The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-23
ASHBY STILL SULLEN
MURDERER PREPARING FOR PLEA
OF INSANITY.
HE REFUSES TO REMEMBER.
POLICE THEORY OF HIS sURREN-
DER TO CONDUCTOR.

Wife slayer Probably Intended to
Go to MiIIer's station and Got
Stupefed with whisky, He Dis
closed His Identity and Asked for
PoIice-Confnement in Toilet
Room of Train Partially SObered
Him, and at That Time Insanity
Game Was Probably First Thought
of-His First Question shows That
He Recalled Shooting.
Lewis NJ. Ashby, the wife-murderer,
still remains sullen, but continues to as
sert that he has no recollection of any
thing that happened Friday. He would
have those who questioned him to be-
lieve that he remembers nothing of
the cowardly killing of his defenseless
wife. or of his escape from the city in
a street wagon.
Every effort has been made by the
officers to have the prisoner make
confession, but without any degree of
success. While, apparently, he is stolid
and Indifferent, those who know his
manner say that he is perfectly nat
ural. The police say that after the
tragedy he was probably prompted to
do things, while under the influence of
liquor, that he would not have done
in his sober senses.
The popular theory is that Ashby
purchased ticket at Stillwell for Sa-
vannah, intending to get off the train
when near Miller's station. All OF his
belongings are at his home at that
place, and the officers say that his first
intention was probably to reach that
point. After buying the ticket, Ashby
probably drank more whiskey and used
dope"
The combination befuddled his balm,
and when Conductor Herbert entered
the coach he disclosed his identity.
Although the alcohol clouded his mind,
he remembered what he had done
and told the conductor that he would
not leave the coach when this city was
reached until an officer had been noti-
fed. He stated that he wanted a pa
trolman to take charge of him, and the
conductor locked him in the toilet
room.
Ashby partially recovered his reas-
oning powers before this city
was reached, and probably dis
covered that he had made
serious mistake. The police theory
is that ar that time he
evolved the scheme to play temporary
insanity. That he knew what he had
done is brought out by the fact that
his first words when the handouts
were being placed on him were how
is my wife,"
The prisoner had a copy of the CO.
lurnbia State of Saturday when he
was taken from the toilet room and
probably purchased the paper for the
purpose of seeing If it con-
tanned an account of the homi-
eide. The story of the killing
was not III the Columbia paper.
and after he had been committed to
Jail Ashby asked for the Savannah
papers When Patrolman Umbach told
Ashby that his wife was dead, the man
paled trifie, but Immediately regain
ed his composure, and smoked a cigar
on his way to the police station house
He was asked what he had done with
his revolver. and hesitated for a mo-
ment. II don't guess that 1 had bet
ter say anything until l see my law
yer" said the prisoner.
Since his arrest Ashby has not said
a word that can be used against him
at his trial, and the officers say that
he is cleverly playing his part. Tailor
Arnold Seyden has known Ashby for
fifteen years, and visited him in his
cell yesterday morning. The prisoner
repeated that he could not remember
what had happened, and asked who
the jailor was. He wanted to create
the impression that his mind was blank
when he did say anything, he intended
his words TO convey that meaning.
The county and city officers. who
searched Ashby's house at Miller's
Station, report an interesting find The
house is a two-story affair. and it was
surrounded after nightfall. Detective
Wall and Deputy Fennell went on the
inside and conducted the search of the
place. The detective stated yesterday
that something like two wagon loads
of empty whisky TASKS were found in
the garnet and that packages of brom-
ide were also discovered.
The house was searched from top to
bottom by the officers, and a loaded
shotgun was found There was also
a large quantity of ammunition in the
place. The gun was unloaded and
brought to the city by the officers, who
had no way of knowing that Ashby
had been found. Letters were also
found in the house that would have
been valuable as a clew to Ashby's
whereabouts, had he not been under
arrest. The officers say that Ashby's
home would have furnished him an ex
cellent refuge and one that would have
had to be stormed to effect the capture
of the owner had he resisted. The MUIR