The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-20
BARKBR'S STORY DENIED
Testimony FlatIy COntradicted by
Rev. iIr. Keller.
Judge Blair Continues to Rule Out
All Questions Referring 20 the Al
legged AssauIt-The Prosecution Be
gins the Examination of Witnesses

All Questions Referring 20 the Al
legged AssauIt-The Prosecution Be
gins the Examinat ton of Witnesses
JERSEY CITY, June 20--The trial of
Thomas G. Barker for murderous assault
! on Rev John Keller, of Arlington. N J,
I committed because of the alleged i'll
] treatment of Mrs. Barker by the clergy
man, was continued before Judge Blair
/ in Jersey City. this morning This is the
I fourth day of the hearing and it is not
/ expected that the case viii so to the jury
! before tomorrow.
| Before court opened this morning, the
+ principal topic of discussion was the pub
/ licaion in a newspaper Of Mrs. Barker'S
/ alleged story of assault which has thus
far been barred out of the court record
! as evidence Mr. Van Wrinkle and Mr
/ Wall, counsel for the defendant, denied
/ the reports that they were responsible
for the publication of the alleged story
/ The newspaper that first printed it said
/ that 1t came from affidavit made by
/ Mrs Barker to her husbands attorneys
/ Even the balcony, or gallery, was full
/ of spectators when court opened at 10
! o-ciock Today. The attendance was the
/ heaviest of the trial and the women sit
/ ting on the main floor of the court room
eqUalod the men in numbers The Bar
/ kers came in promptly at 10 o'clock Rev
/ Mr. Keller was led in shortly afterwaTd
! 3Lr Van Wrinkle was asked before court
! opened about the publication of Mrs Bar
| ker's alleged story, and he said:
y am not sorry that il was published
consider its publication advanta geous-
/ 1t has at least brought out an a1ibi as to
I the wrong date. I did not authorize the
/ publication, but I would not have opposed
IT. I had a copy of the statement that
was put out. I consider that Barker-s
/ friends had right to put out any state
ment they wanted to-
When court opened Mr.. Erwin, the pros
| ecutor, arose and called attention to the
| fact that some of the newspapers this
morning had published what purported
to be an affidavit by Mrs. Barker, describ-
ing in detail the alleged assault on her
by Rev. EIr. Keller on April -, 1893. M-.
Erwin said he thought that the pubIica-
ton Of such matter in a way that made it
! look like part c< the judicial proceedings
/ was contempt Of court and he asked his
honor to take cognizance Of it.
Ar Van Win.;Ie then jumped to his feet
and discIaimed all responsibility for the
publication
Judge Blair said that. while he did not
think any juror would be unduIy infuenc-
motive was apparently to create an undue
influence, the whole matter was a subject
for Investigation; and that if the respon-
sibility fer the publication could be fixed
the responsible persons ought to be pun
ished.
The defence closed at 10:45 O'Clock this
morning Counsel for the defence an
noUnced: In view of your honor's ruI-
ing, we viii have TO close our case at
this time
Rev Mr- Keller vas then recalled to
the stand He was asked: Did you see
anyone in front of you on the street be
fore you were shot-Barker or anyoHe?'
L did not"
DID Barker say before the shooting:
You - william, you assaulted my
wife
He did not"
bid you see Barker while he was
shooting getting closer and closer2 Did
you say: Don't, dont?'
i cid not"
Did you at any time assault Mrs. Bar
kerr SIT. Keller was asked. Objection
10y the defence was sustained. The court
ruled that the alleged assault was not in
the case.
MI Keller spoke in clear. loud tone
with emphasis that carried conviction. /
but was overruIed.
Mr.. Erwin ran over the specific loans
alleged by Mrs Barker and Mr. Keller /
denied that he had borrowed the sums |
named Mr.. Erwin asked If Mrs. Bar !
ker.s alleged claim for moneys vas not /
q matter Of church accounts, but the /
question was not allowed The prosecu- |
tor asked when Mrs. Barker ceased to /
attend services at the time of mission. /
but the question was withdrawn and Mr.. |
Erwin asked why Mrs. Barker had ceased /
70 attend the mission She had said that /
it was because of the assault Was /
that the reason?" asked Mr. Erwin. |
NJ Keller was limited to a yes or |
no" answer and he answered in the neg
ative- The witness said that he knew /
why Mrs. Barker left the church, but he /
was not allowed to tell the reason. That |
ended the examination.
Mr. Keller was not crosse xamined and !
left the stand at t1:I0 O'Clock.
Elijah NJ Sands, Of Arlington, wife Of |
the man who said on the stand that Mr. |
Keller was not his boarder but his guest |
was sworn DO You know Mr. KeIler's /
reputation for honesty, virtue and good |
living in the community" he was asked |
MIR Van WinKe objected that Mr. Kel- |
lers character was nOt in controversy
bt-e'l Il iif-I iitl DteH aIidCheu- MT ISEWln |
said that he had a number Of witnesses
along this line, but the court refused to |
allow the subject to be taken up Mrs |
Sands was asked if she knew why Mrs |
Barker left Trinity Mission, what reason |
MIS- Barker herself had given TO the wit
ness Dir. Erwin said that he wanted to /
show 4 contradiction between Mrs. Bar
ker's testimony and her own statements
at another time The court would not
allow the question.
What Is Mrs Barker's reputation for
truth and veracity?" was the next ques-
ton Bad, among many" was the reply.
TIE mnIINFr1y CASE