Evening star., 1949-01-06
Mrs. KeIeher Recalls
Fear Of Husband, Says
She Hired Detective

She Hired Detective
Mrs. Anna T. Keleher, estranged
wife of wealthy eX-gambler John B
blackjack Keleher, disclosed in
her District Court divorce trial to-
day that she hired a woman detec-
tive in 1916 to be her constant COM
panion because I was afraid"
Mrs. Keleher, 50-year-old bru-
net who charges her 67-year-old
husband with cruelty, was separated
from him at the time. She charges
he then was going with Mrs. Dor
othy Blake, "A. divorce, who lives
at the Dorchester House Mr.. Kele-
her is accusing his wife of cruelty
in countersuit.
Mrs. Keleher has testified that
she was fearful of bodily harm from
Mr.. Keleher. She admittde, how
ever. under roSs-examination by
Attorney Alvin L. NeWmyer, Mr.
Keleher's lawyer, that there was
nothing she sought during more
than 20 years of married life that
Mr.. Keleher did not supply.
( $4,000 Monthly Expense Fund.
| She told in detail of receiving up
to $4,000 a month for operation of
/ the Kelehers' Washington apartment
/ for the salaries of three servants,
including Hindu tler-chauffeur
and for personal expenses.
Mr. Newmyer then asked how she
could explain the fact that her bank
balance was not more than $1,000.
/ Il guess I spent it," she replied.
Mrs. Keleher was questioned at
length by Mr.. NeWmyer on her
drinking habits prior to her separa-
ton. ,. ... ...
Did you ever drink to excess?'
Mr.. Newmyer asked.
mo, sir she replied, "but I will
take a cocktail before dinner"
Bought Three New Radios.
Mr.. Newmyer then asked If it
were not true that she once threw
an oyster stew in the sink-a dish
that her husband brought to her.
"Of course not, Mr.. Newmyer, -
she answered.
The attorney developed the fact
that Mrs. Keleher, in addition to
purchasing a $1,000 television set
/ last year, bought three table model
radios last month. She explained
that she wanted them to supply
music "for my bedrooms"
! She was asked whom she expect
ed to pay for the purchases.
my husband" she said.
The trial, now in it's third day be-
fore Judge Edward A. Tamm, orig
inally was expected to wind up
today, but attorneys for both sides
now concede it may continue into
next week.
James J. Laughlin, attorney for
Mrs. Keleher, said he still is hopeful
of calling several men he identified
as gamblers in the Washington
area, but he admitted authorities
are experiencing difficulty in locat-
ing the prospective witnesses.
Yesterdays proceedings were en-
Iivened by testimony of two Atlantic
City private detectives. They said
they were hired by Mrs. Keleher to
serve warrants, charging adultery on
Mr.. Keleher and Mrs. Blake.
attractive divorce, who, Mrs. Kele-
her says, broke up her happy mar
ried life of more than 20 years.
Found in Rooms.
Investigator Harold H. Gray told
of arousing Mr.. Keleher, who was
clothed only in pair of blue shorts
at the time, in the Swank Marl-
borough-Blenheim Hotel in the Jer-
sey resort in September, 1916. He
said he served warrants in the
middle of the night on Mr.. Keleher
and then Mrs. Blake who had taken
room adjoining Mr.. Keleher's
When he served the warrant on Mrs,
Blake in her room, she was clad in
a pink nightgown, he recalled.
Mr.. Gray said there was much
shuff1ing and closing of DOORS in the
suite before Mr.. Keleher, at the
insistence Of the night manager
finally opened the door.
Under questioning of Mr.. Laugh
lin, the witness said he noted a pail
of mems leather slippers in Mrs
Blake's room.
The second investigator, Earl H
Dobbins, testified that Mr.. Kelehel
left his room, still clad only ir
shorts, spied Mrs. Keleher who was
in the corridor with the detectives
then raised his arm in the direction
of his wife and declared:
I'll get even with you for this"
Mr.. Dobbins said Mr.. Keleher first
denied knowing who was staying ir
the room next to his, but that he
finally raped on Mrs. Blake's cor.
ridor door and said:
"Dottie, you better come out"
In cross of Mr.. Gray
it developed the adultery charges
against the pair were dropped by
the magistrate after three months
when he found there was not suf-
ficient evidence to justify an in
dicument.