Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-31
LONGS FOR FREEDOM
OF ACCUSED FATHER
Wife Slayer's Son Says Parent
Is Not Bad Man-Drunk
When He Fired Shot.

IT hope they won't do anything to papa.
He amt a bad man. He was good to us
boys and he didn't mean to hurt mama
when he killed her"
With this statement John Kelley,
wide-eyed, 10-year-old lad, insisted on
acting as spokesman for his three
younger brothers and aged grandmother
today at the home of Mrs. Emma Kelley,
7OS East Tioga street. mother of James
Kelley. who has just been captured In
New York. Young John was the only
eyewitness on November 81, 1912. when
his father, then a street-car conductor in
this city, came home drunk, according
to the police, and shot his wife. He has
been a fugitive since, and was caught
in New York through clever detective
work on the part of Special Policeman
Bob" Dunbar of the Trenton avenue
and Dauphln street police station, this
city.
Young John was eager to talk today.
lie had read the newspaper accounts
of the capture of his father He ran 10
the door with his grandmother in re-
him trailed "Tomme" s years old JOS
eph. 9. and Billy" The fifth child
of the alleged murderer, Joseph. baby
8 months old. died as a result of los
ing the care of his mother. The baby
was buried by Mrs, Kelley.
The child's Ioquaciousness was check
ed by the grandmother, who chded him
for hia fnrx nd mt IQ11f cha nlasN
a little at the willingness of her little
grandson to forgive his father.
Mrs. Kelley admitted that 1t had taken
all her savings to obtain II grave for
the dead baby Of her son who is charg-
ed with murder. She has also taken
care Of the other children since the day
of the murder She hopes the law will
be charitable TO her boy"
"Jim was always a good boy" she
said, with tears starting from her eyes
"He never meant to Kill his wife. He
was drunk. 1t is all due to a Mrs Black
that got him in her power. After he
met her there was trouble at his home
He seemed to drink more, but begged
his wife to help him stop, When he
was mere lad he fell off the roof of a
building at Lehigh avenue and Cedar
street DIR. John Lock, who is now a
Councilman, treated him then and said
he might have trouble over the injury
afterward. 1 think he just went insane
because OF the power Of that other wom'
an over him."
Mrs. Kelley also mentioned that the
sister OF the daughter-in-law who was
murdered has forgiven her son for
numbering his wife and making his chill
dren motherless. This sister Is Mrs.
Archie Smith, 262l Memphis street. She
said today she had no desire to see the
alleged murderer punished for his crime.
- s4ag oh. uaNa
has probably suffered enough"
-Four daughters also make their homes
with Mrs. Kelley at the Tioga street ad-
dress. They have lived there since the
killing Of the woman to help support ana
cheer the motherless children OF the A.
legged uxoricide They also have forgiven
Relley and blame the other woman"
They say Kelley was fond of his wife.
One OF the daughters Is Miss Margaret
Relley. She Is a stenographer IN an once
building IN the centre Of the city. The
others are Annie. Mrs- Elizabeth Lynn.
who also has a home at Lehigh avenue
and Memphis street. ana Mra- Joseph
Lambert