Evening star., 1948-06-16
KeIeher Tells Court
wife Took $4,000,
-
Returned $500

JOfln b. fheleneT I6SIlIleQ III LIS
trict Court today that his wife. Mrs.
Anna Keleher, did not leave a
penny" when she took $4,000 from
his safe deposit boxes here.
Mr.. Keleher, who lives at 2400
Sixteenth street NV, was testifying
in his 'wife's suit for separate main
tenance
Mrs. Keleher, who lives at 2737
Devonshire place NV, is seeking
maintenance pending settlement of
her suit for divorce. In testifying
yesterday she described her husband
as a gambler,
Also pending in District courts is
q s250,000 suit filed by Mrs. Keleher
against Mrs. Dorothy Blake of 2480
Sixteenth street NV, whom she
charged with alternating her hus-
bands affections.
Referred to Attorney.
Mr.. Keleher said the money was
taken while he was on a trip to
Florida in January, 1916, and that
on his return his wife greeted him
at Union Station and told him he
need not come home.
She referred him to Charles E.
Ford. who then was her lawyer, and
he said Mr.. Ford gave him $500.
but he never got any more OF the
money back.
He also said his wife had the
lock on the deposit boxes changed.
Mr.. Keleher told Justice F. Dick
insen Let's that since the first OF
the year he has retired from busi-
ness. He declared ne is 81 years
of age, owns the property at 1886
Massachusetts, avenue NV, from
which he gets a net monthly rental
of $3.50, but does not own any other
real estate.
He added he owns 1000 shares OF
United States Steel, but has no in
come from it until pending loan
is paid of. He said he has about
$4,000 in savings, but owes $4,000.
Mr.. Keleher said he pays $3.50 per
month rent for his apartment and
it costs him about $500 to $500 a
month to live.
Ford Called as Witness.
Mr.. Ford, called as witness
earlier. denied he ever saw Mr..
Keleher draw gun on his wife or
threaten her in any way. When
Mrs. Keleher's lawyer, James j.
Laughlin, asked Mr.. Ford why he
did not answer a letter sent him
April 81, 1948. the witness replied,
Il don't answer blackmail letters"
Meanwhile, Attorney Roy St.
Lewis was to bring into court papers
pertaining to the maintenance pro-
ceedings.
Mr.. st. Lewis is one of three at
torneys who have been retained
and dismissed by Mrs. Keleher dur
ing her two-year separation from
her husband.
Just before Justice Let's ad-
joulned hearings yesterday con-
troversy arose between Mr.. st. Lewis
and Mr.. Laughlin.
Saws He Never Was Paid.
Mr.. st. Lewis told Justice Let's
he had never been paid for his
services and had not agreed to the
hiring of Mr.. Laughlin. He said
he would not give up his records
In the Keleher case unless he was
ordered by the court to do so.
Justice Let's said the. papers must
be made available in court II MI.
Laughlin specified which Of them
he wanted.
Testimony yesterday revolved
mainly on the contention OF Mr..
Keleher's attorney, Alvin Newmyer,
that Mrs. Keleher had removed
from safe deposit boxes in Wash
ington the 80 ST 900 bills belonging
to her husband, without his knoWl-
edge or permission.
Admitting she had taken S32 900
or $4,000 from two lock boxes, Mrs.
Keleher denied the sum was as
great as $4,000. She said, however.
she had never counted the money
after taking it.
Says $4,000 was Gift.
Of the amount she took, she said: !
$4,000 was given to her by her hus-
band for the purchase of costume
1ewelry in New York City.
She contends she has no money
now and requires $4,000 month for
living expenses. She broke this
figure down to show that her
monthly clothes bill is $500; her
monthly drug bill is 500; beauty
treatments. s75; dry cleaning and
laundry. SIS and so on for total
of S2,077.50. Furthermore, she said.
she owes $4,000.
She said her husband is well able
to support her in the style to which
she is accustomed.