The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-12-07

Them--some Say Positively That
Meyer offered no Violence.
Direct conflict of testimony on the
most important point in the case by
the commemorative own witnesses was
the feature of the second day of the
Keller murder trial
During the morning session every
eye witness of the tragedy stated posi-
lively that no blows were struck, and
that Meyers general conduct was not
of menacing character. In the after
noon, however, it was just about the
opposite. Almost every witness called
after dinner admitted on cross-eXam-
ination that Meyer was seen to assault
Keller, and several of them went so
far as to say that Keller, before firing,
pushed Meyer away from him several
times and also made motions as if
warding off a blow.
District Attorney Jones was sorelv
disappointed and not little Chagrined
at this outcome and intmated broadly
several times by questions and COM
ments that he was of the opinion that
his witnesses had been made to see
in which they viewed them at the time
when their statements were taken in
the preparation Of the commemorative
case.
Judge Edwards on one occasion indi-
Gated he was also inclined to this be-
lief, going SO far as to caution a wit
ness against Withholding any part Of
her testimony. and afterwards critics.
hAts 81,
The commemorative story of the
killing as outlined by District Attor-
ney Jones in his opening and detailed
by the witnesses is substantially as
follows: Keller and Meyer were young
men of about the same age twenty
four. lived in adjacent houses in Little
England, and up to short time pre-
vious to the tragedy We're friends. and
| it might be said companions. Relig-
ious differences sprung up between
them and what was, at first, coolncss
finally grew into hatred
BOARDED WITH BENDER.
Meyer boarded with =. A. Bender
and was engaged to marry his daugh-
| ter, PhiloDena. The Bender property
! is Just within the city line. Keller
with his wife, were cO-tenants with Il
! Davis family of Il house across the
| line in Dunmore borough, and Separat-
| ed from the Bender house by an unen-
| closed field on which a chapel stands.
| Meyer and his prospective father-in-
| law Jointly owned a lot of fancy pig
| cons ON the morning of the Sunday
| on which the tragedy occurred four or
| hNe of the pigeons flew across to the
| Keller premises and while peckng at
| the garden truck were shot and killed
| by Keller. When Bender heard of this
| he went over to Keller and asked him
| to give over the dead pigeons. Keller,
in surly tones, refused.
AT noon. when Meyer came home to
| dinner he learned of the occurrence of
the morning, and, without waiting to
! partake of dinner, went across lots to
| keller's, VoWing he would get the pig
| cons. Miss Bender followed him. There
| was an exchange of angry words. and,
| according to Miss Bender's testimony,
! Keller went into the house re-appeared
a moment later at an upstairs win
| dow and, thrusting out a double bar
relied gun, said: You get out of there
now, or I'll drop both of you"
The defense, on crOss-eXaminatiOn,
at this juncture tried to bring out that
| Keller retreated into the house to get
away from Meyer, and that the only
thing did or said at the window was
to tell Meyer he could have the pigeons
If he would come by way of the gate to
get them. 1t was also partly ELECTED
| that Officer Long of DunmOre. hap
! pened that way. and hearing the al
tercation compelled Meyer to return to
his boarding house under pain Of ar
| rest.
STARTED TOWARDS DUNMORE.
Shortly after o'clock Keller left his
house and started towards Dunmore
Meyer followed moment later and
caught up with Keller on the Erie and
Wyoming Valley railroad. They en-
tered into quarrel at once, and walk
ing down the track. Keller slightly in
the lead, kept up an exchange of loud
and angry words. Keller all the Wit
nesses say, kept in advance of Meyer
and continued walking. as if not wish
ing to have Meyer come abreast Of
him. The defense tried to make it ap,
pear that he was trying to get away
and that Meyer persisted in tagging
after him, but the witnesses all denied
that the pair We're walking rapidly
What Immediately preceded tn,
shooting no one but Keller can tell
and his story is yet to come. John T.
Schuler, who heard the quarreling anC
stood off about three hundred feet talk
ing to a Mr. Koehler, and watchinl
the two men, swore positively thai
Meyer did not offer TO strike blow
Alonzo Price, aged II years, Joe Price
aged 3, and George Haus, aged H. whC
saw the affair from a distance of les;
than two hundred feet, say there were
no blows exchanged. They overheard
cre of the pair remark: II don't hav,
to use pistol on you; l can fight yol
fair-fist." The Haus boy said positive
ly that it was Meyer who uttered thi
exclamation.
Shortly after this the shooting tool
place. Every witness, except one, wa
certain that Keller fired one shot
paused for "a moment and then fire.
other shots in rapid succession. Nearl!
All the witnesses said four shots wer
rrcd, and those who had counted onl.
three We're not positive but that the!
r1ight be mistaken.
STAGGERED BACKWARD.
At the first shot Meyer staggere,
backward. While he was reeling tn
three otter shots were fired. He fel
| at the fourth shot and Keller the
ceased firing. After falling, his bod.
| rolled down the railroad embankmen
as far as a slanting path, where
rested on its side. the head about tel
inches higher than the feet Death wa
. almost instantaneous.
1he testimony Of Schuler and tn
three boys was corroborated by thre