Year: 1859

for more than year; she quit about three weeks
since on account of expected sickness


Mayor Swann-When she got her sickness
was she going back to work?


Duffy--Yes, sir, providing would allow her.


Mayor Swann-You never had any suspicious of
your wife?


Dufy-No more than an infant; never thought
she would do such a thing.


Mayor Swann-Did you ever have any suspicion
of any of the other girls employed by Keefer?


Dufy.-NO, sir, never; the first time ever
keefer was about three months since; | came home
evening and he was in nv house when nv wife
introduced him to me; the night Kate was shot,
she told me she was going to take walk, and that
| must not leave the house, as Keefer intended to
call and see me that night.


Mayor Swann.-Did YOU converse with your wife
after she was shot?


Dufy-Yes sir, about IL o'clock at night
asked her if Keefer shot her, and she said ''no;"
asked her who did shoot her, and she said she did
not know; she told me that she saw three men lust
before the shot was fred but did not know them;
she also said that she did not Keefer until after
she was shot.


Mrs. Matilda Legg, sworn.-Heard that woman
was shot and went to where she was; found her
lying on the ground in unconscious condition;
the blood was flowing from the wound; called for
basin of water and bathed her temples; she soon
showed signs of consciousness, but could not speak
at first; after time witness asked her whether
the man who was with her shot her, to which she
replied three times distinctly, "no," ''no," "no;"
that is all witness knew.


Mayor SwanD-Was it dark?


Witness.-Yes, SIR it was necessary to hold
lamp while was bathing her temples.


John Craig testified that Keefer ran up the street
and told witness that woman was shot, and asked
witness to go and give assistance witness went down
and found the woman lying on the commons with
wound in the back part of the head knows moth
ing about the shooting; assisted in taking the
man home.


George Bowers, sworn.-The evidence of this
witness similar to that of Craig.


Thomas Lemon. H tha arfia ha
lore the night OF the shooting; they were in the
habit OF walking out the corners together almost
every other evening; had seen them before fire.
quently; heard the report of the pistol or gun; it
was very loud, and witness thought it was a gun;
from the direction the sound came from witness
thought it was fired from gravel yard in close
proximity to the commons; was standing on the
back porch of witness house when he heard the
shot; had little child with him; did not 90 to see
who was shot; witness often sees men and women
walking out on the commons after night; has OBJ
served Keeter and Mrs. Duffy walking in that local
lty frequently during the past three weeks did not
know either of them personally.


heefer here asked permission to interrogate the
witness, which was granted. He then commenced
scme explanatory remarks, which were apparently
addressed TO the crowd, but the Mayor checked him
and told him 30 ask what questions he desired


keefer, (to witness )-YO say that you thought
the shot was fired from gravel yards not that
yard in the hollow, and is it not within pistol range
OF the place where the woman was shot?


Witness-Yes, it is.


keefer-That is ALL


Anna Ryder sworn. (The witness was girl l3
years of age. Saw three young men walking out
where the woman was shot: heard one saw ''i'll do
1t" and then another Of them said, "I'll do
IT.; it was only four or five minutes after witness
heard these remarks when the shot was fred: wit
ness was playing on the commons with two or three
little girls, when the young men passed and made
the remarks; they were not BOYS but men grown;
after witness heard that a woman was shot she told
her father about what she had heard the young men
say; did not know either of the young men; never
saw them before.


Captain Brashears sworn-Knows Keefer; has
known him for number of years he is a cabinet
maker by trade some years since the prisoner
quit his trade, and went to California he returned
to this city and opened grocery store, in which
business he failed he has been arraigned in the
criminal court, charged with indecent exposure of
his person; does not know what he has been fol-
lowing for livelihood for the past few years.


Mayor Swami asked if there was any person in
the room who knew keefer, but no one answered.


The Mayor then addressed the prisoner as fol
lows Justus Keefer, there has no evidence been
adduced in this examination which duplicates YOU
In the shooting of this woman, and therefore YOU
cannot be held for trial. In leaving this court
however, You go out with stigma upon your
brow, which will take many good deeds TO remove.
From the evidence, it appears you have had in
your employ number Of females You are an
elderly man and man of family. The necessities
of women have placed them in your employ, and
they come to you unprotected. You have taken
advantage Of their condition. and one at least has
been ruined by you. You have destroyed
her character, seduced, and perhaps been
the means of her death. The Mayor has no doubt
that the shot which struck the woman was intend
ed for you. Some one who is aware of your in
famous conduct, doubt fired at you, and the ball
missed its mark. You have exercised powerful
influence over this woman; whether it was the
power OF money or threats, or some other equally
potent influence, the Mayor cannot say. But the
evidence adduced proves that it was not passion
which took her to your embrace, for it has been
proven that she tainted three times her way to
meet you. Whether you exercised similar nhu
ence over other females in your employ or not is
unknown to the Mayor. He sincerely hopes you
do not. You stand here disgraced and infamous
man, and you will leave this court with a stigma
on your character, which it will be most difficult
for you to remove. In dsmissng the case and dis
charging you, the Mayor will take occasion to say
that he hopes the friends of this ruined woman,
will seek redress for the wrong which you have
perpetrated in the courts, and if it is possible to
make you suffer for your conduct, they may sue
ceed in doing You discharged.


The examination held in the Mayors office
and the room was crowded with persons