Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-22
PREACHER BELLS SIN.
HI DESERTS WIZ AND FAMILY FOR A YOUNG
WOMAN.
Afsr Hius Months Have Elapsed The ErTing Couple
Are Caught in The Town Whsr' They
W.rs Passing as Nan and Vita
Bsll Occupying Pulpit

DAuLovEeA, GA, September Elm
jaf here, under charge of adultry' and
admitting his guilt, is Rev. zacariah l.
Bell, evangelist. With him is Miss Kate
Mashburn, who is charged with being
his paramour; while in Lexington N
c., Is Mrs. Lucy Bell, his wife and her
five little children.
Rev. Zacbariah T. Bell was lOnized
nv the Methodist Episcopal Church.
south. six years ago. During the past
sfr wears Rev. Mr.. Bell has preached In
balf the counties Of North Carolina, and
has iabored frequently In south caro-,
Ina and Virginia. lie was ueVoteu
husband and a loving father, ana no
body who knew him could have Oeen
made to believe that be would ever ue-
sers them and leave them pennlleSs.
In the summer Of 1887 Miss Kate
Nashbnrn. a young Randolph county
woman. who was great admirer OF the
Rev. Mr.. Bells preaching, came TO Visit
his family. These visits became long
and frequent, but not the least suspi-
eiop was aroused and al went well. The
preachers affection for his family grew
no less, neither did he maniIest any
undue admiration for Miss Mashburn.
Early In the summer Of last year MISS
blashburn again appeared at BelIs res
idepce and remained until the middle or
December. On the morning OF De-
cember is, Mr.. Bell told his wife
that be had received an invitation TO
assist In a revival az that time IN pro-
gress st MaXJOn, n. Z. lie tOla MIS-
Bell that he would start for Maxton on
the evening train, and so his wife had
his change of clothing nicely busted
and carefully folded In his valise at the
proper time. When he suggested that
be might possibly need money on the
tourney Mrs. Bell turned the family
purse. containing nearly 500, over to
him. That was the sum total or their
cash assets, and handing his wife 50,
the revivalist slipped the purse way
down deep into his pocket.
Miss Mashburn was then making
preDaratlOns TO leave, saying she In
tended going home the following day.
Mr.. Bell looked az his watch and re-
marked that it was only thirty minutes
until train time. He kissed each or his
children goodbye, and embracing MS
wife imprinted a kiss upon her lips,
with a last request: Take good care
of the children, darling" and then,
turning to the lady visitor, he said;
"GoOd-tye, Miss MaShburn," and was
OF for the depot.
he told Mrs. Bell that be would re-
turn within three or four days. In the
meantime Miss MaShburn had packed
M her trunks and bidding Mrs. Bell and
the children goOd-by, she boarded the
s0uth-bound train and In less than
thirty minutes she was in Salisbury
with Preacher Bell Mrs. Bell was at
home singing the baby 10 sleep, while
her faithleSs husband was speeding
away with their fair lady Wis
itor. For weeks and months Mr..
BelPs return was anxiCusly awaited
aud nothing was said. No word COM
ing from him, inquiry after his where
abouts was made at MaxtOn, when 10
was ascertained that he had not been
there Teen IL developed that Miss
Mashburn was not at her home; neither
had she been there since she left to
visit the Bell family; and slowly all OF
of the facts came out. IL seems
that the two went first TO
Atlanta. Then they went TO
Dahlonega, where Bell ut once
established himself as a Methodist
preacher lie conducted himself in a
most exemplary manner, and when he
came into the pulpit he preached with
feryor and enthusiasm. The woman,
Miss Kate MaShbun, went around with
him, and Bell introduced her as his
wife. They stopped week with Rev.
ID. N. Edwards, and ne and Rev. Ed
wards conducted successful revival at
Davis Chapel, near the town. He was
everywhere received into the best fami-
lies in town, stopping with Hon. w. II.
McAfee ard ex-senator Boyd.
When 10 was discovered that he was
q wife-deSerter, warrant was placed In
the haads of Sheriff BreOksher, Charg-
ing him with adultry, and no was
brought into town last night and lodged
In JAIL his psramOur will also be ar
rested and the extreme penalty Of the
law viii be melted out TO the guilty pair.
The affair has created intense excite
ment here, and threats OF tar
and feathers are freely INDUCED In.
His conduct has inceused the good peO-
pie Of DlhlOnega, whose homes he
desecrsted, and they are a unit in con-
demning him. Bell has a brother,
Joseph H. Bell, living near here, and
he is shocked at the revelation just
made. Rev. Zach Bell had not seen his
brother Joseph for twenty-fOur years,
and he palmed of Miss Mashburn on
him as his wife, Joe little dreaming that
he had deserted a wife and five children
In North Carolina.
CROSSED IN LOVE