Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-02-11
End OF LlIIian AshIey,s Suit.

We made brief mention recently that
I Lillian Ashley had lost her 100000 suit
against Lucky" Baldwin for alleged be-
trayal. Since then there has been handed
us copy OF the San Francisco Chronicle
containing the courts decision, from
which we clip as follows:-
aThe court quoted from the correspond
ence between Miss Ashley and Baldwin
and also from Miss Ashleyis story. Judge
Slack declined to accept as true Miss Ash
leys statement that Baldwin promised to
adopt her. He found nothing to show
that Miss Ashley, after her experience
with Colonel Pope, the bicycle manuiac-
turer, concerning which there was some
testimony, was entitled to be considered
an innocent girl, unaccustomed to the
ways OF the world and lured TO her ruin
by the defendant.
Judge Slack recalled that Miss Ashley
never asserted that Baldwin had promised
TO marry her. II had been shown, how
ever, that on the night OF her arrival in
the city the plaintiff permitted Baldwin to
spend the night with her in her room in
the Baldwin motel. Commenting on his
Judge Slack said:
No more disgusting testimony than fhe
account OF the aged defendant OF what did
take place on this and other oc casions, dis
closing totally depraved nature, could
ever have been more uDbushingly uttered.
The conduct of the plaintiff was without
mitigating circumstance, but that Of the
defendant also deserves the severest con-
domination. The defendant was at the time
man nearly 66 years Of age. He had been
married several times and had wn-up
daughters. His then wife, to whom be had
been married about nine years, was living
with him in a residence a short distance
from the Baldwin hotel. His Illicit rela-
tons during the later years of bis life with
at least half dozen women, evidence of
which in one way or another crept into
the case, be did not attempt to deny. He
has no sense of shame whatever
The court decided that Miss Ashley's
brother had knowledge OF her relations
with Baldwin from the fact that he had
sent his sister several times to Baldwin's
rooms upon the latter's request.
May 70 1888, Miss Ashley left for the
East, her expenses being paid by Baldwin.
She never afterward received any money
from him except $40 given ner at the race
track in st. Louis. During her absence
she made her settlement with Pope, and
then employed Detective Joseph Wood
to demand large sum of money from
Baldwin. She returned to California end,
on December Z, 1898, gave birth to child.
now living, TO which she gave the name of
Baldwin.
Judge Slack concluded his opinion in
the following language:
1T is difficult to say which of the parties
Is more to blame, the plaintiff for prose-
cutting the action or the defendant for de-
Tending it. 1t is foul on both sides with.
out measure. The defendant must be freed
without punishment, not because he is in
nocent, but because the plaintiff is guilty.
A final blow, severe but just, must regret
fully and with pity be given the unfortu-
nate plaintiff, when she must go forth bur
dened with the offspring which the de-
PENDANT, by all the laws of morality, but
not of mankind, is bound TO support. Let
judgment be entered for the defendant.'s'