The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-18
FOR SHOOTING DR.. KELLER
THOMAS G. BARKER PLACED ON
TRIAL FOR ASSAULT WITH
INTENT TO KILL
ALLEGED CRIMINAL ASSAULT
On Barker's Wife, as Confessed by
Herself, Cause of Murderous
Attack on Jersey City
Pastor.

NEW YORK, June H.-Thomas G.
Barker was placed on trial in the Hud-
son county court, Jersey City, today, be-
fore Judge Blair, charged with assault
with intent to kill. On Feb. last
Barker shot the Rev. John Keller, OF
Arlington, N. J., vicar of Trinity chape
in that place. Barker told the authori-
ties he shot the minister because his
wife had told him that Kellar had been
guilty Of criminal assault upon her
When Keller was shot he was on his
way to Fort Lee to assist at the ordlna-
ton of a minister. Barker stepped out
from the shadow of a hedge and fired
at him with a revolver. Barker says
that he spoke to Keller before firing
Keller says that he did not see his as-
sailant One of the bullets fired by
Barker went through Keller's facial bone
from the right side, destroyed the sight
of the right eye and after tearing
through the nasal bone buried itself be-
meath the skin Of the left side of the
face A second bullet shattered the
fingers Of the right hand. According to
Barker's story, Mrs Barker told him
shortly before the shooting that about
eighteen months previously Mr.. Keller
called on her while she was alone in the
house and made an improper proposal.
When she repulsed him, according to the
story told by Barker, the minister at
tackled her violently and she tainted.
Barker further said his wife had been
afraid to tell MIN the story of the as
sault because she knew that If she did
he would kill the minister. For some
days before the alleged confession, Mrs.
Barker had been in a sick and nervous
condition.
Mr.. Keller denounced the whole story
as utterly false He declared that his
whole life was a refutation of the charge
The empanelling of the jury occupied
less than an hour and then Prosecutor
Erwin opened the case for the state.
EVIDENCE FOR THE STATE.
The prosecution at the outset intro
duced as evidence a photograph of the
hedge behind which, it is alleged, Barker
hid while waiting for Keller. Another
photograph showing Keller in bed after
the shooting was also admitted Hugh
R. Roome and his daughter, eye witness
es of the shooting. gave their testimony
and identified Barker as the man who
fired the shots that wounded Keller.
Louise G. Van Winkle testified tnat
she lived near the scene of the shooting
On the morning of Feb. 8 she heard three
successive shots fired. Going to the
window she saw a man lying on the
street with another man bending over
him. She did not know Barker at thai
time She saw Barker run away anC
tnen she saw that the man on the ground
was Mr. Keller.
Mrs. Kennedy F. Buckley, VIII lived OF
the same side Of Beech street as Mr.
Keller, testified that she heard three
shots fired on the morning Of Feb. 8, an(
running to a window saw Barker fire
fourth shot at Mr.. Keller.
Frederick G. Buckley, husband of th'
preceding witness, gave testimony cor
roboratiYe of that Of his wife and tolC
how he had pursued and caught Barker
He said when he reached Barker h,
asked: Whom did you shoot?" "Keller
and I hope I killed him. replied Barker
Did Barker mention his wife's name
while on the cart?" the witness wa!
asked.
1T do not think he did," replied the
witness
DR.. Pliny Barber said ne heard a sho
fired and saw man running He sait
he found Mr.. Keller lying on the ground
He helped him up with the assistance
of Mr.. Roome and took him home
Adjourned.