Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-08
Charge That Ke|eher
Is Still Taking Bets
Emphasized at Trial

Trial Of Mrs. Anna T. Keleher's
suit for limited divorce from John
B. blackjack Keleher will be re-
sunned Monday, after Mrs. Keleher's
counsel spent several hours yester-
day attempting to prove her
estranged husband is still in the
gambling business in big way. !.
Attorney James j. Laughlin in
troduced telephone company records
of scores of long-distance calls
placed in the last six months to
back his contention that Mr.. Kele-
her is not only big-time gambler
but conducts some of his business
from the apartment of a woman
whom Mrs. Keleher is suing for
alienation of affections.
Mr.. Laughlin assured Judge Ed
ward A. Tamm in District Court
yesterday that he expects to close
his case Monday morning, unless
unforeseen circumstances" develop
over the week end.
This statement was made at re-
quest of Attorney Alvin l. Newmyer,
whose client is suing Mrs. Keleher
for limited divorce ON g, q, similar
charge of cruelty. a.
Mrs. Blake's Phone Used.
Evidence yesterday tended to show
that the long distance calls in ques-
ton originated or were received at
the apartment of Mrs. Dorothy
Blake. A, an attractive divorce,
who lives at 2480 Sixteenth street
NV. Mrs. Keleher is suing her for
S250,000 on charge that she broke
up her home
The admitted gambler, who tes-
titled in previous court action that
he retired year ago. is 81 years old,
while his estranged wife, a well
groomed brunette, is II years his
Junior.
Mrs. Keleher had testified at the
Week-long divorce hearing that her
husband as late as last Christmas
still operated his gambling estab-
llshment in the 5000 block of Rhode
Island avenue, just across the Dis
trlct line in Maryland.
Attorney Laughlin contends the
long distance calls were made to
wealthy customers of Mr.. Keleher or
to fellow professionals and charged
to telephone numbers at the gam
bling place or at the Sixteenth street
apartment.
Records Produced.
Richard Allen Duvall. commercial
representative of the Chesapeake &
Potomac Telephone Co., was sub
poenaed to produce records of calls
to and from the numbers in ques-
ton. He identified almost 100 slips
recording calls to Texas, Arizona,
Vermont, New York State. New
Jersey and Florida. Several of them,
1t was shown. were received or orig
mated at the number listed to Mrs.
Blake.
With regard. to one of the latter
records, Judge Tamm asked At
torney Laughlin what he was trying
to prove.
The counsel said he. could prove
that persons on the other end of the
line were customers of Mr.. Keleher.
Mr.. Laughlin said the general
purpose of the testimony was to
establish that Mr.. Keleher is active
as . gambler and able to maintain
his estranged wife in the style to
which she was accustomed after 20
years of marriage.
Fund Taken by Wife.
He also wanted added confirma-
ton, he said, Of the association
between Mr.. Keleher and Mrs. Blake.
Mr.. Keleher, who lives at 24OO
street NV, testified in q
previous action that his wife took
$4,000 from their joint safety de-
posit box in January Of 1916, and
only returned $500. Mrs. Keleher
however, that the sum taken
was less than half of that.
Last June, Justice F. Dickinson
Let's ruled that the sum Mrs. Kele-
her took from the deposit box amply
provided for her maintenance" pend
ing settlement Of her divorce action.
Noting that Mrs. Keleher had tried
to prove this money had been spent
or lost, Justice Let's ruled her "ex-
PLANTATION is not acceptable" He
overruled her plea for separate
at that time.