The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-16
WAGON WHEAT, 92C
ACME MILLING CO.,
Old 352 West Washington st.
NO POISON WAS FOUND
DEATH OF JOHN ID. KETCHAM DUE
TO CHRONIC ALCOHOLISM.
Post MOrtem Examination of the Body
of a Chicago MilliOnaire-Recent-
Iy Married a Pretty Widow.

CHICAGO Nov. 15.-The post mortem ex-
animation held by DIR. E. t. Hall, of the
coroner's Office, to-day on the body of John
B. Ketcham, the millionaire banker, who
died Sunday morning, revealed the fact tnat
death was due to chronic alcoholism, no
trace of any poison being found. more
definite report on the case will be made to
the coroner this morning after DIR. Hall has
examined the stomach and liver. An in
quest will be held by the coroner at 10
o'clock tomorrow at No. 3421 Indiana ave-
nue where Mr.. Ketcham died, and it is
probable that the verdict will entirely re-
move the cloud from Mrs Mabel Estelle
Wallace the young and beautiful widow
who was married to Mr.. Ketcham Sept. IA
in Milwaukee, and who, by the provisions
of his will, becomes heir to his estate.
Those present at the examination to-day
were Dr. E. p Noel, coroner's physician,
and his assistant, DIR. Joseph Springer,
while Mrs. Ketcham was represented by
DR.. De Veng, the family physician, DR.. j.
T. Kiernan and Lawyer d. c. Hansen, who
drew the will. The post mortem revealed
the fact that the stomach, liver and kid
neys were all badly diseased, the organs
being reduced to a state where 1t appeared
that recovery, or even prolongation of life,
was impossible. DR.. De Veng explained
that the deceased had for a long time been
a victim of alcoholism and against the ex-
press wishes of himself and others who
took an interest in him he drank intoxicants
steadily and persistently. His death, the
physician said, was expected, and at no
time during the last two months would the
news of his death have caused him sur
prise.
According to the bereayed young widow.
11aA hNr yxynI
the third Mrs. Ketcham was performed in
Milwaukee on Sept. "a by a Methodist min
lister. The latters name she does not re-
member, but says he can be easily founu,
and her claims to Mr.. Ketcham,s estate or
$4,000 established. Mrs. Wallace is the
widow of James r. Walkup. former mayor
of Emporia, Kan and wealthy. When he
died, in 1885, under somewhat strange CIR
cumstances, his youthful bride was arrested
and tried for numbering him, put she was
freed She married him when she was only
fifteen years old, although he was almost
sixty. She was q widow at seventeen, and,
to avoid unpleasant notoriety, she assumed
the name of Wallace. She came to Chicago
after she had spent considerable money
travelling in Europe, and purchased the res
idence at 3421 Indiana avenue, which she
furnished in splendid style. OF late she had
been seen several times driving in company
with Mr.. Ketcham, whose divorce from the
second Mrs. Ketcham, the Toledo society
leader, was sensation few months ago.
Mrs. Wallace, or Ketcham- declares that
the certificate OF her marriage to the DE-
ceased, aS wen as hlS AooS WIN oiiu ,1sos ecieD
ment, leaving all his estate to her, is locked
up in safety deposit vault down town.
John desired that / should not tell his
mother or his relatives of the marriage"
she said But his brother George had been
here to visit him before he died. John Will
be buried in my lot in Rose Hill Cemetery,
where L expect to lie beside him when my
tina comes"
George Ketcham, a brother. who resides
in Toledo, is in the city, stopping at the
Auditorium, and he was among those at
the Ketcham home to-day. He was not
surprised at his brothers DEATH his great
est concern being that the newspapers took
so much interest in the affair.
Joseph Keller, the butler employed by
Mrs Ketcham, was taken into custody by
the police and sharply interrogated. Moth
ing was learned from him, however, save
that he had always thought Ketcham and
his mistress were married until he heard
they had been married in Milwaukee. He
said Ketcham was rational when he made
his will, to which Keller was witness.