The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-03
John E. KetcheI Trying to Ex-
plain Why He Did,.
Esther Randall Was 15 When
She Became His Wife.
BUT THAT ISN'T. ALI.
Had Another Wife and Children
at the Time.
Now Being Tried fer Swearing
Last One Was Is.
UT THAT ISN'T ALL.

OF vast Importance to the children of
Kansas is the trial of John e. Ketchel
for perjury in the district court today.
Ketchel swore that Esther Randall, a
girl Of Is years was over Is years old
procured a license and married her. II
he escapes punishment child marriage
will be given a precedent quite as sim
pie as divorce
Ketchel is 25 years old and has a
wife and two children in Denver, Col.
He could have been charged with big
amy but the county attorney elected
the perjury count for the first trial
Ketchel claims TO have received a let
ter from his wife that she had gotten
a divorce but he was unable TO snow
the letter The state has letter writ
ten to Mrs. Rebecca Randall mother OF
Esther, telling her the new son-ln-laW
was her husband. Mrs. Ketchel NO. 1
claims KetcheI left her soon after the
second child was born.
Ketchel and the Randall girl were
married December 3, 1910. by Rev w .
]. Cole of the North Topeka Baptlst
church at the home of his sister at
551 Fairchild street. He had gone alone
to get the license shortly after the noon
hour. Miss Anne Ballard, clerk IN
the probate court, issued the license
and took the customary oath from the
applicant. He swore he was % and the
girl was over IS. The marriag -cere-
mony was performed at 800 o'clock.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. w. NJ. Randa j,
parents of the girl, who live at l4zo
kansas avenue. testified on the stand
that they knew nothing of the proposed
marriage of their daughter ana dfd not
even know the two had been lovers.
The new son-in-law had boarded
with the family the greater part of il
months. Mrs. Randall said he had
been present one evening at corr
yersation relative to preparing birth
day party for Esther on June l9, 1910
at which time she was to be 10 years
old Mr.. Randall testified that he hatt
employed Ketchel on subcontract he
had with the Topeka Bridge & Iron
company. Both parents said they had
never given consent to the marriage
and had never expected such thing.
esther Randall, the girl wife, was
called to the stand by the state she
is a very pretty girl, dark skinned AMI
black eyed. Her dress was several
inches longer than before. She wore a
becoming long red coat and an invert-
ed basket hat of black. She was
chewing gum.
The little wife seemed rather to seek
to defend her husband and reiterated
again and again that she had always
told him she was more than Is years
Old
Mrs w E. Atchison, former official
stenographer of the city court, testified
that IN the prelimination examination.
KetChel had said he knew Esther Ran
dali was only Is years ol1
John E. Ketchel was called 10 the
stand in his own defense by his Eattor-
ney. J. r McNary. He relies for lib
Grafton upon the statement that he did
no know the girl was under IS when
he married her. He said he. first met
her when he came to Topeka with the
Baker Medicine company show. He
says he is a brakeman and painter
oy trade. He also said he had boarded
with the RandaIls and had worked Tor
Mr.. Randall. He said he married the
girl because her parents were cruel to
her. He stated further that Mr.. Ran
dali had come to him and congratd-