The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-02
The Opinion was Written by Judge
Francis Il. Baker, of That
Tribunal.
ONLY TWO CHANCES REMAIN
NOT PROBABLE THE COURT WILL
GRANT REHEARING.
The Other Alternative Would BE an
Appeal to the GOyernOr-The
Courts Decision.

April s. 1900. will be hanged in the State
Prison at Michigan City one week from next
Friday. according to the decision of the SUI
preme Court handed down at o'clock
yesterday afternoon by Judge Francis E.
Baker Only two chances for the convict
ed man remain, one Of which is the remote
possibility of a petition for a rehearing of
the decision being granted by the court and
the other an appeal for mercy to Governor
Durbin.
The opinion in the Keith case is pro-
nounced by attorneys and others who have
read it to be one of the clearest ever deliv-
cred by the States highest tribunal. The
briefs filed on both sides of the case were
unusually voluminous, covering from fifty to
more than one hundred and seventy print
ed pages, while Judge Bakers decision is
contained in less than twelve typewriter
pages. 1t is seldom that the points in an
important case are presented by opinion
in such a succinct and yet comprehensive
manner.
The first five pages of the decision are
devoted to recounting the grewsome story
of the tragedy by which Nora Kifer lost
her life and the attendant details. In brief
the story of the crime is that Keith, who
was a farmer of some local prominence in
Warrick county, about forty years old, liv-
ing with his wife and children, began a
liaison with Nora Kifer, the eighteen-year-
old unmarried daughter of a neighboring
farmer The Kifer girl became trouble
sorue to Keith. annoying him with de-
mands for money and keeping him in fear
by discussing their intimacy indiscrimi-
nately. On Monday, April 2, 1900, the Kifer
girl received a note from Keith by the
hand of his son Jesse. asking her to meet
Keith at a bridge not far distant from
Keith's farm. The young woman was seen
on the bridge that night, pacing restlessly
I'D ard down About IL o'clock the same
night a witness named Hedges saw Keith
going to his home by a road which led di-
rectIy from the bridge and old we'll in
which evidence was afterwards found that
the body of the girl had lain for some time
When accosted by the witness Keith acted
strangely. neither replying nor looking up
Nora Kifer was never seen again in life
after that night.
RECEIVED A LETTER.
April of the same year Mrs. Kifer re-
ceived a note purporting to come from her
daughter Nora, stating that she was in
Evansville and preparing to start for Chi
cago on a trip with a friend to be gone
three months and possibly six. The writing
of the letter and the address on the en-
velope were shown 10 be Keith's. From
the time this letter was received Keith
talked freely to nearly every one he met,
saying that the Kifers were getting letters
regularly from Nora, that she was leading
a bad life i'm Evansville, Paducah or St.
Louis, and that if she told lies on people in
Evansville as she had about him she would
be found in the creek some day with stone
around her neck.
Finally Nora Kifer's father told Keith
openly that no word had been received from
his daughter, that the letter purporting to
have come from her was written by Keith,
and that he ONifer) proposed to search for
and find the girl. Shortly after this decla-
ration Keith was seen in his buggy pro-
ceeding towards Evansville along the road
that led straight from the canal bridge and
the old we'll previously referred to. When
he arrived at Evansville he drove to a liV-
cry barn with the same buggy and horse
that had been seen on the road. Early the
next morning he left Evansville and the
same morning the body afterwards identi-
fled as that of Nora Kifer was found with
a stone tied around the neck half buried
in the waters of Pigeon creek about two
miles from Evansville and near the road
Warrick county. The body was in an adj
vanced stage of decomposition, but identifi-
cation WAS possible through the clothing
and birthmark and other physical charac-
teristicS.
On the day the body was found Keith re-
painted his buggy and washed the carpet
that used the floor of the vehicle.
Crystals of blood were found i'm the car
pet. These were also discovered about the
railing of the old well. which upon being
dra gged gave forth some hair that had be-
lOnged 10 the murdered girl, also hammer
and pair of grab hooks. the latter evil
IDENTIFY used by Keith in taking the body
from the we'll 10 carry Il to Pigeon creek,
where il was discovered.
KEITTS ARREST.
Keith was arrested April %. and on his
knuckes. presumably employed in crush
ing the skull of the girl. Keith told many
conflicting stories while in Jail He said
that the girl had given him so much
trouble that he wanted TO get rid of her,
and that the note sent her by his little
son Jesse was to get her to the bridge in
order that a peddler he had engaged for
that purpose might take her away with
him TO Chicago or elsewhere. When a
peddler, answering his description, was
brought before Keith the latter at first
said IL was the man. then in response to the
fellow ; pitiful appeal not to condemn an
the peddler. Finally. when told by the po-
lice that il was OF no use TO try to deceive
them further. that they had had a talk
with Jesse and knew he (keith) was the
man. the prisoner replied, You need not
look for outsiders any longer. If YOU Will
wait till tomorrow morning. after / have
seen my wife. / Will tell you who did IL
where il was done and all about it."
The next morning. after having consuIted
lawyers. Keith refused To talk further He
was visited in Jail by an aunt, who said 10
him: If you are guilty. Joe. own il like
q man and get the mercy OF the court bur
If YOU are not guilty. say SO like a man.
eth replied: she mora kiferl brok.
rl.y peace AT home and was getting away
with all my money. and something had to
be done.
While in Jail Keith tried to arrange an
alibi with the assistance OF fellOw-prisOners
and also outsiders by letter. He also en-
deavored TO get information of Nora
Kifer's life and wherea bouts after the fate
ful night OF April >. 1900.
The fact that Nora Kifer's body had lain
i'm the old well was not discovered until
some time in June or 1900. when some farm
ers. cutting wheat in a field near the well
came across two slippers. one about TWEEN
Yards from the well These slippers were
identified as having been Worn by Nora
Kifer and then the well was searched
giving up its CHASTITY relics of the crime.
TRIAL AT PRINCETON.
The trial was held at Princeton. i'm Glib.
son county. where the case was taken OF
change OF Venue. and occupied two weeks