People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1896 — KELLER MURDER TRIAL. [ARTICLE]

KELLER MURDER TRIAL.

Opening Statements of the Uwyen Take Up the Second Day. Terre Haute, Ind., Jan. 29.—The second day’s work in the Keller family murder trial consisted of the two opening statements, for the prosecution by Prosecuting Attorney Maxwell of Parke and Vermillion counties, and for the defense by ex-Congressman John E. Lamb of this city. Mr. Maxwell contended that while the evidence would be largely circumstantial it would prove that the Kellers had killed Clara Shanks and thrown her body into the creek. Mr. Lamb, for the defense, laid special stress on the fact that the coroner at the first examination found that death was the result of drowning. He also called special attention to the fact that four reputable physicians examined the dead girl on the morning of the funeral and found no external marks of violence on the body. Only one witness was examined yesterday— Mrs. Elizabeth Shanks, mother of the dead girl. She told the story of the trouble with the Kellers and the girl’s disappearance. After her direct examination wag ended court adjourned till to-day.