The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-18
IN THE SWEAT BOX
Minnie Wallace Ketcham's But
ler Tells His Story.
Has Been in the WOman's En-
plOy For Over a Year.
AS MAN AND WIFE.
He Declares His Mistress and
Ketcbam so Lived
For Nearly a Year Previous to
the Marriage.
MUCH GOSSIP AFLOAT.
Many Ugly Stories of Mrs.
Ketcham's Past Life.
Dead Mans Relatives Will
Make Big Fight.
Have Plenty of Money and Will
Spend 1t.
For Nearly a Year Previous tC
the Marriage.
MUCH GOSSIP AFLOAT.
Many Ugly Stories of Mrs.
Ketcham's Past Life.
Dead Mans Relatives Will
Make a Big Fight.
Have Plenty of Money and Will
Spend 1t.

Chicago. Nov. 1S.-JOSeph Keller, but
Ter, valet and confidential man in the
Wallace-Ketcham household, and who
recently has become a notable figure in
the Ketcham mystery, was put in the
sweat box for two hours late last
night by Police Captain Homer. About
midnight Keller was released on de-
mand of Attorney Hessen, who agreed
to produce the butler if the police
should require him.
Captain Homer does not believe KeI-
Ter has told all he knows of the Ketch-
am case. His story of the trip to Mil
waukee and the subsequent marriage
of Ketcham to Mrs. Wallace, the cap
tain still considers incomplete.
In the sweat box" Keller was ques-
toned and questioned. During
this interview Keller made the follow
ing written statement:
My name is Joseph Keller. I have
been employed by Mrs. Wallace for one
year. have known Mr.. John b. Ketch-
am for nearly year. On September
"A accompanied Mrs. Wallace and Mr..
Ketcham to Milwaukee. We stopped
at the Manhattan hotel. We arrived in
Milwaukee about 8 o'clock at night.
About o'clock the next morning Mrs
Wallace and Mr.. Ketcham went out for
a drive. They returned about o'clock
in the hotel office and told me that he
had just got married to Mrs. Wallace
We all came home together that same
afternoon. over ten strangers have
stopped at the house within the last
30 days Mrs. Wallace and Mr.. ketch-
am have been living together as man
and wife for nearly year, but the mail
was always addressed to Mrs. Wallace
About the first of October Ketcham
came to me and told me he had made
his will and asked me to sign it. l did
so in the presence of himself and Mrs
Wallace. Mrs. TOney, a friend of Mrs.
Ketcham's, was the only other person
present"
When seen by a reporter after leav-
ing the sweat box Keller repeated
the substance of his statement. He de-
MED ne had represented Ketcham in the
marriage ceremony at Milwaukee and
insisted that Ketcham was the bride
gOOm.
It is said ex-State's Attorney Jacob
Kern has been retained to defend KeI-
Ter.
Criminal proceedings are threatened
against Mrs Minnie Wallace and sew
eral other persons, whose names have
not been divulged, but who, John BOr-
den Ketcham's relatives will charge,
were associated in what they charac-
teriZe as a conspiracy. Attorney James
E Purnell, representing the dead bank
ers family said last night that enough
evidence relative to John B. Ketcham's
life in the Indiana avenue house, as well
as the marriage that was performed in
Milwaukee last September had been
collected by detectives to make clear
case of conspiracy against several per-
sons.
4 do not care to make charges at
this time" said Mr.. Purneu for we
are a long way from the court proceed
ings that will necessarily arise from
Ketcham death, but l will say that he
was a victim of a desperate conspiracy
I do not mean by this that he met with
foul play His friends do not contend
that he did not die from natural causes.
What we do claim is that after John went
to that house to live last September he
was virtually a prisoner
His friends were repeatedly denied
admittance upon the preteXt that he
was not at home. Sometimes the but
Ter would appear at the door and tell
them that John was out; at other times,
the woman, who says she is his widow,
cOrding to their version of his where
abouts. but we know the contrary was
the case.
Mrs. Wallace did not know, perhaps,
that she was shadOWed night and day
during the entire period that John was
in her house and that her every move
ment was made known to the brothers
and sisters who have made up their
minds to contest the mysterious Will
The suspicion has been growing upon
the police as the result of rumOrS which
started in Milwaukee that Keller ap-
peared in the role OF bridegroom at the
wedding and that he and not Ketcham
stood before the minister with his face
concealed under the folds OF a scarf.
The alleged wife of Ketcham is i'll in
bed with nervous prOstration. the or
death of ketcham having been too
much for her strength