The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-27
BELL AND HIS WIFE IN JAIL.
ACCUSED or mn TREI7ING A CHILD
NOW ~ q HOSPITIL


The D.nth or B-lrs Son and Dnu lhtsr Also
Made the Subject OF Investigation Brir.
Career as Preacher sud mn Editor
The Rev. Jonathan Edwards Fell. editor Of
the ilePl'y Flag, published in Astoria, and his
wife spent last night in cells in the First pre-
cinct police station In Long Island City. They
were arrested OIL complaint OF Herman Meyer
OF the Brooklyn Society for the Prevention OF
Cruelty to children, who accuses them OF will
fully ncglocting Arthur Morrison Bell aged 10
yenrs. one OF Bells children Ivy his first wife.
The boy is now IN the Astoria Hospital It
was the death OF Mr.. Bells daughter Edith
that brought the family to the notice OF the
authorities. short time previous to the
girls death another son Harry English Bell.
II years old. died. Both children had been
without medical attendance, and two days
after the burial OF Edith Bell the body was ex-
humed by the Coroner and the stomach taken
out and sent TO Now York for chemical exc
animation. 1t was suspected that she had
been poisoned.
Bell was found In his newspaper ONCE at
1877 Main street. Astoria. by the policeman
who had the warrant issued by Police Justice
Noble. lie panied the policeman with
out comment. and was soon lodged IN a cell.
Another policeman went to Bells house at 510
form ed that she was under arrest she said:
We'll. guess they must have found 1t; did
they?"
The policeman did not know what she meant
unless she referred to the search for poison in
the dead girls body
Mrs. Bell dressed herself with care and
trpped out along with the policeman. seem
ingly uumindful Of the nelghbors who Gocked
to tho doors to see her OIL.
han In ~ nj ~ % n MF In
said he would have his inning; The accuse
said an infamous faisehood. On SUNDAY he
visited MS little boy IN the hospital AND me
Il can disprove the charges against mo with
ease. hut as to tho charges against my, wife.
Mrs. Boil didn't seem to feel at all nut out
about her arrest. She vas smil ing when she
came out OF her cell and was ushered into the
10 begin with she said, actually don't
NnSM ws Ssy baHs nse the Ss
thing and will have their trouble for nothing.
the case. for. don't know anything with the
exception, OF what ! have read. Yes. l ex-
The II papers Said said We were to be arrested
to the door knew, what, 1t was ior. / do not
matter. hut o. course he is going to act"
The present charge against Mr. Bell and his
wife is classed as q mtsdemeanor Agent Mey-
or OF the Children's Society says he has evil
dence enough against the couple to have them
indicted for manslaughter and that their ar
rest was simply the first step in that direction.
Many stories are told about Mr.; Bell career.
One Of them is that he was expelled from his
first charge In New London on charges OF i'm
morality In his subsequent wanderings there
was such O demand from other churches for
copies Of the proceedi Is In the ease that the
Finally his wauderngs. led him to Patchogue,
where he became pastor OF the congregational
Church. His stay there was brief. and was
terminated by his resignation. He next turned
printer named John Fallon, he started the
Historian. which was later changed to the
Queens County Republican, and then to the
Weekly Flag. which name II now bears.
Giles n. Hewlett n teegraphic operator who
IL supposed to DO somewhere In Cleveland. 1t
IL presumed that she secured divorce from
him. The Bell children never took kindly to
Harry English Bell was the first to be taken
III. lie had been i'll for more than week
when he died of what was said to be typhoid
malaria. No doctor was called In to attend
him. His death made the neighbor gossip
and they became outspoken when Edith Bell
was found dead one morning.
q cold. damp room. She had been III altogether
nine DAYS. and was not once attended by u
y rysician. She died OF pneumonia and
diphtheria.
The neiphhors finally decided to Interfere.
Through their efforts Arthur Morrison Bell,
who was found In tho house In "a pitiable
plight, was sent to the hospital. This was
more than week nGo;
as soon AS Coroner Brandon hears from tho
chemists inSNew York who are making the
analysis in search OF poison.