorneys were
having trouble with the United
States Court, having endeavored
in the state courts to levy an
attachment for their fees on the
jewelry and other property found
in Buffers possession and needed
as evidence in his trials. For
this they have been cited for con-
tempt before the United States
Court on direct orders from the
Acknowledgement at Washington,
andtheir chances for heavy punish.
ment are good, as United States
courts always punish contempt
with all the severity the law
allows.
From a recent issue of The Call
it would appear that Butler was
in Honolulu in 1887, being at that
time on II. M. S. Triumph as n
marine. He was known on board
that vessel as "Darkie" Ashe. He
was identified the other day in
San Francisco by John Conway,
now in the employ of Goodall,
Perkins g. Co., and Thomas Col
Inns, in the office of the Superin-
tendent of Streets, who were Mt
one time sailors on board III. NJ.
S. Triumph.
When the two old sailors saw
the picture of Butler they recog-
nized the face. Collins was posi-
tive the man was their old ship
mate Ashe, and to make sure
Conway went to see him a few
days ago. the man Ashe was
with Conway and Collins in 1856,
when the Triumph, while on her
way out here from England, put
into Chile. While there detach-
ment of men were put on board
from the ship Liffey, which was
then doing duty as prisonship
for the confinement of minor
offenders. Ashe was among these.
He had been confined on board
the Liffey for stealing a ring. At
Victoria Conway and Collins,
whose terms had expired, left the
ship, and lost sight of Ashe.
At the City Prison Conway and
Butler recognized each other i'm
mediately, and they talked for
some time. TO Conway it is und-
erstood Butler outlined his pro-
posed defense when he is tried in
Australia. and also his reasons for
now being known as Weller.
Conway has told his friends
that Ashe made this statement.
He had a mining claim in the
Blue Mountains, but had no CAPT
tai to work it, consequently he ad.
vertised in the Sydney papers for
a companion with some means.
Captain Lee Weller responded,
he said, and agreed to join him.
On the day of Weller's death
Butler said he had left the place
where the mine was located, and
on his return he found the dead
body of Weller in the hole which
he had been digging.
He said he was "thunderstruck"
at this discovery and for a time
did not know what to do. To re.
turn to Sydney and report the
death OF his late companion would
create suspicion of his being the
murderer, and as he had no way
of disproving this he decided to
cover the body up and get out of
the country the best and quickest
way be could. Consequently he
said he made his way to New
castle and shipped on the Swan
hilda under the name Lee Weller,
thinking that should any inquiry
be made for Weller the conclu-
sion would be arrived at that he
had shipped and left the colonies,
thus averting any investigation as
to what had become of him. The
carrying away of the effects of
Weller, he continued, was a part
of the plan, 30 nothing could be
found belonging to the victim
that might in any way lead to an
inquiry as to his whereabouts.
This, it is understood, will be
Buffers defense when placed on