The San Francisco call., 1897-01-21

woman who was perfect stranger TO him
and whose photograph he had never seen.
In one letter, dated at Richmond, Va,
Miss Ashley tells Baldwin that she took
chloral and tried to drown herself She
wrote:
have not been myself at all, because am
cared for as little child, not capable
drank choral last April and tried to drown
myself You would do the same or more, if
you were only girl surrounded by lot of old
''gone-by' society ladies', who lecture you to
death by their tongues ii they ever saw gen.
tleman speak to you. Now a spirited girl like
objects TO being always kept down this way,
and never have gentleman friend, so this
time just ran away, and my sole object was
TO run right to your arms and ask peace and
protection. But my money gave out, and l
could not go on without the ducats, so have
waited for you patiently as my only hope
from being taken back to Boston. Teleprams
Will fly, and l am already found. Oh, if only
could 10 elegraph me the money to come to you
would be in San Francisco as fast as steam
could fetch me.
Baldwin first called on Miss Ashley at
Winchester October s. 1891, and she ac-
companied him TO Boston on his way home.
In subsequent letter she asked to be
helped to California, and added:
will give you pretty little secret of the
schoolgirls now in rage, and that is silk under
clothes. All a girls underwear, beginning
with the stockings up TO the petticoat and cor
set waist, are dainty silk trimmed with silk
cobweb lace: all pretty pale evening shades,
and know just how. All l lack is the mate
rial to do with. Suppose some nice California
gentleman know tE. ]. b. sent it to me, or
the money to buy II. Oh, what supreme de-
light. With world of love to YOU, l
am as ever, Lilly.
The defendant never answered this
letter.
Touching the allegation that Baldwin
followed Miss Ashley the court says:~
The letters show the plaintiffs pursuit of the
defendant rather than the converse. The cor
respondence here ceased ior a time for the
evident reason that the pla intiff had become
enamored OF Pope.
After short acquaintance Pope wanted
her TO travel and offered heI $500 month
to 60 to California or Australia.
Baldwin's letters are sparingly quoted
by the court. They are not happily
phrased, though possibly less suggestive
than the woman's missives.
Continuing the history of the case Judge
Slack says:
On March 2, 1898, the plaintiff, accepting
the defendants invitation, came to san Fran
cisco, the defendant meeting her and she ac-
companying him to the Baldwin Hotel a hotel
owned by him, where he registered her as
''Mrs. Ashton" evidently by an understanding
between them. The plaintiff was at this time
a mature and robust woman 25 yearsof age.
seven months before she had submitted her.
self to the embraces OF Pope, for whom she
then and afterward, TO use her own words
had undying love. Less than month had
passed since she left Boston with money given
her by this man for the purpose of concealing
their guilty relations. How can It be Gained
in the face of such indisputable proof that she
was An innocent girl unaccustomed to the
ways of The world, allured 10 her ruin by the
defendant? What did she expect of the
de iendant when she should meet him, and
what did he expect of her?
In discussing the testimony of Baldwin
relating to the occurrences at the Bald in
Hotel, the court says: