Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-20
and sat next her in the court room
throughout the trial.

and sat next her in the court room
throughout the trial."
Six years of travel followed the ac-
Cuittal of Mrs. Walkup. Part of this
time she was in New Orleans frequent
ing her old haunts and appearing in
her former role Then she appeared
in Chicago and invested $4,000 in q
home, said to be gift from former
United States Senator from Louisiana.
Soon came John Borden Ketcham, go
ing the pace that kills. He was AZ
years of age and accompanied by his
second wife. He fell in with Mrs.
Walkup through boulevard driving
and swell cafe meetings. Then began
his desire to drink himself to death.
His wife, Nettie Poe Ketcham, daugh-
ter of director in his fathers bank
in Toledo, obtained a divorce, and he
gave her $4,000 of his finances.
He bought baskets of champagne for
his cronies in the Auditorium In
dread of all drunkards, cirrhosis of
the liver, laid him ON his back. Then
the creole beauty led him to the altar
and he became husband for third
time.
The woman herself gives this ac-
count of her marriage to Mr.. Ketcham:
Il have know Mr.. Ketcham for some
time. | met him before he was di-
vOrced from his Toledo wife. He was
very fond Of me, and his wife was very
jealous. One Gay she went to his Office,
and, going to his desk, tore up a pic
ture he had of me and threw the bits
in his face. The evening of the day
the divorce was granted he came to
see me, and, taking my hand, said: I
am free now, and wish you to marry
me- | loved John, but l refused him.
Then he wanted to will everything to
me, but | told him not to. He want
ed to insure his life in my favor, but
after my other experiences | refused.
l could not have it so l, however, af-
ter mother died, made out insurance
which l carried upon my life in his
favor
He asked me several times to marry
him. He told his friends he was to
marry me, but it was not until this
fall | consented. John had been i'll at
my house during August. In Septem-
Der he was convalescent, and on the
oath we went to Milwaukee and were
married. My certificate is in my house.
Or. De Veny knew we were married );
K. Maddigan, paper hanger, whom
my husband had made. a friend of,
knew it, and many others. Not wish
ing publicity, we kept it from his fam
lily. John became i'll again and we re-
turned here instead Of going on a we'd
ding trip.
You ask me about the will. It was
InT,t hot = i t.
his idea-not mine-neither of us
thought of death. The night of No
vember ], Lawyer Hansen, an acquaint-
ance Of John, called. In a laughing
way my husband said: I'll put a fee
in your pocket, Hansen. You can draw
up my will. | objected. but John
laughed and insisted. The will was
drawn up. Our butler and a friend of
my husband were the witnesses. l was
left all. Until Saturday night we never
thought him seriously i'll. Sunday he
died. Beside the physician, I was the
only one with him at the time.
MIR. ketcham and |, accompanied by
my butler, Joseph Keller, who acted as
Mr.. Hetcham'S valet, wc.t 20 NTilwau-
kee on the evening of September %
We went to the Plankinton House
where We secured suite of rooms, be-
ing registered as Mr.. and Mrs. Young
and servant. This was done simply tC
insure the secrecy Of our errand. Mr.
Ketcham rose before | was awakened
in the morning and called me.
protested against getting up SO early
but he had not slept well and wanted tC
get out. Arriving at a parsonage,
applied at the door and learned that
the minister was away from home, but
his wife sad a neighboring clergyman
called in to perform the ceremony
When we were married we ordered the
driver to take us to the railway sta
ton. This was for the purpose Of mis-
leading the hackman as to our : stina-
ton. When he had left us we walked
back to our hotel, where we breakfasted
and left for Chicago on the Il O'Clock
train"
The theory is advanced that Joe
Keller, the butler. personated Mr.
Ketcham at the wedding. Friends OF
the deceased have, however, little hope
of being able to prove that Butler Keller
or any other man took the place OF
Mr. Ketcham in the marriage ceremony
According to Attorney Purnell the main
contention will be that Mr.. Ketcham
was of unsoupd mind. 1--WE do moi
care whether there was legitimate
marriage or a fake one by proxy said
Mr.. Purnell to-day, whether there is a
marriage certificate or a will, We will
nrove that John B. Ketcham was OF
unsound mind and thoroughly incapable
of being a party to any agreement that
hold in law"
The pretty widows two marriages
have netted her two months of welded
life and about $4,000 She now is 2S
years of age and admittedly one of the
most beautiful women in Chicago.
-O--