The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-18


Of unsound mind at the time he may
have signed 1t but for ten months prevl-
Gus. Ketcham's two brothers and two
sisters will also deny that their brother
was legally married to Minnie Wallace
Walkup, They will claim that he was
entirely incapable OF making any kind OF
a contract at the time of the alleged mar
rlage, or Indeed for nearly year pFevl-
Gus.
Attorney James q. PurRsll, who has
charge OF tha case for the Ketchams,
says no has abundant proof that John u,
Ketcham has been mentally nnsound for
almost year, and that there has been
no proof OF a marriage with Mrs. Walk
up offered by the alleged wife. The at
t0rney has already served notice on the
Illinois Trust and Savings Bank to re-
strain Mrs. Walkup from having access
to the safety box In which the dead club
man kept his securities, Attorney Pur-
nell will also notify the court that the
will will DO contested as coon as Mod.
Mrs Walkup's butler, Joe Keller, has
suddenly become very important tac-
tor In the pending litigation. Keller, ac-
cording to his story, accompanied John
Ketcham and Mrs, Walkup to Milwau-
kee, on September "a, and was witness
to the ceremony which made them man
and wife. Rev. Mr.. Roberts, or Milwau-
kee. who performed the ceremony, opens
up rather startling possibilities by say
Ing when shown photograph or Keller
that the picture much more resempieu
the man whom he married to Mrs, Walk
up than did the picture OF John u, ketch--
am. Several OF the buffers prominent
features, Including small mustaehe'
which was not a peculiarly OF MI
Ketcham, were carefully noted by the
Rev. Mr.. Roberts, as common TO both
Keller and the bridegroom Of September
"a.
The butler had little to say on this sub
feet, but volunteered much Information
concernlpg the events OF the wedding
trip. He claimed that Ketcharn ana Mrs,
Walkup went to Milwaukee hotel, and
hurried from there to the parsonage, ana
that Mr.. Ketcham's face was not wrap
ned up in any way. The Rev. Mr.. Rob-
erts says that the brldegroom's face was
partly muffled In shawl, nol however,
conoeallng the mustache. AS TO this
phase OF the situation, however, neither
MIR. Purnell nor Mr.. KetchamS relations
have anything to say. The attorney
would neither affirm nor deny the state
ment that the pending contest may de-
volve upon the question aA to whether
John B. Ketcham or the butler Joe kel-
Ter, was the bridegroom on September "a
Too add to the sensation caused by the
statement OF the Milwaukee minister, the
butler, Keller, has disappeared. Keller
left the Thlrty-fifth street police station
Tuesday night about 10 o'clock, after
having answered numerous questions
with what the police claim were evasive
replies, with permission TO return 10 the
Ketcham house at 3i2i Indiana avenue.
He dld not return TO his mlstress' house.
however, and inquiry by the different
police stations to-day developed the fact
that he had not been seen since his de-
parture from the Thlrty-hfth street sta
don last night. The police believe that
Keller implicitly trusted as he was by
his mistress, has left the city In order
that no words Of his may Involve her In
further trouble.
It is said this afternoon that the police
know more about the disappearance or
Keller than they are willing 10 admit.
After being put through the Sweat
box" process by Lieutenant Creighton
last night, he was held at the station un-
III II o'clock II Is said. II Is claimed that
the police are holding Keller somewhere
in Hyde Park and Will guard him until
he Is wanted. The police refuse to make
any statements in regard to this story.
but from the fact that Lieutenant
Creighton to-day doubled tho number OF
officers detailed on the matter, II is ba-
lleved some new developments have been
reached,
EMPoRIA, Kans., Nov, 17.--The death
in Chicago OF John y, Kotcham, shortly
after marrying Mabel Estelle Wallace,
the widow Of John II, Walkup, the man
for whose murder she was tried twelve
years ago, recalls the sensational ending
of the case In which Mrs, Walkup'B pow
orful testimony secured an acquittal Just
as everything seemed TO be going against
her Tho prosecution claimed that Mrs.
WalkWp had purchased arsenic while en-
route TO Peoria on her wedding trip and
that che purchased quantities OF The poll
son IN EmpOfla. The sentiment OF the
town was for conviction, The defense
did not deny that Walkup was poisoned
with arsenic, but said he took an over
dose while taking the poison for medl-
clne,
+, Tho climax OF tho case was reached
when Mrs, WRlkup was placed on the
stnnd,She was very beautiful and we'll
Rciinoled and before che finished giving
t,atip,npp tnu tnvypor1 trtrtyp,pn md
fudge wopt and the ntCnographcrs eyes
were GO blinded that he could not see to
write The glrl who had been befriended
only by one man had captured tho henrta
VI all who were not directly Interested
and they were ready 10 awear that she
was Innocent of the hclnoua crlmo laid at
her door verdict Of acuuttal was re-.
turned. Shortly after the trial Mrs
Walkup left limporln and very little has
been heard OF her The three children ot
Mir Walkun MI live In Emnorln, They
are Mrs juhn Martin, wife Of tho son OF
ok United states Senator Martin, Mrs
Harry Hood, whose husband II q Ron OF
Major Hood, aud very wealthy and a
prominent atoclnan and W. H. Wnlkup
u farmer,
Criminal proceedings nrc threatened
against Mrs. Minnie Wallace and sev.
rrNl persons whose names have not
boon dIvugod, hut who John Borden
lSctchnma relatives will charge were
associated In what they characterize az
u conspiracy
sNtlofnoy James n purncll, repre-.
aentlnu tho dead bOnltorp family said
to.nlght that enough evidence rclatlVe
TO John II Kotchnm'H llto IN tho In.
diana avenue house, Ha VOL an tho
mNrrihTc that wHu performed IN Nil.
wNultep lnrl September had been col.
loctOd hy detectives to mnko a clear
cpto Of conspiracy against several per.
nUns
"i do not care 60 make charges at this