The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-04
elID JRJY INVESTIGATES
reElroy's Office Dismissed an At
tempted Murder Case
,.urNessES FROM WABASH.
.<smaan AshAelA, Who Almost Mar-
x MI. N~tghbor, and Was Lat
ArIoweA to 60 Free. u About
:. Go 10 Alaska, Hut the Grand
lazy May Stop Him-MeEiroy's
n..s.ns for Dismissisg Ashneid.

49,
~u,iag Attorney James 4. AcElroy. That
,se Investigation Is to be thorough one
.as made evident yesterday when the
sarv. instead of looking into the dismissal
!, ,ne criminal charges against Levi q.
smith and other warrant forgers. which
circumstances caused the jury 10 be i'm
,sns,sd. took up the investigation OK
$3.50 which was dismissed last summer
:, The instance OF the prosecuting attor-
- witnesses have already been ex-
sm;nee by the jury. The case IL that Of
william II. Ashfeld. who Was charged
nth assault; with intent TO commit maE-
Ar on one y. Peterson. and who was dis
eAargsd from custody by Judge Jacobs
spoa motion Of the prosecuting attorney.
The case IL made more interesting by the
f.et that Ashfield intends leaving ,omor-
,a~ for Dawson, ~ W. T. Five OF the
witnesses who appeared against Ashfieid
IN the former trial gave their testimony
be.ose the grand jury yesterday and i; il
known their testimony was against the
action taken by the prosecuting attorney
Ia the ease. IL Is said that today the jury
nj deliberate on the ACCESSIBILITY of
bringing IN a true bin against Ashteld.
II Ii said that the attention OF the grand
fury was called 10 the case by Postmaster
4 c. Esr.ey. Of Wabash. who is on the
tsFy The first action or the Jury on
Tuesday Was to have issued subpoenas
Tor a number of the witnesses in the Ash
Gxla assault case Perhaps the fact was
xLN r11 tsa+N .fox3 10
Alaska In short time AMI that quick
york would he necessary.
Witnesses Tell Their story.
Yesterdays witnesses were +. Peterson.
the man at whom Ashfield fired two
,Aots. r. b. Jones. J. W. Jones. Mrs. Il.
". IngIis and Mrs o. w. Nelson. all
prominent Wabash people. who testified
against Ashfield at the former trial AS
the inner workings Of the grand jury are
conducted behind closed doors and all con-
n<stea with the investigation are sworn
10 secrecy, the testimony they gave rs
rot known. The case. however, is Well
known.
Ashheli and Peterson had been
mixed 10 IN some trlnlng neighborhood
ROW which ended with Ashfield's taking
couple OF shots at Peterson on June
n OF last year. Peterson had Ashfiel1
arrested for assault with intent to com
mi, murder. Ashneld had Peterson ar
rested for assault. Then the prosecut-
inf attorneys office took hold OF the case.
In the justice court Deputy Prosecuting
Attorney Hart had the charge against
Peterson dismissed ana had Ashfield
bound over 70 the superior court on the
charge Of assault with n deadly weapon
with intent to intiiet bodily injury. The
prosecuting attorney filed Information
against him on August q and on Septem-
Der 10 appeared before Judge Jacobs and
asked thar the case tie dismissed, Ash
field had already paid all OF the costs
IN the case and Judge Jacobs dismissed
the charge.
II IA said tina. the witnesses testified
that Ashfieid was very bad man TO get
along with They testified that he had
hesn arrested twice before for assauting
o. threatening 20 kill his neighhors-
Henson Case Was Dismissed.
In looking into the case yesterday the
srand Jury. 1, is said. considered the mo-
tnn for dismissal made by the prosecut-
ing attorney and on which Judge Jacobs
dismissed the case. The motion sets
fefih that the SHOOTING came out Of a
esixhborhood dispute and that both were
Probably more ar less to blame; that
Peterson was a iaw-abiding citizen and
shat Ashiield was a Woodworking mar
res man respected by many Of his friends
sha neixhbers In the closing paragraph
ffcsecasing Attorney McElrcy says:
II Is believed that II this cause be dis
hlssed and discontinued. the defendant
VIZ I've psareahle and quiet life and
eshauct himself Ia the future as a law
.naaH's eiiisen aud IN conformits with the
avs Of this state. and owing 10 the fact
'hat II Il were pushed 10 trial his wife
ssi children would be- the principal suf-
hFsrs In case conviction was obtained.
1Aa tns further fact that no actal in
lafS Sas done by virtue OF his unlawful
se.S and the further fact that the costs
- we tAse nave been paid by the defend
~ @hi MS promise 10 conduct himself
- zoe 'afaFe as a law abiding citizen il
prneFed mat the ends cf Justice will
aetsea W
"aen indge Jacobs dismissed the
.hAFke against A~hhe,d. the prisoner was
steashi before the bar and told by judge
.sSoos that II he considered the action
ssSt zoe court WAS about To take a fual
.'Fe~suon or toe case. he was badly mis-
80 sfA Judge Jaeobs told him tina, II he
va net Keep away from Peterson and live
fsss*@hiy with the Yes: Of his neiShbors
ne Rad agreed. orders would issue TO
ne prosecuting attorney 20 reopen The
case.