The sun., 1901-06-16
BARRIERS TRIAL BEGINS ro.xoRRow
HIS wifes Story Caused Him to Shoot the Rev
John Keller at Arlington. n. j.

The trial OF Thomas @. Barker for shooting g
the Rev. John Keller In Arlington. N. j.. on
the morning Of Sunday. Fob. 3. last bsg gins
at 10 A. NJ. tomorrow before Judge John A.
Bair In the Court Of General Sessions, Jersey
City. The circumstances OF the case have
aroused widespread interest IN II.
The Rev. John Keller has for several years
been pastor OF Trinity Mission Church In
Arlington. Until Mrs. Barker's accusation
against him was made public after the shoot
ing his private character was regarded as
beyond reproach. Aside from the members
OF his own church he had many warm personal
friends. He was tho Diocesan Secretary
and was cordially liked by Bishop Starkey.
Mr.. and Mrs. Barker were for a time mem
bers Of Mr.. Keller's church. Between Mr.
Barker and Mr. Keller there was q warm
friendship. which was manifested on Mr.
Barker's part by presents TO tho clergyman
and by many kindly attentions. Among
other things Mr.. Barker gave Mr.. Keller a
bicycle and taught him to ride Mrs. Barker
was an active worker In the church and
teacher in the Sunday school, Mr. Barher's
business was In New York. where he was
at the head OF department. In the main
ONCE of the Commercial Cable Company.
About year before the shooting the cordi-
atty on the part OF the Barkers-st least on
the part Of Mrs. Barker-toward tho clergy
man suddenly ceased Mrs Barker gave
up her Sunday school class and went no longer
to Mr. KeIlers church About the same
time also. the Barkers gave UP the house
In Argyle place. where they had been living
and went to board with the Misses Germond
at 50 Laurel avenue. There were no out
ward Manifestations. so far as can be ascer-
tanned. Of anger felt by Mr.. Barker toward
Mr.. Keller
on the morning Of the shooting Mr.. Keller
started to 60 to Fort Lee to assist Bishop
Starkey In an ordination service Surround
ing the house Of H. c. Rooms. at tho north
west corner OF Midland avenue and Beech
street, Arlington, there is a row OF thick
shrubbery As Mr. Keller reached the shrub
berry hand holding pistol was thrust
through the bushes and the weapon was DIS
charged few inches from Mr.. Ksller's face.
Mr.. Keller fell to the ground with bullet
hole nearly through his head just back Of
the eyes Then Barker. who. IL has been
shown, had been lying concealed behind the
hedge waiting for the clergyman to pass
came out into tho open and began firing at
Nj Keller as he My upon fhe az, ground -ob IN
side OF the head, passed through the nasal
bones and lodge under under M the i"Lt = eye tWo ,
Kellers low clerical hat The fourth struck
him on the nrst finger of the right hand and
the shooting Mr. Barker made no attempt
MIR Keller was conscious when picked
pp He was carried to kis ,hon,fco,,Io home Here
DO you know mei" Keller asked Barker;
roughly when brought into the wounded
NsS No, replied Mr. Keller. I do not 1
lie had been told before this, however.
that II was Barker. who shot HIM lie *
Barker. saying that he wa1 tho victim OF
soIro tcrrible ,dcluson
pothv with vii his hia victim nor regret Tor his action.
had not succooded in killing Mr. Keller, on
fs SRS SRser be b.cnse as Keller a Was M not "2
lie said that year and a half ago Mr
health and half Distracted In mind She
had kept the secret. Barker said, partly from
sh, feared that he would do some such deed
OF violence as he just had done j.
=, From the moment ct ne pRoIIiSaoon n,Id of
sentiment in Arlington was DIVIDED some
OF those who believed in Mr.. Keller's nno-
ccrco repentad stories which they said indl-
Gated that Mrs, Barker was victim of hys-
trria A. for Mr Keller. he only expressed
arnazemcnt az tho Churg" against him, which
he characterized as u fabrication So gro
te.ouc that il could only hav" come from
a adisorderod mind lie was heard repeatedly
prnviug for both Mr. and Mrs Barker, and
he never from nr-t To t-t has spoken Of
other of them save IN terms oI profound
sympathy
FOR weeks Ie lay between lie and death
Rat n remarkable cnn-t tat on and skllul
mod cal attrndancn md nursing saved his life.
although hc b, totally blind ~ his right eye.
some oy the more pronounced plrti-NnS
of MIR Barker believe that N" accusations
made by Mrs BarHcr against Mr. Keller
nrc truc and thcro have been hint, A. 10 rcv-
clatton- to be mnd" ~ the TRIAL 4.
All of the cl'rgy and particularly Mr.
krller's church associates ana fup'rinrs
hnva hccn stanch IN their loyalty 10 hun
from the first, and are unqualified 10 thcIr
exurnssOns Of the utmost ilith IN ll~ inno-
crncr Mr. Keller j. 30 lie WA born IN
Philadelphia aud cducGtcd Tor IN" church
in thc General theological seminary being
ordnined in 1855 In ls15 ha was elected
| chaplain Of the First New Jersey Regiment
| of National Guards, but resigned some time
before the war with SPAN.
Tho charge against Mr, Barker ls felonlous
| assault
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