The San Francisco call., 1897-09-17
NANNY AS A
Horse TRADER
George D. Eaton Tells
Stories About Bell Es-
tate Transactions.
Animals That Cost a Few
Dollars Listed for
Thousands.
Butter and Other Supplies Sent
Gratuitously to Many Other
Households.

There was another entertaining session
of Judge Coffey's court yesterday in hear
ing the contest over the now famous Bell
estate. Young Thomas Frederick Bell is
seeking to have his mother, Mrs. Teresa
Bell, removed from the position OF guard
ian of the minor children, on The ground
that she is not fit person for the place,
on account of her bad abits.
Mrs. Bell threw q bomb into the oppo-
sition camp on the first days proceedings
by swearing that young Bell is not her
son and that therefore he is no kin 10 the
m inor children over whom he sought to
exercise the authority OF guardian. To
disprove the assertion of Mrs. Bell Attor-
ney Schooler, representing the young
man, produced the original church rec
ords, which show that Thomas Frederick
Bell and Marie Teresa Bell, children OF
Thomas and Teresa Bell were duly bap-
tized at appropriate dates, according to the
rites of the Catholic church. in this City.
Yesterday morning the first witness was
a breezy young man named George X.
Eaton. He wa, formerly bookkeeper for
The Bell household at salary OF $4,000 a
year, which he said was promised 10 him,
but paid only in part. For balance of a
few thousands ne was compelled to accept
q note, which he sold at a discount of 20
per cent
Mr.. Eaton's revelations were mostly
fiscal in their nature. He recalled the
fact that he once took $4,000 to the Bell
mansion, out of which Mrs. Bell got only
$50, the remainder being handled by Mrs.
NJ. E. Pleasant, generally known in this
community as Nanny" Pleasant.
AT the same time Mrs. Pleasant directed
him to make false entry of $500 against
Fred Bell, pretending that sic had paid
him that sum on fictitious debt of $4,000,
which Mrs. Pleasant pretended was due
from Mrs. Bell to Fred. but which in truth
never existed.
Judge Coffey sharply questioned the
witness in regard 20 his acknowledge en- t
that he had made false entries IN his
books. The only explanation was that
Mrs. Pleasant had absolute control of
everything about the establishment, and
that he followed her in nstructions. He ad-
mitted that the family allowance was
$500 a month, yet bills for household ex-
penses were allowed to accumulate. AT
the time he got hat $4,000 on Mrs. Bells
account at the request OF Mrs. Pleasant
there was an accumulation OF $4,000 in
ordinary bills for food and supplies out
standing.
Some bogus debts against Mrs. Bell
were also mentioned by Mr.. Eaton. He
said that Mrs. Rebecca j. Boone was put
In the guise of creditor by Mrs Pleasant
contrary to the facts. There was butcher
bill for $500, which caused some trouble.
The bill was all right SO far as the dealer
was concerned, that is to say the meat
was furnished, but it was not consumed
by members of the Bell household; it was
distributed to certain families, friends of
Mrs. Pleasant, together with large quanti-
ties OF butter and other edibles. Among
those mentioned as pensioners on the
bounty of the Bell household through the
courtesy OF NANNY Pleasant are Mrs
Perry, Mrs. Stewart, the Hall family, Mrs.
Small, Mrs. Gordan, Mrs. Park, a butcher
boy, Mr.. Reynolds and Mrs. Hopkins.
Witness Eaton declared that in his pres
ence Mrs. Pleasant told Mrs. Bell that
much OF the money came from Mrs. Boone
and that sne also got money as rent for
her property in the East.
Eaton SAID that Mrs. Pleasant bought
several horses and other things for small
prices and charged them up against Mrs.
Bell at big figures. One horse that cost
Mrs. Pleasant 500 was palm ed off OIL Mrs.
Bell for $500. Another horse that cost SIS
was represented to be an Electioneer
stallion from Palo Alto and valueo at sew.
eral hundred. He said he tried to tell
Mrs. Bell about the way she was being
swindJed, but she wouldn't listen to a
word he said