The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-21
KILLED BY HUSBAND.
Continued from Tenth Page.

its behalf. The little one was at the
inquest last night with Mrs Sims, and
crawled about the court room, laugh
ing and prattling as if the proceeding
was something amusing. The baby did
not realize that her mother was lying
dead in the hospital, and that her
ia Their was being hunted down by the
officers of the law. Miss Viola Kennedy
of the Kings Daughters, agreed to take
the infant, and she will be placed in
the Day Nursery of that institution A
certificate as to the health of the baby
was furnished by Coroner Keller, and
the child will be admitted to the nurs-
cry where it will be properly reared.
Her mother was cared for in the Epis-
copal Orphan Home, and, too, lost her
life within stones throw of that in
Stitution.
Mrs. Sims was the only witness ex-
amined by the coroner's jury, and the
verdict of murder was returned on her
testimony. She witnessed the homicide
and heard the words that were spoken
before the fatal shots were fired. In
telling her story to the jury, Mrs. Sims
said:
Mrs. Sims Story.
when Mr.. Ashby first came to the
house he was there about an hour and
a half. Mrs. Ashby was in the kitchen
and he was standing in the door l was
in the parlor and heard him say let's
go upstairs and have a private talk.
She said she would not, that she
wouldn't go anywhere with him. He
asked her if she would live with him
If he rented house. She said no. l
went on the porch and heard him tell
her to go and dress, and come and take
a walk with him, that he had some
thing to tell her. He said it would be
his last time for he was going away
She came out of the house and sat on
the front door step. He knocked around
in the house and came out after a lit
tie He tickled her and leased her a
little, and then picked her up under
the arms and carried her in the house.
AS she went in the house she motion
ed me to come in and l went, and sat
in a chair with my baby. She was
sitting on a trunk in the same room
with me. He was standing in front
of us. He stepped back in the middle
room and took a drink. He said to
me, Mrs. Sims, love turns to hatred
sometimes, doesn't it?" He went to
the front door and looked up and down
the street. He came back in and said:
Matte you won't talk to me, but I'll
make you talk to me-" He laid his
hand on her shoulder and pulled his
pistol out, and went to shooting. He
emptied the pistol and then stood over
her and broke the pistol and reloaded
it. AShby had been drinking, but was
not drunk. After he emptied the re-
volver, l ran out with the children
He reloaded the weapon, fired two more
shots, went to the door and looked
out and then went in and fired once
more. Mrs. Ashby was screaming
while he was shooting her. They had
not been living together"
Had Been Cruel to Her.
Ashby and his wife separated about
two months ago, and she began action
against him for divorce, charging cruel
treatment. For years he made her life
miserable and beat her numerically.
The woman bore the hardships for the
sake of her children, and, encouraged
by her submission, Ashby continued
his nefarious conduct. The eldest chill
dren, who are boys, and 9 years of
age, were placed in the Bethesda Or
phan House by the mother when she
left Ashby. She had been living with
him at Miller's Station, where he owns
some property, and where he was en-
gagged in the business of a pot hunter.
She became weary of his cruel blows
and escaped to the city with her in
FAINT daughter and two boys. Mrs.
Ashby first began divorce proceedings
and then had three warrants issued
from Magistrate Jones' court. One
was a possessory warrant for her
clothing, which were held at Ashby's
house. One warrant was for wife
beating and the other was a peace war
rant When the constables reached the
house in the country Ashby was alb
sent, and the woman's clothing was
taken and shipped to the city. The
criminal warrant was never served.
Ashby was once employed as a troll
ley car conductor and is quite we'll
known. He resided on Park avenue,
near Lincoln street, several years ago
and at that time committed assaults
upon his wife. On more than one oc-
easion he threatened to kill neighbors
who offered interference, and the po-
lice were often called upon to arrest
him. Ashby lived with his mother at
that time and forced her to do drudg-
cry. although aged and feeble. At hel
death, he sold the property and moved.
His father was a well-known printer
and at one time played a part in local
notifies