The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-02
Attorney John r. Lamb Charged the
Thomas BOY with killing n Girl
Fifteen Years Ago.
SIOUX INDIAN GIRL ORATOR
TAKES FIRST PLACE IN THE con-
TEST AT EARLHAM COLLEGE.
Unpaid Employees of the C. g. s. T..
Railroad Seize n Train at Lebanon
Captain McExee's $4,000 Suit.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
TERRE HAUTE. Ind, Feb The
dramatic incident OF the week in the Keller
murder trial came just before adjournment
OF court this afternoon, when Mr.. Lamb
attempted 10 make point for the defense
in his cross-examination of Joseph Thomas
son OF George Thomas. about whom Mr..
Lamb made the mistake in accusing him
OF filching $50 from the treasurer OF Foun-
tain county for alleged services in hunt
ing the murderers OF Clara Shanks. Joseph
Thomas had Identified a pair of Goman's
shoes he took from the Keller house late
In August after the 9Th OF July, when Clara
Shanks met her death. He also identified
a ricce Of stuInei fioorirg aiken from one
OF the rooms in the Keller house and pieces
OF the rail fence on which it is alleged
there were blood spots. caused at the time
Clara's Gead bo5y Was carried TO the pool
The defense had objected to the introduce
ton OF the evidence. but the objection was
overr1led and after the jury had handled
the shoes and the other articles, the cross
examination began. Mr.. Lamb said to
Thomas:
You are used to human blood. aren't you?
You Killed a girl in your county. didn't
your
reply
Didn't you shoot girl the night she
was married while you were with a chart
vari party?'
Il aid not" again exclaimed the witness.
Lamb then attempted to Justify his at
tack on the witness by insisting that he
had once admitted shooting the girl and
that he had been paying the girl atten-
ness baffied the lawyer by denying point
blank both statements put TO him in the
form Of questions. The story Lamb had
about fifteen years ago Thomas was with
a party of youths who had guns loaded
with wads and who fired them at the house
the night of the wedding Ore wad hap
pened to pass into the house through a
crack in the wall and, striking the girl
In the head. killed ner.
The cross-examination Is TO be continued
Monday. The shoes produced In evidences
belonged to Mrs. Keller. who said at the
court Of inquiry that she had not worn
them since the Saturday that Clara Shanks
met her death. There had been a drought
until the Saturday evening, when there was
ance Of having been worn In wet weather
and in the mud. The theory is that Mrs.
Kel,er's husband was not alore that night
when the body OF Clara Shanks was taken
There was a large crowd at the trial to-
day and further evidence duplicating Dan
Keller was brought out. Mrs. James Rice
was the first witness to-day. She went TO
.keller's house Sunday morning.. when Mag
gle and Mamie Keller beckOned 10 her after
Dan Shanks had shot at Dan Keller The
two women went to the Rice home a few
hundred yards away with her. They told
her about Clara's actions and said that one
day when some of Dams relatives were at
his house they were afraid TO remain TO
dinner for fear of being poisoned. as the
lard jar had been tempered with. James
Rice testified 10 going 10 the Keller house
at the same time and getting Dan to go
away with him. At one time he heard Dan
Keller say that he could prove by hve men
hof In Ghor ha6 ha had frQa rod
Clara east the road. Witness said TO
Keller that there were no tracks on the
road in that direction.
was with his father Sunday afternoon when
they met Dan Keller, who said he was re-
turning from Rockville. where he had driven
TO have Dan Shanks arrested for shooting
1T him. Dan asked II they found the. body
of Clara Shanks and when the witnesss
father said they had Dan asked If they took
anything else out OF the water. Mr.. Mickey
said that they had found a black sateen
shirt Then Dan asked If Clara was
marked any and when Mr.. Mickey said
there were scratches and scars on the face
Dan turned pale" Mr.. Lamb wanted to
know why he remembered the conversation
surprised at the questions by Dan because
he thought Dan knew all about finding the
body. At Sunday school that morning he
had heard that Dan Shanks had gone to
keller's and told Dan Keller about finding
the body.
Mr. j. II. Newlin. a graduate of Earlham
College, was one OF the committee Of five
selected at the cemetery. after the burial
OF Clara Shanks, TO examine the Keller
Wtb the iurv benaUse b ea Is an excepfsn
ally bright young man. The defense was
surprised at his evidence. since IL showed
n knew much more about the case than he
had previously told. Mr.. Lamb endeavored
10 break down his testimony. but got little
OF any Importance. Newlin unhesitatingly
admitted that he went TO the Keller house
TO find evidences of guilt against the Kel-
lers. He denied that he had taken any
more active part in preparing the case
sons.