The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-28
A MUCH-LTBELED WOMAN
MINNIE WALLACE WALKUP KETCH-
AM DEFENDED BY A FRIEND.
Former New Orleans Beauty Who Was
the Alleged Innocent Cause Of
Two Domestic Tragedies.

PITrSBURG, Dec. 27.-The Chicago cor
respondent of the Dispatch says: Mrs.
Minnie Wallace Walkup Kotcham, the
beautiful New Orleans girl who has twice
been accused of poisoning her husbands but
in each instance exonerated, will again on
Tuesday occupy an important place in pub
lie attention The case involving her right
to property valued at nearly S10OO,0O0 given
to her in will made by Ketcham just prior
to his death, will come up for hearing. The
incidents of the marriage of Minnie Walkup
to John Ketcham the millionaire clubman
of Chicago, whose family connections in
Toledo were of the highest, have recently
been fully reported. The couple went from
Chicago to Milwaukee, where they were
quietly married. Within three months the
husband died. When the will leaving the
property to the widow was found suspicion
attached to her Principally, no doubt. be-
cause she had been tried previously for the
murder of a husband. A coroners jury,
however, found that Mr. Ketchams death
resulted from alcoholism. Ketcham's rel
atives in Toledo sought to prove that no
marriage had taken place in Milwaukee, but
the fact was easily suhstantiated. They
next took under consideration the advis-
ability of contesting the will. The present
proceedings tomorrow Will indicate their
decision. In the meantime they have en-
ployed leading attorneys, and the prospects
are that long and bitter will contest will
follow. Judge Trude and other distin-
guished practitioners have been retained by
Mrs. Ketcham.
A sketch of Mrs. Ketcham's career was
furnished by a member of one of the oldest
families of New Orleans who has known
her from her birth. Minnie Wallace was
born in 1869 in New Orleans. Her mother
was Mrs. Elizabeth Wallace, who owned a
comfortable home, where she made a livel-
hood by renting rooms, her tenants being
of the better class. Mrs. Wallace, previous
to her marriage to Judge Wallace, was the
widow of DR.. Kirby, a prominent surgeon
in the Confederate army. Even in
FAINT Minnie was noted for her beauty. She
was awarded prize at a baby show in the
early seventies in Carrollton, and still re-
tains the little tea service which was then
awarded her. Her education was carefully
looked after by her mother, who adored
the child. At the age of six she was sent
to a convent school, where she received an
excellent education.
SHE MEETS MAYOR WALKCP.
At the time of the New Orleans exposition
Minnie was a girl of about fifteen years.
Among the visitors was a man of the name
of Walkup, mayor of Emporia, Kan, and
a director in the Santa Fe Railway Com
pany. He was introduced to Mrs. Wallace
by a distant relative, lawyer in New Or
leans. Walkup became infatuated immedi-
ately with the bashful and attractive child,
who was just from the convent school. He
bewildered her with the stories of his
wealth and position. He told her that If
she would marry him he would lift her and
her mother out of their comparatively
straitened circumstances into affiuence, ana
would give them handsome home at En-
poria. He was a man schooled in the ways
of the world, and after a time he over
came the objections of the doting mother
and the child became his wife. Walkup and
his young wife left for Kansas. The mother
remained in New Orleans to Settle up ner
affairs.
The girl soon repented her choice and i'm
plored him to be allowed to return 10 her
mother. She was practically prisoner In
her husbands house. Soon AFTER tney
reached Emporfa her husband gave her
prescription and instructed her to go to
druggist and purchase quantity of arsenic,
which the prescription called for. he told
her to tell the druggist it was to be used
for her complexion. This prescription Walk
up had secured from a Well-knoWn physl-
clan of Kansas City. Upon this incident
afterward much stress was aid In the pros
ecution of the girl on the charge OF having
poisoned her husband.
Three weeks after they arrived in EN-
poria Wallxup left for a trip * several days.
which, it was disclosed at the trial, were
spent in a debauch. On his return he was
Frustrated, and after an illness of a rev
days died. The autopsy showed that ne
died of arsenical poisoning. Walkups lam
lily had never been friendly towards his
Southern bride, and the arraignment and
trial of the girl, alone and among strangerS n
quickly followed. A clergyman, brother
of a well-known former United States SEN
ator visited her in the Jail and was I'M
pressed with her youth and innocence. The
arif IN xUb
came. through his wife, devoted synpa-
thiZer.
wealthy banker named Jay, known far ana
wide as a philanthropist and cnurcnman-
He was plain man OF rough tr, sH1er' re,
semblance to Lincoln. prompted by the
youth of the girl and her forlorn condition,
he visited her, heard her story, was con-
vinced of her innocence and came to her
rescue. He retained Judge Scott, proInl-
nent member of the Kansas bar, to de-
of the entire country. Almost at the out
set the attention of a leading physician
of Kansas City was attracted to the case
He communicated with the girls peneIac-
tor. Mr. Jay, and said that he believed he
recognized in the picture published OF walk
up a man who had repeatedly called
upon him for medical aid. Mr.. Jay Secureu
his attendance as witness.
AN ARSENIC "FIEND."
The testimony of this physician showed
that Walkup had not only often secured
prescriptions for arsenic from him, but that
Walkup had forged and duplicated pre-
scriptions. which he had used in Topeka
and several other cities in Kansas. so as
to enable him to procure arsenic, which ne
habitualy used. 1t was shown by one or
Walkup's travelling companions on his trip
to the New Orleans exposition, where he
first met his girl wife. that he was taken
i'll at Memphis. His symptoms were dlaS-
In Ia
Frustrated for several days at one of the
principal hotels.
The climax of the trial was reached when
the defendant took the stand as a witness.
The frank replies which she made on cross
examination showing how she came to
know Mr. Walkup, describing her original
feeling toward him, her repugnance when
tating acknowledgment that she never
loved him, carried conviction. Her whole
bearing was that of simplicity and inno-
cence itself. The judge, jury, lawyers and
stenographers wept at the girls recital OF
her treatment by Walkup and her suffer-
ings while in his house. The verdict of ac-
quittal rendered without delay, was
again and again. The jurors Nathered about
the bewdered girl and congratulated her.
One of the jurymen, a man of wealth and
family proclaimed earnest desire TO
adopt her. Mr.. Jay and his family received
her at their home the costliest in Emporia-
She was idoized during her stay in the
city The girl and her mother who was
present at the trial, declined all these Of
fers of adoption and returned to New Or
leans.
Recent sensational publications have
made the girl the beneficiary of Walkup's