Evening star., 1949-01-05
Mrs. KeLIeher Tells of Break
WhhEx-GumbIer After '46 7rip

I Mrs. Anna T. Keleher, estranged
wife of John B. blackjack Keleher,
admitted exgambler. testified in Dis
trict Court today that she told her
husband she was through with
him" when he returned from a
Florida vacation in February. 1916.
Under cross examination by De-
fense Attorney Alvin L. Newmyer,
the 5l-year-old, sable-clad matron
declared in her suit for divorce that
she handed Mr. Keleher his over
coat at Union Station.
Did you tell him not to come
home?' Mr.. Newmyer asked.
Spent Month in Miami.
ooh, no." she replied. Il told
him was through with him. But
I never said he couldn't come home" :"
The incident occurred after Mr.
Keleher had spent more than
month in Miami where, according
to Mrs. Keleher, he stayed with
Mrs. Dorothy Blake, 44-year -old
divorcee, whom Mrs. Keleher ac-
cuses of coming between her and
her husband three years ago.
Mrs. Keleher testified that she
was accompanied at the Union Sta
ton by two private detectives as
protection because "Mr. Keleher
had threatened me-"
Meanwhile James J. Laughlin
said several prominent" Washing
ton gamblers may be called as wit
nesses in the trial.
Mr.. Laughlin, who Is representing
Mrs. Keleher in her suit for limited
divorce on grounds of cruelty, also
said he plans to go into further de-
tails Of Mr.. Kelehers accounts with
several Washington banks.
Mrs. Keleher, a smartly dressed
brunette, who said she once received
as much as $4,000 month from her
husband for living expenses, testified
yesterday that Mr.. Keleher still
operates a gambling establishment
in the 5000 block Of Rhode Island
avenue, just across the District line
in Mt. Rainier, Md.
Retired" Keleher Says
Mr.. Keleher, a dapper man Of 81
who doesn't look his age, has testi-
fed in earlier litigation in District
Court that he has been retired"
from business since last January.
His wife, however, insisted that
he was still operating at the Rhode
Island avenue address and that men
were on duty there on Christmas
Day. She described the place as
composed Of two apartments, one
equipped with a telegraph ticker
machine and the other with five
telephones. Three or four men are
employed there, she added
Mr.. Keleher was accompanied In
court yesterday by Mrs. Dorothy
Blake.
Questioned on Withdrawal.
Alvin L. Newmyer, Mr.. Keleher's
lawyer, attempted in cross-exami-
nation of Mrs. Keleher yesterday
to show that she drew 100000 from
two safe deposit boxes-both joint
accounts of the Kelehers-early in
1916.
Mrs. Keleher insisted the amount
was around" $4,000 and that she
was "too upset" over her husband
leaving her for Mrs. Blake to make
an accurate count. Some of the
money was used to hire detectives
to check on her husband and Mrs.
Blake, she said.
She said she ran up bill of
between $4,000 and $4,000 at the
Hotel Biltmore in New York during
an eight-month period in 1916, in
cluding several thousand dollars
in telephone calls. The calls, she
explained. were to bookmakers. She
said she placed bets for her hus-
band, whose agents supplied her
with tips" on the horses.
Payment Stopped After Suit.
BY October, 1916, however, she
had run out of money and has been
living on loans ever since, Mrs.
Keleher testified. She said her hus-
band paid her $7O0 month be-
tween December, 1947, and the fol-
lowing April but that this halted
abruptly when she filed a $3.50 900
alienation Of affections suit against
Mrs. Blake.
Mrs. Keleher estimated her cur
rent Indebtedness at around 100000.
When times were good" her hus-
band made as much as $4,000 a
month, Mrs. Keleher informed
Judge Edward A. Tamm. For eight