The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-31

Witnesses i'm the Keller Trial Firm I'm
Their Evidence.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
TERRE HATTIE, Ind, Jan. 30.-The de-
Tense fought hard to-day to break down the
circumstantial evidence going to show that
Clara Shanks did not drown herself. but
was murdered, and that the circumstances
pointed to the Keilers as the murderers.
In the opening statement for the defense
ex-Congressman Lamb had told the jury
that the case was worked up by scoun-
drel, that jack-leg lawyer named Thomas
was at the bottom of it, that he had filched
$50 out of the treasury of Fountain county
for his alleged services in behalf of justice,
that the jury would be given an opportunity
to see him. Prosecutor Maxwell conducted
the direct examination of eX-Sheriff Musser,
of Parke county. who was the first witness
on the stand this morning. He was called
10 testify that the grand jury, of which he
was foreman, did not know what means or
instruments were used by the defendants
in killing Clara Shanks. Frank Reynolds.
a photographer of Rockville, identified pho
tographs made in September of scenes about
the pool and of the Keller and Shanks
premises. One of the latter was taken from
the inside of Shanks's gate and showed
the summer kitchen of the Keller house, in
the window of which Maggie Keller is said
to have kept watch the Saturday afternoon
Josiah Allen, of Fountain county, who was
the first person TO take hold of the dead
girls body when il was found in the pool,
was on the stand for some time and was
put through a severe cross-examination. He
and Al Beason got the girls body from the
pool Her arms were stiff and her legs
were drawn up. When first taken out there
was no blood on her face, but soon after
ward blood flowed from her eyes, mouth
and nose. There were scratches on her
face, her lips were cut and under each eye
he w prIf yya ma kG hQr
throat, such would be made by finger
prints. de saw trail through the weeds
oyer f tn9 Bluff ana a6on rnry feet e from
spots on a log over which the trail led.
On Aug. / he went to the Keller place,
where he found what he thought were blood
spots on the rails of fence. He was with
Joseph Thomas, son of George Thomas,
whom the lawyers for the defense call
pettifogging lawyer and whom they are try
ing to show worked up the case against
the Kellers. They cut out pieces of the
wood containing the stains. On cross-exam-
ination Mr.. Lamb wanted to know the color
of the spots and if they could not have
been tobacco juice. The witness modified
his somewhat positive statement by saying
they looked like blood.
of his investigation at the house and at the
pool On July 26 he found a pair of trou-
sers belong1ng TO Dan Keller at Keller
house, on which there was a stain, which
he thought was blood, on the back of one
OF the legs below the knee, which was an
inca OF more Wlue anu EXTENDED nine lnCn-
es. He took the trousers away. The theory
of the State is that Dan Kellar carried the
body to the pool that night, and her bleed
ing head hung down over his back. In the
afternoon Sheriff Moore was too i'll TO go
on with his testimony, and George Thomas
was called. There was feverSh curiosity
TO know how he would stand the ordeal.
He told in direct examination his part with
other citizens in hunting evidence, and
then Lamb went after him like lion sure
of its prey, but the 'jack-leg'' lawyer had
so palpably the best of it that there was
no mistaking the effect on the jury, and
the general verdict was that Lamb had
been misnformed and made rash asser-
tons n his speech The witness kept his
temper better than the examiner, and was
clearer in his expressions. He never re-
ceived cent for his services
in the case. He had taken no
more active part than other citizens of
the neighborhood. The bill presented to
the County Commissioners of Fountain
county was shown to him triumphantly
but he declared 1t was the first time he
had ever II.
Then Mr.. Smms. appointed by the Judge
of the Fountain court, told Mr.. Lamb that
knew nothing of 1t until afterwards. and
that Thomas received none of the money
Thomas had been at the Keller house but
once, and had not supplied the grand jury
With a list OF witnesses In tho case and
had not done any of the many things he
ton TO employ lawyers to asst the State
and this he did in company with two 9TH
ers. the three being selected for the pur-
pose at a public meeting of citizens of the
vicinity of the tragedy.
Two women who helped prepare Clara
Shanks's body for burial told of the scars
and scratches on the face and of the indi-
cations of finger prints the throat.