KEPPLER, Joseph, American caricaturist: b. Vienna, Austria, 1 Feb. 1838: d. New York, 19 Feb. 1894. He early made his reputation as a satiric artist and the leading periodicals of his native city were publishing his witty sketches, almost before he had left the Academy of Fine Arts. But art was not then a serious business to him and he took to the stage as a comedian and opera singer, and actually began to study medicine at Saint Louis, Mo., where he made his residence in 1868. But it was in Saint Louis that he found his real vocation. There he es tablished the German Puck, which, while it failed as a commercial enterprise, made his rep utation. It was seen at once that a caricaturist of rare skill as a draftsman, of mental fertility and freshness, of witty and incisive satire, had appeared. He was engaged from 1872 to' 1877 as caricaturist for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper in New York, to which city he 'had removed, and in 1875 he started a New York German Puck in association with Adolph Schwartzman. This was followed in 1877 by
the English Puck. He was the first to use col ored cartoons in caricature and drew upon a vast store of classical and historical incidents for adaptation in criticising Modern social and political life.
KER, John, Scottish ecclesiastical writer and minister: b. Tweedmuir, 1819; 4. 1886. Educated at Edinburgh University, he spent some time in Germany in post-graduate work. He became pastor of East Campbell Church, Glasgow, in 1851; and 'in 1876 was appointe professor of practical training in, the Unite P•resbyterian Theological Hall.' Among ' his published works are (Sermons) (1868-88) ;