The San Francisco call., 1897-01-21

for the purpose of the decision, has not been
an unequal one.
Crittenden was attorney for Miss Ashley
and Messrs. Lloyd and Wood and henry
E. Highton appeared for Baldwin.
The story of Miss Ashley's life Is taken
up and considered by the court. she ap-
pears to have lived quietly from her birth,
in 1868, until IN 1856 she left her native
place, Turnbridge, VT, and went TO Bos-
ton, Mass, for a visit. Then she met
John Osborn, became acquainted with
him on the cars without an Introduction.
had her photograph taken with nlm, ner
arm resting on his shoulder; accepted
iewelry from him, dlned with nlm ana
went with him to the theater. Speaking
OF Osborn and Miss Ashley the court says:
Exsctlv what transpired between them then
and sfterward cannot be determined, because
il largely depends upon statements by the
one and denied by the other OSBORN swears
to intimacy with the plaintlf NJ several PAGES
in Boston, which the plaintiff denies What
Osborn says in this particular may be dis
missed with the remark that creature VINO
is SO low in the scale OF humanity as TO volun-
teer such testimony of his own moral
obIiouitv, incriminating an unfortunate
woman and to consent 10 come from oregon
to give it a stipend of So per day. is, unless
corroborated, utterly unworthy OF peheI. Inc
tesfimony of poth parties, however, does show
that their relations were of a somewhat Tree
character.
After discrediting and passing censure
on Witnesses O'Keefe Wood and Barnes,
all residents Of Boston, the court con-
cludes that there is enough evidence 10
show that Miss Ashley's lie was not
without blenishes during her stay IN Bos-
ton. and several OF her letters are quoted
to show that this conclusion is well
founded. These letters were varlously ao-
dress ed-to horsemen and sporting gen.
tlemep.
Colonel H. c. Cnamblin's testimony. is
declared to "bear the stamp OF truth1ul-
ness" and he is exonerated from blame OF
completely in the matter.
Miss Ashlev's confession OF her relanons
with Colonel Albert A. Pope of Boston,
Mass. was then taken up by the court,
and it was found that this was established
by her own testimony in open court.
Judge Slack was of the opinion that these
relations were voluntary on her part; that
he paid her $50 on the occasion OF their
first meeting IN the Albemarle Hotel IN
Boston, and that he subsequently gave
her sums of money aggregating about
S325O finally obtaining from her release
OF all claims against him. He bought her
a little home in Pasadena, Cal, for S2O0O.
His Honor with a touch OF wearlness,
remarked that MISS Ashleys letters 10
Baldwin ''are too long to be reproduced
in full" Notwithstanding the fact that he
devoted about Il, 600 words TO the decision; !;
but he quotes from the correspondence In
a way to show the general tenor OF her
thoughts At the outset she appears to
think we'll of the proposition OF being
adopted in nice sort of a way" by him
but subsequently she drops into the habit
of calling m Lucky" Baldwin and her
missives contain many suggestive pass
ages that would be likely to give offense
to persons less prudish than even the
master OF Santa Anito rancho is in the
decision said to he. The court finds that
ther&never was genuine proposition for
Baldwin to legally adopt her, an adult