The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-10
BELL sKELxroNs RErEALED.
secrets OF the ''Hsuse sr Mystery Disclosed
BY Mrs. Bella Testimony.

SAN FRkro1soo, Sept e.-The testimony OF
Mrs. Theresa Bell yesterday in tho suit OF
Thomas Frederick Bell has caused TO BIO re-
vealed the family skeletons that have so long
haunted the House OF Mystery" Ii has re-
vtved the old story TO tho effect that Mrs. ECu
II the mother Of nons OF the children. 1t is
snid that Thomas Bell was DESTROYS OF raising
. largo family and promised Mrs. Bell $4,000
for every child born to them. Tho story goes
that Nanny" Pleasant and Mrs. Bell entered
into a conspiracy and palmed OF upon he'll
every ono Of tho ak children now bearing the
Bell namo. Both MrS. Bell and NANNY"
Pleasant enter strong denials Of this assertion,
though they do not clear up the mystery Of tho
Identity OF the mother OF the two oldest children,
repudiated by Mrs, Bell.
Aftor the scene In court yesterday Fred Boil
threatened to XII his putadye mother and Mrs.
Bell appealed TO the police for protection. Tho
out a warrant charging tie boy with threats
When Thomas Bell died he LEFT an estate val.
ued at 81, 00O,0 600 and bequeathcd IL in trust TO
get twothiTds Of 1t in 1905; Mrs, Bell was APP
ments yesterday viii make no difference so far
as tho distribution Of tho estate Is concerned.
for Thomas Bell, in his viii, declared that they
Mrs. Bell aiso testified yesterday that she
was a widow Wien she married Bell, but she did
saw these two infants at the bell residence. No
one knows that Thomas Bell was previously
married according TO usually prescribed forms,
though there was, without doubt, a common
law marriage. he was not married when he
lived In Mexico In 1S15, or when he came TO
San Francisco IN lS&9. He was very reticent
and made no confdants. II Is known, however,
several women at various times occupied q
place in his household. IL appears that one Of
them bore him the two children. Thomas +.
and Mary +. Bell. and then Disappeared uys.
teriously. Nanny" Pleasant, the old colored
woman who has always exercised u dominat-
Ing influence over the household, ID perhaps tho
only person who knows whether that woman Is
alive or dead. Nanny" occupied tho same
place In the household then rs now.
Mrs. Theresa Bell was frst known in San
Francisco as Mrs Piercy. Her husband de-
serted her 70 become the lover Of the notorious
LIB Trayers. shortly afterward no stole u lot
OF Jewols from tho Travers woman and was
tent to State prison. About that time Mira.
Piercy found q homo in the Rel household.
leased from prison, and considerable more time
o widow when she married Bel, but in this she
Is supposed 10 have made a mistake, or else her
marriage did not take place until long after
her entrance into tho Bell household.
Young Bells attorney declares that William
Ryan, who once worked on the Bell ranch,
told him that "olammy" Pleasant had once Of
fered him $4,000 to strangle Mrs. Bell. but
this Is denied by Ryan aud discredited by all
who know OF tho Intimate relations between
the aged negroes and Mrs. Bell. The old col
ored, woman could. not urott by Mrs. Bells
doath as she does by her connection with tho
Bell household under the present circumstances