The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-04
NEGROATrACKSMRS. KETCHAM
CONGRESSMAN'S WIFE CAUGHT
HIM ROBBENG HER ROOMS.
Nit Her Twice with n Lead Pipe Then Tried
10 Strangle Her-EIer COllar.B0ne
IsrOllen--She's a Christian Scientist
ond Unwilling 10 Admit Shes Hurt.


10 strangle Her-EHer COllar.B0ne
UrOl.en--She's Christian Scientist
and Unwilling TO Admit Shes Hurt.
Mrs, John William Ketcham. the wife OF
Najor-Gen. Ketcham, Congressman from
fine Eighteenth New York district, was
attacked last Saturday morning by negro
halbov whom she caught robbing her
rooms in the apartment house at 9l8 West
Eichty-second street. The robber hit Mrs
Kelcham twice with a piece of lead pipe,
the second blow breaking her collarbone.
He then choked her into insensiblity by
wing "A knotted handkerchief around her
neck and left her lying on the floor
In making his escape the negro did not
shut the door of the apart ments behind him
Aneighbor not iced the open door and looked
in She saw Mrs. Ketcham lying unconscious
on the floor and gave the alarm. 1t il said
that only this timely happening saved Mrs
Ko'cham's life,
Mrs. Krtcham lis a Christian Scientist
and when she was restored to consciousness
shc refused TO admit that she was injured
IN any way and forbade those people in
the house either to send for physician or
to notify her family, every member of
which was out of town at the time.
The result was that her husband and
daughter, who are now at Nantucket, and
her sons. Henry B. and Charles b.. both of
whom live i'll New York. did not learn Of
what had happened until yesterday after
noon. Mrs. ketcham then telegraphed TO
her husband and daughter not to interrupt
their stay at Nantucket as she was feeling
perfectly well,
About the time that telegram was sent,
a statement was made by Mrs Ketchams
Oldest son, Henry B., who is a lawyer, with
Offices at IS Wall street Mr. Ketcham sale
that his mother was in a serious condition,
suffering from a broken oollarbone and a
number of commissions ON the head and the
body.
Gen ketcham, who represents Ulster,
Putnam and Duchess counties in Congress,
lives at Dover Plains, y. Y, but he and his
VIE spend most Of their time in this CITY,
staying generally at the Eighty-second
street house with their son Charles b. -,
broker, Young ketcham went to Boston
last Saturday. His family was already in
the country, so that his mother, who is
about s. years old, was left alone in the
apartments.
On leaving her home TO do some SHOPPING
about 1890 o'clock Saturday morning she
told TIE negro hallboy. Harry Smith or
Miller, who I'D been hired two days earlier,
that she expected her sister and that she
would be home by II o'clock. 1t was halt
an hour after that time when she finally re-
turned, going straight to her rooms on the
second floor.
When she opened the door she saw that
the furniture had been moved about and
that the drawers of a bureau were pulled
out. As she walked toward closet, look
ing about her all the time for an ex-
PLANTATION of what she saw. the new hallboy
sprang from the closet and made straight
for her. He held piece of lead pipe in his
uplifted right hand.
What in the world" was all Mrs
Ketchnm had time to exclaim before the
pipe landed on her head. The blow nearly
knocked her over, but she threw up both
her arms to ward of the second blow
which landed on her shoulder, breaking
her collarbone and forcing her to her knees.
She did not scream but managed to say:
Don't kill me, Harry. | can't do any
thing to hurt you"
The boy then grabbed her by the neck
with both hands and bent her backward
to the floor. Mrs. Ketcham felt that he
was tying something tightly about her
neck. Then she lost consciousness. When
she was discovered and revived her first
IpCutSI WAS Llldl DS
Less than two hours later she walked
unaided from the house and went over
to the Christian Science Church OF which
she is a member. On her return shortly
afterwards she assured everybody that
she was in excellent condition Her face
was bruised and swollen from the FIRST
blow and she could move her left arm
only with difficulty That evening she
went out to dine with friends and said
nothing Of her experience.
As soon as the attack on Mrs. Ketcham
hosame known a search was started for
the boy. No trace OF him could be found
and nobody had seen him leave the house
Policeman McGinty telephoned TO the
West Siyty-eighth street station. Pre-
cinct Detectives Coleman and Douglas
found that the boy got into the Ketc6am
apartment by crawling from the hallway
intoa rear window opening on an airshaft,
He had turned everything upside down
Dut had failed to find anything OF value
except a purse containing $25, which he
took.
The missing hallboy is 10 years old and
has spent several years In the House of
Refuge, sent there by his mother be-
callse no stole from her. The reason for
his double name Is that he has a step
father and uses the latter's name as well
az his own.
The police say that his mother is leader
among the negro women Of this city. and
is the head OF seven or eight organizations