The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-04-02

day. If you doubt my story, ask him
what kind of n reputation I have fo1
rcracity. NJ. P.
(New York Sun, March l2.]
Bessie Turner's History.-A Talk
With Her Brother and He1
mether's Husband..Tho Youns
Weman's Age Told to a Day.-Tws
Persons who Dc not wish to b
Called as Witnesses In the Greal
Trial % lntcresting Renainiscences
tor Old New Workers.
Many attempts have been made ia
solve the mystery Of the early life OF
Miss Bessie Turner. The young man
McDermott who tried to prove that be
was her long lost brother met with a
cold reception, and the reading world
voted her a hard-hearted and stuck.up
girl.
Yesterday on Bergen Heights San
reporter deposited his feet under the
same mahogany with Henry A. Turner,
the only brother of the famous young
witness. The young man was boyish in
appearance, with fine brown eyes, q rich
olive complexion, brown hair, and a
downy brown moustache. His language
was we'll chosen, and his manner more
that of man Of forty than Of so young a
person as he seemed. 1t was after din.
ner, and MIR. Turner was happy, almost
hilarious, but his utterances were none
the less emphatic.
eyes, sir, said he, emphasizing the re.
mark with blow on the table. eyes, sir;
that McDermot is an impostor and q
damned liar. He her brother? He 20 to
her when she is entertaining company and
try to prove that she is his sister It's
ridiculous; it's an outrage, and if McDer.
mot will come up to Bergen, he'll learn OF
something not very much to his advan.
tagc.
WHAT HE THINKS ABOUT BESSIE.
"Now I am not going to talk to you
about Bessie very much; for the sake of
my aged mother l am going to keep still.
That unfortunate girl has disgraced her.
SELF I tried my best to get her to come
here and live with us. Two got good
home. My wife, who was the oldest
daughter of Mrs. Freeman who was shot
by her son for $2,000-you remember the
Freeman tragedy-wanted her to make
her homo with us, so that she need not be
suhpoenaed as witness in The Bcecher
trial. We urged her to put herself under
New Jersey law; but no, the unfortunate
girl had morbid besire to be a
witness in the suit, and become notorious.
She was determined to do so. But know.
ing her as we'll as l do; knowing how
thoroughly untruthful she is, l can give
her testimony its right value. Why, she
persists in saying that she is eighteen, and
every time she says that she tells de.
liberatc falsehood. She is twenty.seven
years old. My brother, James NJ. Tur.
ner. who died two years ago, was twenty.
three. / am twenty-three now, and Lib.
bic is twenty seven. All her testimony is
studied all studied. am certain of it.
I am only an outsider; live here in
New Jersey, but if should 20 over to
that trial I'd have subpoena snapped at
me in less than ten minutes. and by Theo.
dore Tilton's lawyers, too. I could tell
some startling truths, but I want to keep
out of the whole affair. I am the only
living representative Of the Turner family,
except my father, Col. James NJ. Turner,
Of the New York Courier. But he's no
father to me; he has never acted father s
part. My mother is my comfort. She
used to DO cne Of the best singers in New
York, and ranked with Patti; her voice
was magnificent. When she was divorced
from my father she took my brother
James and myself, and he took Libbie.
That's all the history l am going to give
you.'
BEss1E's MOTHER.
Col. James NJ. Turner, the father o
Henry A. Turner, has been we'll known
as newspaper man about town for mar y
years. In 1858, when Lizzie Weston
Davenport, afterward Mrs. Chas. Math
ews, was attracting so much attention ir
Burton's old Chambers street Theatre, hi
was among her most ardent admirers.
IL don't wish to say anything abou
the history of Bessie Turner,' said he
last evening. "It's sad, sad history
and for the sake of the unfortunate girl!
mother l keep silence at present. Idon'
want to make any halfway statements
When it becomes necessary, if it evel
does, shall tell the whole truth. Bessie
Turner is no child Of mine. She has n,
more legal right to the name she bear!
than to yours; but her mother was mor'
than mother to the children she Dor,
me, and for her sake keep silence"
"Did understand that Mrs. Turner
had been married before she married
you = asked the reporter.
"No, sir; said nothing Of the kind,
was the decided answer. II didn't intend
you to understand anything Of the kind.
"Was Mrs. Turner fine singer? g
''She had splendid voice. She captur
ed me with it. have not seen her fo
years. My eldest son lies in Greenwood
My other is in Jersey City, believe
'sBut if Bessie is not your daughte
how happens it that she was left to yo'
At the time Of the divorce
"That's utterly untrue; whoever tol.
you 500 There have been great man.
false Statements"
BEss1E's AGE.
s'She makes one herself when she state
her age. She was born on the 18th o
August, l847. If she lives to next Au
gust she will be twevty.eight."
Col. Turner refused to narrate tn
history of, Bessic's connection with tn
Tilton family. ut was at Mr.. Tilton'
urgent solicitations that allowed her t.
assume my name,' continued he, M,
sympathies are with Mrs. Tilton. 1hav
always found her to be lady--a queer
in her household. I think the girls testi
mony in regard to Tilton correct. In he
letters to me for some time past, Bessi
has always characterized him IS villain
T v.oouv,a cha ev,nlo thu %ruth I hav