The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-19

Ashley, I know you WELL OF course,
he did. There was more talk. Barn
stead says, and then they walked off
together. No doubt the officer thought
best to make the arrest as quiet as
possible. and as we know (for Mr.
Barnstead is reliable witness so far
as he understands the facts) Ashley
walked right into the clutches of the
law. Why? Because there was no
other course open, and he deemed it
best to do so; and the experience of
criminals had proved that it is always
best to go quietly when arrest is UNI
avoidable.
You VIII recollect that Mr.. Barn
stead in his testimony could not swear
that he saw the meeting take place
Friday; but Mr.. Hurd is ready to az
firm, on his oath. that it was nearly
week later that he heard the ac-
count from Mr.. Barnstead. and that
1t was told to him as if it occurred on
Thursday. You will remember that
when cross-questioned he was not
sure, neither was he impressed with
the great resemblance between the two
who met at the depot. In fact. he
owned that he might not have
thought of it at all If he had not
heard afterwards. of the likeness
between the claimant and Hamilton
1t was remarkable. Sheriff Beden had
long whiskers, eyes of dark brown,
and hight corresponding to that Of
the claimant. Here is his photograph"
and Mr.. Ferguson laid it before the
jurymen.
Unfortunately for us the original
died two months ago, but he is descrb-
ed by witness as answering to the
description given of him by witness
Barnstead. We shall also produce evil
dence and the statements of the news
papers to prove that on May q Sheriff
Bedell arrested near Portland depot
the celebrated bank defaulter, Henry
Ashley, and the presumption is, it was
these two men that Mr.. Barnstead
saw meet.
ASHLEY was taken to Goodwill and
incarcerated in Jail there, and 1t was
in that town his hair changed from
light to dark. The prosecution does
not deny that this man. the prisoner
was the claimant, For that it was there
the remarkable change in the color of
his hair took place. 1t would be USE
less to do it. They only venture to
put in the plea that he was arrested
in the place of another, and to base
this they are compelled to set up the
absurd story of the twin brother
There is no twin brother, for he died
in infancy.
<AoiilCS as NlSlItu ile&I UlOTUlnB Ill
Jail by his wife. He denied that she
was his wife, and she did not contra
dict him until afterwards. Then she
said that she, was : his wife Ashley
got clear ON the plea of being insane.
and was sent to the asylum. From
there he escaped, was supposed to
have been drowned, worked awhile at
mill, and then came to Grovedale
where he got. employment in the mill
here. , II a. t1ic Drf,,
Edes. said he was never married
could not write; indeed, he appeared
to, be very flliterate. He worked as az
common hand at the mill until he
CHANGED to meet Mrs. Hamilton at
church and fell violently in love with
her.
He began to prosecute her with at
tentions, and finally won her interest
by finding her little boy who wander
ed away to the woods and got lost
Mrs Hamilton made him sundry pres
ents and professed to think he resem-
bled her husband Ashley, alias Edes,
began to learn to write and learned
astonishingly fast, writing the name
Constance over and over again. He
purchased a violin and began to play
Ashley was a fine player, as we shall
prove, and he was also we'll educated
Mr.. Hamilton could not play at all
Neither was he an ingenious work
man. Ashley was. Mrs. Hamilton put
on mourning and had monument
| made to erect 5togtl1e memory of her
husband. She often opened her vim
dow to listen to the strains of the
violin played by Primus Edes as she
knew him. The neighborhood began to
say that there was a strong attrac-
ton between the two, though they did
not say anything derogatory of Mrs
Hamilton. whose chara cter was gen.
orally considered as above reproach
Then Mr.. Hamilton returned with
straightforward story of loss OF
memory as the. reason for his deten-.
tion from home, and, very honorably
settled up the bank troubles, as he
said he could not absolutely affirm that
he had not done what was alleged of
him, for he knew nothing Of his acts
after he left Grovedale On the eth
of May. Mr.. Carter and his children
received him with open. arms. Not
so his wife. She pre- erred 10 doubt
him. A full examine / IN took place
before Justice Bailey, ard afterwards
the grand jury took cogl2an e of the
case, but dismissed II. Mr. Hamilton
took ur his place in the mill and in
the community, unchaller,,ed by "a
soul except his wife. Reports were
brought to him of her affection for