The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-08
Is ASHB A PIEND?
Points for and Against the
Australian Accused Of MUIR
ders in the Bush.

a FRANCISCO, FEB. s, 1897.-Butler,
Asfie. or Weller, as he is variously known,
under arrest here charged with many muir
ders in Australia, was brought before Com
missioner Hancock this morning for pre-
liminary hearing on the application for ex-
tradition. 1t is probable the hearing will
consume three or four days.
Attorneys Donohue and Cormac, repre-
sentlng the British Government, have care
fully prepared their case and have no
doubt of the result. Mr.. Cornac has out
lined the prosecution as follows:-
We will show by twenty or more aft
davits that Captain Lee Weller was muir
dered by Butler, OF sAshe, as you please to
call him, about October 81, 1896. Our prin-
cipal witness is Detective McHattie. This
gentleman knew the real Captain Weller,
having met him frequently in Newcastle.
He will identify the watch and chain
found on Ashe as the property of the
dead man. He viii also identity the rubber
coat used by the man who shipped on the
SWanhilda as the property of the murder
ed Captain. In addition to this we have the
sworn statements of people who saw Ashe
and Weller together in Sydney and the
blue mountains. And then there is the adj
vertisement of HARDWOOD. We have the
original in our possession, the handwrit-
ing being Enthusiastically of Ashe. In the
Preston case, the evidence is even strong
er. We can show that Preston answered
the advertisement of HARDWOOD of Ashe or
Butler and that they had long conferences.
The affidavit of Charles J. Thompson, pro-
prietcr of the railway dining room, st.
George street, Sydney, is of it self enough
to warrant the 1yfr9difiop He QuyoorS fho r
on October Is, Preston and HarWood, now
identified as Ashe, left his hotel to catch
the 8 P. M. train.
The affiant happened to be a passenger
on he same train and saw the two men
leave the railway carriage at a point called
Elm Plains. On October Is, Thompson saw
HARDWOOD in Sydney again, but the latter
refused to give any explanation as to the
whereabouts of his companion. The dis
coyery of the body Of Preston and Ashes
presence in the neighborhood between Oc-
tober 10 and q is fully established. OF
course there are minor details which 1
cannot now recall, but which strengthens
the cases against the fiend of the bush.
The attorneys of Ashe will rely tenn
porarily on the counsel of the British Gov
ernment for the cue. They will contend
selves in such a position as will enable
them to fall back OF the third man"
theory. This will be strengthened by the
peculiar position in which McHattie finds
himself. Some months ago McHattie met
Lee Weller. It appears that the Captain
was fond of his toddy and not averse to a
good time. One morning Weller called ait
thep police station and reported the loss of
a considerable sum of money, some valu-
able papers and a gold watch and chain.
McHattie was detailed on the case and
soon recovered the property. Among the
articles were the discharge certificate used
by Ashe and the watch and chain found
on him. The defense will probably take
advantage of this escapade. They will en-
deavor to show that what happened once
could easily occur again. In other words,
it is possible that Ashe might have pur-
chased the articles found in his possession
from some wandering sailor.