The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-06-22


wanted to know namely, why did Bar.
kcr shoot Keller-but, said he, "you
have right to draw conclusions and
to picture In your minds the darkest
outrage possible" Continuing, Mi.
Van Wrinkle said:
IF Barker thought the shooting the
just thing to do. you may legally ac-
quit him. IL the story of outrage was
true. the shooting was justitable, or II
Barker believed the story told by his
wife and he acted on that belief and
was acting in delirium, even If the
story was not true, he should be acqult-
ted.
Acted on the story.
Barker heard the story and acted on
1t. AS the story has not been admitted.
you cannot say he was not justified.
He says he was justified and that any
man would do the same under like cir
cumstances. You must stand on the
facts as they are presented to you.
"The church has not been assaled
The church stands for the truth and
not for the suppression Of the truth
The church Is not made up of minis
tiers alone. II is made up of congrega
tons. Ministers may do just whai
you or | might do. Ii you take up the
| book of prayer
Mr.. Van Wrinkle was here about Il
read from the book of prayer, but wa:
prevented by the court
Barker" said MIR. Van Wrinkle, "let
good life, and his wife was insultcd
She stood for all that was good in thi,
world, and his happiness was centere,
in her. Along came Keller. He yisite,
the Barker family frequently Kelle
ana Barker were almost like brothers
Keller visited the house four or fiv
times Il week, and Barker gave him
wheel that they might ride ont t.
gether. Keller, a man of 40, had all iii
opportunity for the crime charged.
Something happened. Keller cease
his visits TO Bankers house and sud
denly became a stranger there. VIA
happened was not known to Barker III
Ill January, 1901. In his testimon
Keller denied that he borrowed none
from Mrs. Barker. lie did pay none
back, and the receipts are In eyidenc,
Men do not pay back money they d
not owe
Barker's Peculiar Actions.
.'In January. 1901, Barker learned {
the assault and framed his mind to d
the shooting. Witnesses testified to hi
peculiar actions at that time ana ais
to the fact that the night before til
!, shooting he was unable to sleep. O
, that fatal Sunday morning he had |
, mind Il trip to Central park. He di
not 20 out to shoot Keller. He was Ii,
the sane man that he had been tv
weeks previous. Everything SCENE
dark TO him. He thought about ii
/ law and redress. The brutes in Pate
Il son had not been sufficiently punishe
! Then, in that state of mind, he IN
L Keller and shoe him.
1T has been said that Keller ",
). shot from behind and that Barker ID
; in ambush for him. The testimony
this respect is contradictory. | do H.
pay much heed to the opinions Of DI
McGill and Strasser as to the cour
y VI th' bull1t. lit Idct IL InaC BafK
4 met Keller and the fact that he was
\ minister and that ii was Sunday NOR
y ing magnified Kellers crime in Is,
S ker's mind. On the way from Keller
e house to the police station Barker ga
le he hoped that he had killed him. 7
testimony all shows that up to [
time of the shooting Barker was
peaceful. loving man of good dispo
a ton and good character.
re 'As to the legal defense Of insanit
~ nobody knows much about insanit
e Experts differ on the subject. Y
p may say that the man committed t
nc act under a dclusion, and that wo,
sxonerate him legally. Because M
Is able to aim a pistol does not pro
him sane"
en- MIR. Winkie's Final Appeal.
a. Mr. Van Wrinkle closed his SUNNI
or mp as follows:
~ KELLER sat beside the prosecutor /,
ef moved when Mrs. Barker made the Il
10 fible charge against him.
Did he or his counsel sitting basi
MIN, ask for a full investigation In
- der that all the truth might come o,
u NO; they shut il all out What did th
10 nave TO fear from the full truth2 No
j what does the prosecutor do insteo
10 siiys 70 Mrs. Barker. we won't nc
your story. but will assaii your char,