Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-18
OWNERSHIP OF GUN .
IN Staying TRACED
Suspect Is Missing From
Winchester and Nearby
State Is Searched.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch TO the star.
WINCHESTER, Va, January 10
Ownership of a .25-caliber automatic
pistol with which william F. Keller,
prominent Winchester business man,
was killed about midnight Saturday as
he grappled with bandit on the front
porch at his residence here, has been
traced, 1t was announced by Chief OF
Police C. w. Hollis today. T..
Police said they had established own
ership of the gun within an hour after
Keller had been shot down. One Of
the cartridges failed to explode and
fell on the porch, where it was found
by them. A man suspected Of flring
the shot is missing, but police said
his movements have been traced into
q nearby State and that authorities
there were conducting a diligent search
for the killer.
Follower Is Seen.
Keller. a member of the hardware
firm of George w. Keller estate, car
ried a small tin lunch box between
his home and store and authorities be-
heye the highwayman probably pre-
sumed he carried store receipts in 1t
to his home. A number of people saw
a man following Keller as he went
home about 1880 o'clock Saturday
night. Still others claimed to have
seen a man rushing in the vicinity OF
the Keller home, a brick mansion built
on part of the original Fort Loudoun
constructed in 1855 by George Wash
tnRton. then colonel of Virginia Militia.
Keller, however. had only small
amount of money in his pocket. Keller
had Just gone into his house, locked
the front door and was starting up
stairs when the door bell rang. A sis
ter. it was said, warned him not to
open the door He did so, however,
and was Immediately seized by the
Intruder. A short struggle ensued.
Joseph Jones, young nephew, who
had had pistol at the house with which
TO shoot blank cartridges during the
Christmas holidays, seized the weapon
and fred shot as he started down the
main stairway. At the same time Keller
was shot in the shoulder by the robber.
who was seen by Edward Bowen,
neighbor, running off the porch. He
ran through Bowens yard.
Bowen said he ran into the house Tor
his shotgun, but by the time he re-
turned the killer was seen disappearing
behind another building.
Becomes Unconscious.
Keller lay on JIle lIOllG POLSl oS LIZ
nephew ran out of the house. He said
sim shot; get doctor quick" He was
asked to describe his asSailant but be-
came unconscious and made no state
ment. -
Removed to hospital, he died few
minutes after being admitted. DR..
George Snarr, who performed an autop-
ev, said the bullet passed directly under
his heart into lung and lodged in the
spine.
The assailant was described by Bowen
as of average build and foreign In ap-
pearance. Bowen said he had seen the
man before. Keller was IS years OF age
and unmarried. His family has been
prominently identified with business ana
civic life here for many years. His IA
ther. George w. Keller established the
hardware business shortly after the
close of the Civil War.
He is survived by two sisters, MRS.
Bessie Jones and Miss Minnie F. Keller
of winchester, and one brother, George
w. Keller, with whom he was engaged
in business. He was a member OF the
Presbyterian Church.