Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-12
STORY OF ILLICIT LOVE
Testimony Begins in the Sellers Murde,
Case at Tekamah.
BOTH SIDES OUTLINE THEIR CASE
Relations OF olive Hiscox and the
Victim Extended over
Period of Probably
SIX Years.

/ TEKAMAH, Ncb., Nov. 1i.-(SpecialO-
/ The trial OF Olive Hiscox opened this morn
ing with statements OF the case. County At
torney Sears stated to the jury that 1t was
expected by the state to prove that on June
., 1896, Fred l.. Sellers of Oakland was in
house, the temporary residence OF Olive
HscoN: that those parties sustained the re-
lations OF lovers and had been on terms OF
intimacy for a number OF years; that the
night previous Sellers spent with her and
the next morning about Q o'clock there were
at the house Olive Hiscox. her brother, Cali
win, and half uncle. Grant Hiscox, and Sell
lers; will show that the two boys. Calvin
and Grant, started at o'clock the day before
from the home OF Gene Hiscox, in Decatur
precinct, going west toward Lyons with q
lumber wagon and high sideboards and lead
ing a pony with sidesaddle on it; that they
remained in Lyons several hours and then
went south toward Oakland. stopping after
going a few miles and camping until some
time in the night. when they left enroute
to Oakland, and few miles from that place
took rope at one place from a school house
and at another place from a well; that they
arrived at the home Of Olive HiscoN about
S o'clock; Sellers was shot in that house
between and o'clock the relations OF the
HisCoN and Sellers family were such as
would show a motive for the crime; threats
against Sellers life were made by the de-
fendant on account Of the relations which
had existed between Sellers and the woman
for four years prior to death OF Sellers; this
had been discovered by the wife and since
the wite's discovery the pair had pursued
a systematic course Of living together as
man and wife at different towns In Iowa,
and at different times the woman had been
sent away and supported by Mrs. Sellers
upon promises to let the family alone.
He said it would be further shown that
the HisCoX family were acquainted with the
relations existing between Sellers and the
girl and that her brothers at different times
took her to places where Sellers could find
and visit her; that at three different places
under threats OF the HiscoN family the
Sellers moved to Burt county and was
followed by Hiscox family. the brother,
Eugene, locating in this county on the road
between Cherokee. la, and Oakland. Neb.;
that the girl came and stopped with her
brother and was taken by him to Lyons TO
take a train for Oakland TO meet her lover;
that the CT inc was committed as a revenge
upon Mrs. Sellers; one motive being to
kill him that If she could not have him
his lawful wife could not; that Sellers was
getting in straitened circumstances and that
she must leave him.
STATEMENT OF THE DEFENSE.
The defendant was born on farm near
Cherokee twenty-one years ago. At the age
family becoming in straitened circum-
stances removed from the farm to Quimby
Ia, where the father worked In a store
and the family lived In the rear of the
building. Fred L. Sellers lived nearby on q
large farm and traded at the store and often
saw the girl. Trouble in the Hiscox family
caused the girl to hire out as domestic
and she went to the Sellers home as such
Sellers at that time being prominent and
wealthy cityizen Of the community. She re-
mained In the family doing the work during
the Illness OF Mrs. Sellers, and was after
ward prevailed upon to stay, upon promises
OF Sellers and wife that she should be sent
to school and be treated as their daughter.
Afterward she was told by Mrs. Sellers that
they could not send her to school The hus-
band prevailed upon her TO stay however,
promising her that Notwithstanding his
wife's objections he would take care OF her
and send her to school, saying that he liked
her shortly afterward he took her in a
buggy TO her home for a visit. Enroute
he made promises to her and told her how
well he liked her and that they should be
would dispose OF his wife by
divorce and would then marry her.
Under these promises, the attorney
said, the defense would show her
ruin was accomplished. The intimacy
and was discovered by Mrs. Sellers
and both guilty parties made promises OF
Its discontinuance. He said they would
show that the woman's determination and
chutts 10 oTeah away ana quit the relations
were thwaIted by Sellers. He sent her to
school at Storm Lake and there visited her
repeatedly and letters passed between them
which will be introduced in testimony. show
ing the love and affection that existed be-
tween them. Returning home, she
Lemars, la. Here she was visited
by Sellers and upon her return home ac-
'ompanied him on business trip over the
country, all the time believing he was going
niGal to hAH
Ia, they were arrested for passing them
selves OF as man and wife and we're taken
10 Early, Ia, where the wife threatened
prosecution, at which time Olive begged
would take the punishment and
60 to the penitentiary and at
his time it was promised by Mrs
sellers that the girl should go to school at
Jarroli, la; |: would be shown that at that
line the victim OF this tragedy had secret
understanding with the girl that she need
lot remain at Carroll but a short time,
"heh they would go TO Texas and there live
IS husband and wife. Afterward she left
-arroll and travelled with Sellers over the
country, he selling a patent gate. they regis-
ering as husband and wife or otherwise
Is best answered the mans purpose.
RUN OUT or MONEY.
II would be shown, the attorney for the
License says, that they went to Malvern. la,
md while there Sellers became so hard nm
nat he could not take her with him to
shenandoah, and at that time wrote her.
Isk!ng her TO stick to him." that he would
oon raise money and then they would 20
way together. 1t would be shown that
'tterward he left her at the Cheney hotel
n Missouri Valley with the understanding
hat he would pay her expenses and would
oon come for her. Staying there alone for
eyera weeks she was persuaded that
ellers was fooling her and had deserted her.
IL would be shown that coming to this
conclusion she started on foot TO walk 10
lor home; walking until about 10 O'clock
D. m, when she was overtaken by Sellers
yho had. during her absence returned 10
i!ssouri Valley for her and finding her
bsent had traced her. Overtaking her on IN,
abroad track near Blencoe. lie then re-
Iewed the promises and coaxed her hack
nd they continued their relations During
he summer OF 1895. after leaving Missouri
ALLEY, the prisoner worked in a hotel in
lodale for 81 per week, and that most OF
he money thus earned went to Sellers
nc repeatedly tried to break off her rela-
IONS with him and he would afterward
induce her to again continue the relations.
Ter father gave her $50 to clothe herself
nd after coming to Oakland she gave that
0 Sellers.
1t would also be shown he said. that she
vas in Oakland from April ~ In a house
enicd and paid for by Sellers and had found
! so lonesome that she had determined to
% home, and on the day OF the murder IL
VII be shown that Sellers drew a revolver
nd threatened the prisoner and followed her
nt0 the room where the body was found
aITylng the revolver In his hand and with