Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-12
KELLEHER FACES
LONG JAIL TERM
Wealthy Sportsman Is Found
Guilty on % Counts by
Speedy Jury.

John B. Kelleher, wealthy apartment
house owner and we'll known in sport
ing circles of the Capital, today was
facing the prospect of a long jail
sentence following his conviction late
yesterday afternoon by jury in
Criminal Division No. /, District
Supreme Court on % counts charging
gambling activities, while his attorneys,
Judge Daniel Thew Wright and Philip
Ershler, prepared plans for asking
new trial, or carrying the fight for
kelleher's freedom 70 higher courts.
Kelleher was found guilty on s felony
and II misdemeanor counts yesterday
afternoon, the felony counts carrying
maximum jail penalty of five years each.
Immediately after the verdict was
returned, after about an hours delibera-
ton by the jury, of eight men and four
women, Judge Wright chief of
Kelleher'S counsel. announced he would
demand new trial. Kelleher was re-
manded to Jail to await his attorneys
next move.
Trial Attracts ThrOng.
The trial of Kelleher attracted wide
spread attention in sporting circles and
the courtroom all through the tWo-day
trial was crowded with men known to
pC1lCS do UlDSJClSs DOOh411GhCAo GiiO
gamblers So crowded was the court
room that Chief Justice Walter I.
Mccoy, before whom the trial was held,
yesterday afternoon halted the trial.
ordered all who would leave the court
room to do so Immediately and then
ordered court attaches to allow no one
to leave or enter the courtroom until
the trial was completed. Many spec
tators thus were kept virtual prisoners
4V. l1a until after the
ments had been made to the jury by
opposing counsel.
In the closing minutes of the trial,
Judge Wright furnished the sensation
of the two-day session when he read
into the record of the proceedings
names characterized by the prosecution
as list of patrons of the bookmaking
establishment raided at 1413 H street,
December %, 1926, when Kelleher was
arrested.
Mrs. KelIeher Witness for Husband.
Mrs. Kelleher. who took the stand in
her husbands behalf, said the list con-
tanned the names of persons to whom
she had been planning to send Christ
mas cards. The list included the names
of many prominent real estate dealers
in the city, newspaper men, physicians
and members of the Washington base
ball team.
The principal witness in the prosecu-
ton of Kelleher was Charles D. Payne,
who was indicted with Kelleher in the
case. and who testified that he was
employed by Kelleher at $50 week,
with promises of further payment, to
run a gambling establishment in the
1400 block of H street.
Accounts showing credits running as
high as $4,000 day were described by
Payne as the winnings of the book
making establishment. Figures in ex-
cess of $1,000 read from one sheet of
paper seized in the raid on the estab-
lishment were characterized by As
sistant District Attorney William H.
Collins as Kellehers winnings for one
day.
Losses Recorded in Statement.
In the alleged daily accounts of the
establishment were recorded some losses,
but in the main, the alleged accounts
showed big winnings.
Another man who said he placed bets
many times with Kelleher was Herbert
G. Alton, barber, who said he was en-