The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-12
BARKER TO HAVE HIS OLD JOB
WILL BE FREED FRON PRISON
on TUESDAY OR "WEDNESDAY.

The Rey. John Keller, whom He shot. Did
Nes oppose the Petition for His Parole
Mrs. Barker SHUTTERS NJ Mention ~
Nllnlster's Name--wants Fun Pardon.
Thomas G. Barker, who shot the Rev.
John Keller, rector Of Trinity Protestant
Episcopal mission of Arlington, N. j., one
Sunday morning in February, 1901, because
his wife and q man from Massachusetts
told him that the rector had taken other
than priestly liberties with Mrs. Barker,
ia still IN the State prison at Trenton, He
has not been officially notified Of his pardon
yet. The papers were made out in the
ONCE OF the Secretary Of State yesterday
morning, and were sent by special mes
senger to the State camp at Sea Girt for the
Governors signature. They will be re-
| turned, prObsbly, to Trenton on Monday
morning properly signed
At Trenton yesterday morning Barker
made a statement Of his plans, and from
there he sent tive kilograms. One was 20
his wife, 1t read:
"Our heartfelt thanks TO the steadfast
friends who, through their unceesing eff
The other despatch was to John Sumner.
chairman Of the Themes q. Barker Defence
Association, TO whom, more than to any
other one man, perhaps. Barker owes his
liberty. This telegram was as follows:
Heartfelt thanks, my clear John. for your
generous, unceasing efforts in my behalf.
You have been very steadfast and greatly
instrumental In securing my release"
After the kilograms had been written
and sent, Barker said
4 shall return to my wife and my home
in Arlington, take up my life where laid
it down, and live, as have always DONE
the life Of an honest man. A for work,
l shall return to the employ Of the Com
merciai Cable Company at 20 Broad street,
New York. When was forced to give
up my job believe had the esteem and
confidence Of my employers. Mr. John
W. Mackay was my personal friend.
He has been called away since l have
been in prison, but he left worthy sue
cessor in his son, Clarence II. Mackay.
Young Mr.. Mackay and the secretary and
treasurer OF the company were good enough
TO interest themselves in securing my
parole"
1T has been said remarked one Of
Barker's interviewers, shat the Rev. Mr..
Keller also interested himself in your be-
half
II don't believe it," said Barker. @If he
did, never heard OF 1t and don't believe
he had anything to do with IL. Keller
deserved NIL that he got and his punish
ment has been great But 80 has mine
and maybe l, too, got what l deserved
At any rate, have done my best TO forget
the man and the wrong he did me and mine
and I pray that my memory OF him will
grow fainter and fainter.
There Is only one other thing that care
to say anything about, and that Ia a silly
story that has reached me. to the effect
that my wife will very soon institute pro-
ceedings for a divorce 1t is the veriest
rot. During the two years have been in
prison, I have received l44 letters from
her, each one indicating that she bears for
me the deepest affection. She Is the most
faithful and devoted OF wives"
Early yesterday morning Mrs, Barker
left her home to talk to some one over the
long distance telephone. As she entered
the station, she was asked II she had heard
the news OF her husbands parole.
Indeed, have was the answer. Il
have just read Of 1t in the papers. am
too delighted to talk about It,
Then some one was tactless enough to
ask Mrs. Barker II she had heard that the
Rev. Mr. Keller had Joined in the request
for the parole.
Keller" almost screamed Mrs. Barker,
Don't mention the name OF that man
in my hearing
Mrs. Barker became 80 excited that she
forgot to do any telephoning and left the
telephone office hurriedly.
So far as a Sun man could learn from
a careful inquiry in Arlington, the divorce
possibility suggested by Barker was alto
gether new 70 the people of the town. Az
one of Barker's friends put it yesterday
The question as to whether the Rev.
Mr.. Keller had interceded In behalf
Of Barker's parole had much greater In
terest for the Arlingtonians than the di
vorcc story. A tale was going the rounds
Of the village to the effect that Barker's
friends had been advised that the only
chance the man had to get out without
serving his full term was TO get Keller to
say a good word for him
tThe idea of Mrs. Barker seeking di-
vorce is absurd don't believe she ever
had any such idea. But II she had she'd
better get some more. When a woman
finds man who out OF sheer devotion to
her will TO out and plug another fellow
full of holes Just because she tells him
pretty tough story she'd better stick to
him. She'll find they don't grow on every
hush, at least not in Jersey"
Following that advice, according to the
story. some Of the Barker Defence As
ISOLATION approached the parson, who
sald he had no desire to add to Barker's
punishment and that he would join in
The petition. John Sumner and a Mr..
stewart, the most active members of the
association could not be found in Arlington
yestsrd afternoon, but another member
Of the organization made this statement.
at Ia not true that we asked Keller to
sign the petition for Bankers release. In
the frpt place, Barker would rather have
rotted In prison than have any Of his friends
do A thing of that sort, and none OF us would
have felt at liberty to make such request
without consulting him. The history Of
the petition lie about as follows
we got one up shortly after he was sent
TO prison, and the Board Of Pardons turned
It down 30 quickly that our heads swami
About two months ago we started another
petition and we found much less difficulty
In getting signatures to II than we found
with the first one. In fact, many who re-
fused TO sign the first petition signed the
second. The result was that when we went
before the board the second time we had a
a pstNion that represented many of the
best and most influential citizens OF the