Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-18

Chicago, November 17.-Relatives of
the late John B. Ketcham will contest
his will, if such an instrument is in
existence, on the ground that he was
not only of unsound mind at the time
he may have signed it, but for ten
months previous. 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
marriage, or indeed for nearly a year
previous. Attorney James E. Purnell,
who has charge of the case for the
Ketchams, says he has abundant proof
that John B. Ketcham has been ment-
ally unsound for almost a year, and
that there has been no proof of a
marriage with Mrs Waikup offered by
the alleged wife. The attorney has
already served notice on the Illinois
Trust & Savings Bank to restrain Mrs.
Walkup from having access to the
safety box in which the dead clubman
Kept his securities. Attorney Purneli
vii! also notify the court that the will
VIII be contested as soon as filed.
Mrs. WalEup's butler, Joe Keller, has
suddenly become a very important fac
tor in the coming litigation. Keller
according to his story, ACCOMPANIED
John Ketcham and Mrs Walkup to
Milwaukee on September "a and was
a witness to the ceremony which made
them man and wife. Rev. Mr.. Rob
erts, of Milwaukee, who performed the
ceremony, opens up rather startling
possibilities by saying when shown a
photograph of Keller that the picture
much more resembles the man whom
he married to Mrs. Walkup than did
the picture OF John 3. Ketcham. Sew
erai of the buffers prominent features,
including small mustache. which was
not popularity OF Mr.. Ketcham. were
carefully noted by the Rev. Mr.. Rob-
efts as common TO both Keller and
the bridegroom of September "A.
The butler had little to say on this
subject, but volunteered much informal
ton concerning the events of the wed
ding trip. He claimed that Ketcha N
and MIS-. Walkup went to a Milwaukee
hotel and hurried from there to the
parsonage, and that Mi. Ketcham's
face was not wrapped up in any way.
The Rev. Mrs. Roberts SAYS that the
brldegroom's face was partly mufled
in shawl, not, however, concealing Inc
mustache. AS to this phase If the stu
alton, however, neither Mr.. Purnell nor
Mr. ketcham's relations nave ANYTHING
to say. The attorney would neither
affirm or deny the statement that the
pending contest may devol7e upon the
question as to whether John B. Ketch-
am or the butler, Joe Keller. was tie
bridegroom on September "a.
70 add to the sensation caused by
the statement of the Milwaukee minis
ter, the butler, Keller, has disappeared
Keller left the Thirty IF n street police
station Tuesday night about 1G o'ciocb
after having answered numerous Gaes-
tons with what the police claim were
evasive replies, with permission 10 re-
turn to the Ketcham house at 1921 In
diana avenue. He lid moi return to his
mistress's home, however, and inquiry
by the different police stations today
developed the fact that he had not been
seen since his departure from the Thir.
ty-fifth street station laal night The
police believe that Keller implicitly
trusted as he was by his mistress. mas
cleft the city in order that no words 81
his may involve her in further trouble
1t was said this afternoon that the
police know more ABOUT the disappear
ance of Keller than they are willing tc
admit. After being put through The
sweat box process by Lieut.. Creigh-
ton last night, he was held at the sta
ton until IL o'clock, it is said. 1t is
Claimed that the police are holding Kel.
Ter somewhere in Hyde Park and will
guard him until he is wanted. The pc.
lice refuse to make any statements in
regard to this story, but from the>fact
that Lieut.. Creighton to-day doubled
the number of officers deAailed on the
y