Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-17
sTAIEsTo PRESENT
= STRONG OBJECTIONS
Wssener Convicted Of Imprisonins
and Trying to Extort Money From
Aged aehelor-Assistant State At.
torney Fletcher to Have Charge Of
Case on Appeal.
,cial to Times Republican.

WoFtn ana sentenced to twenty years
IN the penitentiary, will come before
the supreme court for oral argument
Thursday of this week. The state will
be represented by John Fletcher, as
e1stant attorney general
This is one Of the most sensational
cases ever tried in Polk county. The
evidence as prepared by Attorney
Fletcher in his brief and argument filed
with the supreme court, is as follows:
The defendant, at the time Of the
commission of the offense with which
he Is charged in the Indictment, was a
saioonkeeper in the city of Valley
Junction. In addition to being engaged
in the saloon, business he had con-
Quoted an ice business and owned soms
buildings on tho business street of
Valley junction. Among other prop
erty, he owned a two story building
that had been used as a hotel but
which, at the time of the commission
OF the offense, was not being used for
hotel purposes and only the lower part
OF the building was occupied, this part
being used for billiard and pool room.
This building is known in the record
short distance from his saloon. Adjoin-
ing this building was small one story
building which is known in the record
as the Little Gem restaurant, and ad-
Joining the Little Gem was a. two story
brick building, part of which was oc-
.cupied by the DreXel Cafe, and which
belonged to c. H. and j. T. As,hworth.
&c. II. and J. T. Ashworth were
brothers and bachelors who were be-
tween so and IS years of age. They
lived about mile north of Valley
Junction in a settlement KIN as
Glover Hills. These brothers 1ad ac-
cuInulatHu considerable properly and
were considered as among he YEA, h
lest men in ta* community. They
owned considerable land and had
quite bit Of property in VALLEY June
ticL. The defendant had been az
quainted with the Ashworths for sew
eral years and had transacted business
with them of various kinds at different
tines. 4 - !,
THE record shows that fellow by
the name of Frank Lavelle, who was a
sort of cumming switchman, had
drifted into Valley Junction some time
before the commission of this offense
and formed the acquaintance of the de-
PENDANT. He had been employed by the
defendant to do some work and had
made the 1defendant,s saloon a sort OF
headquarters.
zone days In the latter part of Sep
TENDER. 1915. the defendant proposed to
Lavelle that they kidnap an old fell
low whom he later learned to be C. Fl
Ashworth and hold him for ransom
He advised Layelle that it would be an
easy matter if they got possession of
Charles Ashworth to compel his BROTH
er. ]. T. Ashworth, to pay them $4,000.
Lavelle agreed to the defendants prop
osition and the kidnapping was to take
place as soon as possible after the de-
tails had been arranged. Defendan.
gave Larelle some money at different
times and furnished him money with
which to buy some new overalls, a
jumper. a red bandana handkerchief,
a revolver and some rope"
Threat to Kill.
The argument then shows that Veg
ener found C. II. Ashworth on Oct. 2,
1914. and got him to 60 into the va
cant room of the Little Gem restaurant
where Lavelle was in hiding on the
pretense Of showing him some needed
repairs. The statement of facts then
continues.
"Ashworth after. closing the rear
door, proceeded on thru the building
into the front room where Lavefle was
and then Lavelle jumped out from his
hiding place and, pointing revolver
at Ashworth told him to throw up his
hands and said to him we have got
you and there is no possible way for
you to get away. There is six of us
and every entrance is guarded At
about the same time Lavelle ordered
Wegener to get in behind Ashworth or
he would shoot him. Wegener did as
requested by Lavelle and at the time
Wegener said Crazy man; crazy man;
do everything he tells you Charlie or
he will kill us both Lavelle then said,
We have got you, you old - --
- to which Ashworth remarked,
What do you want?' and Lavelle re-
piled, I want your life or 100000
: "Ashworth then informed him that
his life would not do him, Lavelle, very
much good, and that $4,000 was a
good deal Of money. Wegener then in
CURED what Lavelle wanted Of him
and Lavelle stated that he wanted $780,
600 from the old man and $1,000 from
Wegener. Wegener took a diamond
ring from his finger and some change
and offered them to Lavelle. Lavelle
took the diamond ring but said to
Wegener, Get away with your change.
am not after that"
The statement says that Lavelle and
Ashworth got into a struggle and Veg.
ener went to the rear Of the building.
Ashworth called to Wegener to help
him take the revolver away from La
'velle.J Wegener came back and on
his asking Ashworth to let Lavelle up
he did SO and started with Wegener
who led Ashworth up to the second
floor, Of the Adams Hotel building and
into room. Lavelle followed and with
some rope succeeded in tying Ash.
worth to bed. Ashworth finally
agreed to write check for 5000, and
Lavelle ordered Wegener 70 go out and
get q blank check. He did 80. Wegener
later went out on the street and met
J. T. Ashworth and told him that his
brother had been kidnapped and was
peiuS Actu LII Aois'oAA aHu NC ""Aseu
to know what Ashworth was going to
do about putting up $4,000 for his
brother" J. T. Immediately started
out to find his brother.
Lavelle, who had been standing
guard over Ashworth, left the room to
look FOR Wegener. Ashworth managed
to get the ropes loose and escaped thru
window. Lavelle was later arrested
lleaasr 99eeneville He was indicted s.;;ii