The San Francisco call., 1897-06-16
THE HOUSE
} OF MYSTERY
To The FORE
Again Appears the Bell
Family Skeleton in
Public.
FRED BELL SUES HIS
MOTHER.
He Desires Her Removed as
Guardian of the Minor
Children.
ANOTHER SUIT TO BE FILED
SHORTLY.
(h lrgeS Of Drunkenness and Misman
aging Fan1s-Mammy Pleas
ants New Role
He Desires Her Removed as
Guardian of the Minor
Children.
ANOTHER SUIT TO BE FILED
SHORTLY.
Oh lrgeS of Drunkenness and Misman
aging Fln1S-Mammy Pleas
ants New Role.

Once more The gibbering ghosts in the
family history Of the late Thos. Bell, mil
ionaire threaten to come forth from the
gloom and dust of obscurity and stalk be-
fore the public eye, and a suit which
promises 10 be more sensational than any
OF those now famous is soon to material
ize.
Fred Bell, son Of the deceased, has filed
suit in the Superior Court in effect
charging his mother, Mrs. Theresa Bel!
with "irunksnness and indecency," by
reason of which he alleges that she is unfit
TO retain the guardianship of the minor
children. He also alleges that she has
misuseo funds appropriated from the
family estate for their support and educa-
ton.
The complaint was filed in the County
Clerks office last Monday by William H
Schooler, Bells attorney. 1t is a volum-
inous document, and the indications are
some very peculiar features VIII be
brought 10 life of the things that make
up daily existence in the Thomas Bell
manson az 1861 OcI6via street. that spa
ciOus abode when has so long been known
under ihe name OF the ''House OF Mys-
terv." Around il are gathered all the as
soelatlons alch come from the residence
OF Nanny Pleasant, alias the "Voudou
woman, the sIeadfast friend OF Sarah
A.tbea Hill-SharOnTerry.
1t was not long alter the tragic and
mysterious death Of Thomas Bell nearly
I've years ago that the troubles began that
have now eliminated in the suit Accord
~ : % the complaint affairs have been at
oW ehb financially IN the house for
a1Iae months and there has been not only
ac4 OF funds but OF management as
wei In fact Bell asserts that be has had
IN u = m m q
ans hat all the Dumerous retinue Of the
esf bIshment Of the house hold has been
ed to drop away with the single
pvon of an Old blind servant.
Two aaeks ago Bell called upon his at
toruey and laid the alleged facts in the
case beIJ-e him, saying he had been in
formed by has mother and Nanny
Pleasant that he had no authority to
undertake legal action OF any kind. As
Fred Bell Is % years of age, Attorney
SCaoOier thOu-ht differently and it was
determined TO brin suit 10 have the
moth removed from the guardianship of
The minor children aud the son appointed
in her Ilace.
Ine complaint first states that Thomas
Bell died. teS'a,e on Oc ober 10, 1892 the
viii stipulailng that monthly allowance
should be paid for The support, mainte-
nance ami education of the children,
Thomas Ffe erick Bell. Marie Teresa
Bell, Robina Nav Bell. Muriel Belt, Regi-
Haid Bel and Eustace Bell. 1t goes on 10
say that Mrs. Bel was appointed guar
dien of the minor heirs on January 10.
1893, the monthly allowance for the family
being fixed ~ $1,000 from the date of
Thomas Bells dea b to October l6 1894
wnen /; was reduced to $500 a month.
The amount 5 ated as received by Mrs.
Theresa Bel, the guardian, in trust for
her WARDS since January 10, 1893, is
$47,75l, a OF which was to be used for
their support. maintenance and education
and for no other purpose.
The son alleges that his mother has
been deTgiict in her duties in every way
and has violated the obligations OF her
trust and in particular as follows:
That no inventory of either the real or
the personal estate has ever been returned
TO he court, IS required by the statutes.
That the estate has never been managed
in he interests of Mrs. Bells wards or IN
q awful manner. That she. has misap-
proprlgted and applied TO her own use the
moneys which OF right belonged to the
wards
Tha she has never performed her duties
as guard an and that the entire custody.
care ana government of her wards has
been gwen into the hands of other per-
sons, and hat the funds of the wards have
been wasted upon herself. The COM
plant then re ads as follows:
That she has tailed and neg Iected to provide
ncT wards VIII proper 1000 and TRlmeut, and
50 scanlllg has she provided Cd for her said
wards Inst never a. any time has the said
guardian dlnea CT eaten at the same table
with ber children, her said wards at their
nome, but she has always had food OF differ
eHt ano better kind prepared for herself
That much OF the food furnished to her said
wards was unwholesOme ana unfit Tor use
gno all Of 81 of the poorest quality.
Petitioner further alleges thatsaid guardian
has never rendered to tbs court any account
OF the property, estate and moneys OF her
q. hough since her appointment TWO of her
ward, have attained 10 their Iull age OF ma
jorlty she has never made any settlement of
ner account with said wards. nor returned the
same to the court required by law.
Petitioner further aleges that Mrs Bell is
neither fiji nor proper person 10 act as
guardian Of said wards, as she leads dissi-
pateo i G, frequently becomes iatoxi Gated and
appears IN au intoxicated condition before her
said wards, and she frequently uses TO aud
toward her said wards, and in their presence
and heEring nd In the presence and hearing
3i MIRO persons, vulgar, proiane, indecent and
obscene language, and makes 4 o effort what
srer to Instruct her said wards in morals ana
manners.
Wherefore the petitioner prays that cits-
ttou be issued directing Mrs. Teresa Bell, guar
dian as aforesaid, 10 oe and appear before aid
IpertOr Cour- on q daY In said citation 10 be
fixed. andEhOv cause, If any he has, why her
e rers Of qua, dianship snould not be revoked
ta1 she rem we'd as such guardian second,
,paL sne be 81 appended sucn guardian during
.ao hearing o. tnis petition, and until It's final
.aierminHti0r. fhIrd. that she NAV be re-
iulred 10 settle her accounts with her said
wards as such guardian.
l. will be seen from the foregoing part
li be comp aint that one of the most
serious elleel tions made against Mrs. Bell
Is hel way # mistreatlng the children.
FREQ Bell declares that when intoxicated
she has q habit of swearing at them.
Such allegations as these make fresh
The old stories that Bell used to pay
his wife $4,000 on the birth of every
enid, having made the promise sixteen
ears ago. Ih" girl. Robna, is now 10
years OF age Muriel and Reginald, twins,
we're born year later and little Eustace