Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-12-27
ASHLEY AND GIRL WE'D
AFTER BEING FREED
OF SUSPICION
RELEASE L0PATKA
PERU AUTO MECHANIC ALLEGED
TO HAVE SAID HE KNEW KILL.
Ea, PROVES ALlel AND DENIES
PASSING SUCH A REMARK.

Walter f. Lopatka OF Peru, who
was arrested by the Peru police at
, o'clock yesterday morning, was re-
leased from custody at o'clock last
night after the county authorities
had arrived at decision that he
knew nothing whatever of the mur-
der Of the late Ralph G. Esmond.
Thirty minutes later Mr., and Mrs
Ernest II. Ashley OF Peoria. who had
been living illegally together as man
and wife, and who were arrested on
an adultery charge, following a quiz
into the Esmond murder, were legal
ly plighung their troths before a 10.
cal minister. promising to live to.
gether until death do us part"
The release OF Lopatka and of Mr.
and Mrs. Ashley from custody elm.
mated two phases Of the investiga-
tion that had been carefully followed
up. and the authorities almost imme-
diately shifted their searchlight of
investigation to other cews.
Lopatka was taken into custody
after 1t was reported to the police
that he stated. HE knew who killed
Esmond." He denied having made
the statement. He was brought to
Ottawa early yesterday afternoon and
was taken to the states attorneys of.
flee for rigid grilling
Denies Making Remark.
He denied having made such re-
mark. and claimed that both he and
the man whom he was alleged to
have made II to were drinking at
the time. On Christmas night, he
said, he visited several soft drink
parlors. At one parlor, he alleges,
the recent killing of a Chicago po-
liceman by two bandits was discuss.
ed.
Lopatka produced evidence to show
that Dec. l6, the night of Esmond's
murder, he was at work In the Nc
Kinney Motor Co. garage, in La Sale,
but was laid off that night He has
been around Peru ever since On
Christmas day, he alleged. he start
ed to Davenport, Ia, in search Of
employment Before leaving Peru,
he visited several soft drink parlors.
1t was in one of these that he was
said to have made the remark to a
companion. which resulted in his
being taken into custody. He was en-
route to the train for Davenport, he
claimed when the officers took him
In charge.
Lopatka, upon being released, was
told by the states attorney to not
leave Peru for some time. While the
authorities feel certain that the man
knows nothing of the crime, they
were today making further check
on his story
Ashiey's Story urshakable.
Before Ashley was allowed to leave
the Jail where be and his wife have
been held, since it was known they
had never been legally married. ev-
cry effort was made to get the for
mer, who had found the body, to
change his story-to contradict him
self. or to show some indication that
he was hiding something or was in
some manner shielding some one who
was in some way connected with the
crime. The authorities we're unable
to do this; and after spending seem
ing endless vigils in the investigation
and making careful check and re-
check on every phase of his state
ments, they decided he was in no
way implicated in the crime
Permitted to Marry.
About 7 O'Clock last night, Ashley
and his "wife," who had been in the
states attorneys Office for an in
vestigation. were informed that II
they wished to get married the charge
of adultery, which had been preferred
against them, would be dropped.
They both had previously expressed
their desire to marry, and were over
joyed at the opportunity thus afford
ed them to escape punishment
Sheriff Welter phoned County Clerk
Thomas A. Ferguson, asking him to
come down town and issue marriage
license.
Mr.. Ferguson prepared the docu-
ment. Ashley gave his name as En-
nest H. Ashley. aged II. of Peoria.
Mrs. Ashley used her legal name.
Alice Marian Boyer. of Peoria. She
ALWAYS used this name until six
months ago. when she decided to defy
conventions and become the common
law wife of Ashley. She gave her
age as 20 years.
Mother Attends Wedding.
From the court house the couple
went TO the Methodist parsonage,
where they took the vows neglected
last June, when they started house