Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-21
REV. Mr.. KELLER
Denies That He Ever Borrowed
Money Of Mrs. Barker.
Admits He Paid Her Money Because
Of Barker's Threats.
Mrs Bakers varacity Attacked and Doctors
Say Barker Is Sane.

New York. June 20-With the evil
dence all in. the fag ends gathered to-
gether. the Barker trial came to an end
late this afternoon. except for the ar
gument by counsel and the charge by
Judge Blair. The jury will have the
case by 3 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
There is much gossip and speculation
relative to the outcome.
Mr.. Keller was once more upon the
stand. He seemed to have beeen arOus-
ed for the time from the lethergic
state which marked his conduct and
action when he testified on direct ex-
animation. Then he spoke in low,
tired voice. Today, his denials of the
allegations OF Mr.. and Mrs. Barker
We're spoken in loud firm tone and
when he replied in the negative when
asked if the alleged outrage was the
| reason Mrs. Barker left the church, he
shouted out the No so that it rang
through the court room.
He denied that Barker spoke to him
| CT he to Barker when they came to-
gethcr on the morning of the shooting
His denialS We're strong, positive, alb
soute. He denied he ever borrowed
| money from Mrs. Barker. He admitted
| he had paid her one of the sums men,
| toned. He was not called to tell why
h, paid ii to her or what the debt was
but il was allowed that il was not a
personal one.
When on the stand before, Keller
showed no spirit. but today he denied
| the truth of the statements of Barker
| Q nd was more like the Keller of a year
| at any time since the shooting.
| 1t was a hard day for Mrs. Barker
harder than for her husband. fol
neighbor after neighbOr went on the
| stand and swOre that her reputation
| for truth and veracity was bad. Some
even said ii was very bad. Then later
| her husbands counsel tried to over
| come this: some witnesses, hawever
| saying they had never heard anything
against her reputation for truth unit
other witnesses had just testified.
| The battle of the insanity expert.
| WAS another feature of the day. Thos.
| for the state swore Barker had not
| been insane when he shot Keller and
! was sane now. The hypothetical ques-
| ton detailing the case in genera
| way was answered by the states eX-
perts to the effect that the circum-
| stances indicated the actions were
| those of sane man.
There is much speculation as tC
| W neither Keller and his friends will ash
any further vindicatiOn for him. The
| publication of what purports to be the
| detailed statement of Mrs Barker rel
alive to the alleged assault which she
| has claimed led to the shooting may
| cause him to seek to refute his accuS-
ers He claims to have an alibi as to
| the date mentioned in the statement
but Mr. Van Wrinkle says the date
| mentioned in the published statement
! is not correct.
| The statement is liable to cause
| trouble for some one Judge Blair was
| evidently annoyed over it. He said. to-
day. he would deal with those respon-
sible for causing it to be published
| He said the intent was plain. to influ-
| ence the jury.
Contempt of court is q serious thing
for Jersey men. as in Furnishing it the
| courts come about as near to having
absolute power as can be without vio-
| lating the constitution.
| Previous to the opening of court, Mr..
| Van Wrinkle said that while he had
had nothing to do with the publication
of the statement attributed to Mrs.
| Barker he was not sorry that it had
| been published. He said there We're
| some errors in the data and that he eX-
pected Mr.. Keller would try to estab-
| lish an alibi. MIR. Van Wrinkle said
| that the date mentioned i'm the state
| ment as the day on which the alleged
| outrage was committed was wrong.
| Further than that he would say moth
| ing.
| Mr.. Erwin, addressing the court said
| the published story of Mrs. Barker had
been brought to his attention and he
hoped the court would take appropriate
| action in the matter. He said to make
public such statement at such a
| time was violation of the line Of
| conduct laid down by the court in this
| case.
Mr.. Van Wrinkle replied that so far
as any contempt was concerned the
press might be disciplined as the court
pleased. Mrs. Barker. he said, had
many friends. She was not on trial
and her friends had the right to pub
fish anything they saw fit. Personally,
he and his partner, Mr.. Wall and Mr..
Barker had nothing to do with the pub
! LEGATION. The court had power to do
with the matter in it's charge to the
| jury as it saw fit.
Judge Blair said he would talk to the
| jury when the proper time came. He
continued: There can be no doubt Of
Continued on page %