Case Summary

In May 1869, defendant Eugene Crowne, was accused by Frank Vetter of committing adultery and fornication with his wife, Lena Vetter. The defendant was committed to jail by Sheriff James McAuliff, and bail was held in the sum of $1000 to secure his appearance at the October term of the district court. In August, Crowne and his attorney Frank P. Dugan petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus and stated Crowne had violated no law of the Territory of Washington and the cause of his restraint is illegal. An undated document stated Crowne was ordered to be discharged and his bond released. Frank Vetter, in the same month, petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus for custody of his child whom he had with Lena, Susannah Vetter, after it was discovered that Lena and Eugene were headed to Oregon with Susannah and their other child Minnie.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• Adultery
• Fornication

Sites of significance

• Walla Walla County Jail (Walla Walla, Washington)

Outcome

Writ allowed

Fate of bound party

Released from custody

Case Citation

Walla Walla County Government, Clerk, Territorial Court Civil/Criminal Case Files, 1860-1889, No. 96

Source material(s)

Case File

Length of case file

Between 11 and 20 pages

Related petitions

• In the matter of the application of F. Vetter for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

Repository(s)

• Washington State Archives, Eastern Regional Branch (Cheney, WA) (Cheney, Washington)

State

• Washington

People

• Crowne, Eugene (Eugene Crone) (bound party)
• Crowne, Eugene (Eugene Crone) (petitioner)
• Dugan, Frank P. (petitioner attorney)
• Wyche, James E. (judge)
• Kennedy, James K. (judge)
• McAuliff, James (respondent)
• Caton, N.T. (Nathan Thomas Caton) (respondent attorney)

• Additional parties

  Wyche, B.G. (Clerk)

  Reynolds, P.R. (Clerk)

  Vetter, F. (Affiant)

  Vetter, Lena (Wife of affiant)