The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-10-14
CLINGS TO HER LOVER.
CORA VAN TASSELL SWEARS SHF
WILL NOT DESERT HIM,
Her Guardian, She Claims, Abducted
Her From Her Hotel. Now
Sues to Recover Her
Property.

Every theatergoer in Dawson remem-
bers Miss Cora Van Tassell, the viva
cious little actress who played here
about three years ago, and the following
New York press dispatch to the Wash
ington Times will be read with interest:
| Miss Cora Van TaSsell a Vivacious
little blonde, claims to be the absurd
| heroine of drama in real life and in
vokes the strong arm of the law to pro-
tect her rights.
She says she has harsh guardian in the
person of Norman Kelly, who, she AYERS,
has adopted the most approved stage de-
vices to prevent her from marrying the
man of her choice, including abduction.
She escaped from him and rushed back
to the arms of her devoted Willie. hurl-
ing defiance at Mr.. Kelly. The guar
dams next step was to cut off her in
Dome, and she proposes to make him
pay, whether he wishes to or not.
! Miss Cora started in the theatrical bus
mess as an 'infant phenomenon under
the guardance of Mrs. Scott Siddons.
She was a full fledged star by the time
she was II years DID, Although she was
earning her own living at this tender
age, she claims that there were millions
OF dollars knocking around in her fami
| lY. Two of her un 3les were presumably
milliOnaires; her father had the reputa-
ton of being one himself; he lived on
the fat of the land, his interest in the
Standard Oil Company and his fast
horses.
One of the rich uncles, Col. A. T. Van
Tassell, died when Miss Cora was achild
star, and left a lot of money for her in
Mr.. Kelly's charge. Out of this she
was to get $50 week until she became
of age, and then the principal was to be
turned over to her.
Her father, Louis Van Tassell, died a
couple of years ago, ana She says that
although his estate was somewhat in
vOlved she will receive about $75, 900
from this source when it is finally 81 t.
tied. Her mother died at about the
same time as her father, leaving an es-
state said to be worth $3.50, 600, and nam
ing Mr.. Kelly as guardian and executor
Nth the provision that the actress should
not receive the principal until she is 81
years old.
Mr.. Kelly, according to Miss Cora
seems to forget that she has passed hel
21st birthday, and insists on treating her
like hayward child. She became en-
gagged two years ago to William Stewart,
an actor. Mr.. Kelly objected to the
match, because Mr.. Stewart was not a
millionaire.
According to Miss Cora, she was alb
Quoted from the Imperial hotel, this
city, in 1894 by Mr.. Kelly, and taken to
his home in Cleveland. She refused to
remain a captive and returned to New
York. She has since taken trip tc
Europe to visit relatives of her mother
Mr. Kelly's ultimatum was that she must
either remain abroad or else live in Cleve
land, SO that he could make sure thai
she did not see Mr.. Stewart. She shook
her light curls and declined to let hin
regulate her affairs.
Mr.. Kelly then took steps to crush
her rebelious spirit. She wanted funds
to produce a new play. Be told her she
could not have dollar. She took hel
grievances to a law firm, and suit was
begun in the United States court to re.
move her guardian from his trust on the
ground that be has not faithfully per-
formed his duties, to obtain possession
| of diamonds of the alleged value of $780,.
600, and also of real estate in Cleveland
and Detroit. She has also begun an a.
ton to break her mothers will in order
! to get the estate at once.
1t will be remembered that Miss Var
Tassell married Charles Slater, a well
known real estate and insur rance mar
of Washington city, about three and a
half years ago at Baltimore, and after
wards reAided in Washington.
Their welded life was not a happy
one, and it is understood, suit for d.
vorce, brought by the husband, is now
pending in the courts.
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