Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-26
WIDOW OF VICTIM
OF TRUNK MURDER
WEEPS ON THE STAND
Mrs. McNichol Breaks Down
While Giving Her Testimony
in the Trial of Edward
F. Keller.
CHARGES VARYING TALES
Prosecution Completes It's Identifca-
tion of Body Found Buried
in Cellar

The pretty young widow of Daniel ].
McNichol, victim of the Kenslngton trunk
mystery broke down and wept today as
she was testifying at the trial before
Judge Bregy Of Edward f. Keller, her
husbands former business partner who
is accused of the murder
Mrs. McNichol with her heavy black
veil thrown back to make her voice audi
BILE to the jury, was relating, in low
tone, how Keller, seven months after her
husbands disappearance, reported that
McNichol had returned. when her voice
became choked with sobs
At Judge Bregy's suggestion she discon-
tinued her testimony for 10 minutes TO col
lect herself.
"Keller told me that Dan had deserted
me-" she testified "On October 26, 1915,
he came to my house and said he had
located my husband in New York and got
$40 and some clothes for him. The next
day he said Dan was at his house, but
that he was in terrible shape" Her voice
faltered here, and, as she described the
picture Keller has drawn of her husbands
condition she broke down completely
When she hesumed she said that Keller
the next day told her that McNichol had
left again.
The first direct attack against the de-
fense was made today by the Common
wealth, which has virtually completed its
Identification Of the body found in a trunk
in a cellar at 1859 Kensington avenue on
December Is, 1915.
Presentation OF this phase of the case
came suddenly and dramatically, while
Bernard ]. McNichol, of 1855 Corinthian
avenue, cousin of the missing man. was
testic.'lng of conflicting stories told by
Keller after the disappearance of MCNich-
ol, who was nephew of State Senator
McNichol.
on the day of McNichol's disappearance,
March 30, 1914, the witness said, he went
to the factory of the Keller Leather Com.
pany, at 18th and Hamilton streets, and
there saw Keller and Young. the latter the
much-sought missing witness.
what was Young doing?" Assistant
District Taulane asked Bernard McNichol
He was making packing cases." was
the reply.
Did they make packing cases there?"
asked the Prosecutor.
Yes responded the witness. He then
described the cases he saw being put to-
gether. They were similar. he said, to
that inclosing the trunk in which McNich-
OILS body was found in the cellar of a
building formerly used by Keller and Nc
Nichol as a laundry, The wood used was
pine and B Inch thick he said.
Keller always seemed anxious to volun-
teer information about McNichols disap.
that he and James Sutton. near relative
of the missing man, asked Keller where
McNichol was on the day he disappeared,
after he had failed to keep an appoint
mSnt with them.
"Keller told me that Dan had gone to
Norristown to collect some bills" the
said. "The next day he said may
be he had gone TO Detroit or Joined the
navy. Then he said there were bad actors
In Norristown and that my cousin carried
a lot of money. Keller told me that Dan
trusted him and showed me some papers
which looked like deeds
II happened to be there when Dams
wife called up Keller on the phone and
asked where her husband was. Keller told
her he was all right. that he had eaten
lunch with him the day before; and when
1 asked him about 1t he said 1t was all
right, that he had lied to Dams wife to
smooth things over"
Thomas Hallman, Collegeville at
torney, testified that Keller told him Nc
lawyer; that was March 81, 1914, the
day after the disappearance. Hallman
said he represented g. j. Claymer, of Col
legeville, who was to finance the removal
Of the Keller Leathr Company to College
Vile by advancing money on a mortgage
on McNichols house.
The lines which the defense will take
were not indicated by the cross-eXamina-
ton of the witnesses. IL was said on good
that the man who was reputed
to have seen McNichol six months after
his disappearance would not be produced
by the defense as a witness.
James S. McNichol, an uncle of the MUIR
1ered man, testified that owing TO repre-
sentations made by Keller he caused the
police to abandon the search for McNichol
"Keller told me on April IL that Dan
had been seen in New York and implied
.I..N 4. 49, LII. 4
believing this l told the police to discon-
tinue the search and for the same reason |
my nephew's wife began a suit for deser-
tion."