The San Francisco call., 1897-09-09
is THIS
YOUR SON,
MY LADY?'
In Answer Mrs. Bell Denies
Maternity Of Two Puta-
tive Children.
THOMlS IND MARIA MOTHERLESS.
Judge Cofey's Court the Scene
of a Spicy Sensation
Yesterday.
III ARREST WILL LIKELY FOLLOW.
Dwellers in the House of Silence"
Drag to light an Aged Fam
lily Skeleton.
III ARREST WILL LIKELY FOLLOW.
Dwellers in the House of Silence"
Drag to light an Aged Fam
lily Skeleton.

Thomas Frederick Bell is not my son;
Maria Theresa Bell is not my daughter.
They were not born of my body"
These words uttered under oath from
the lips of Mrs. Theresa Bell created a
breezy little sensation IN Judge Coffey' s
court yesterday afternoon. Heretofore the
young people. who, according to the testi-
mony of Mrs. Bell, are left motherless,
we're always regarded as her children. and
the information that they were not fell
like a thunderbolt in the midst of dunn
founded gathering OF friends lawyers and
court frequenters. number of the wise,
however, who heard the words OF Mrs. Bell,
only looked wiser, and said it was but one
ray of light breaking through the veil OF
mystery that has so long enveloped the
lives of he itigants.
The court soon regained its composure
and decided that there ought to be no
chance for misunderstanding in matter
like this, and asked the persons men
tioaed to stand up in court, which they
did, and Mrs. Bell deliberately repeated /:
Thomas Frederick Bel is not my son
Maria Theresa Bell is not my daughter.
They were not born of my body"
Covered with shame th g young man,
aged %, and the girl with the bloom of 20
upon ber cheek, sat down. They were
still called bv the family name of Bell.
but so far as the one they had always
considered as their mother was concerned
they had been deprived even OF that
privilege.
The matter under cons Iteration was the
application of Thomas Frederick Bell TO
have Mrs. Bell removed from her position
as guardian OF the other minor children.
In his petition young Bell legged that he
IS the brother OF the other four minors,
ami that he considered his mother, as he
called her, an improper person to have the
custody of the children. In reply to this
Mrs. Bell responded that the said Thomas
Frederick Bell is OF dissolute and profit
gate abits aDd that he is not in any way
entitled to be considered by the court In
disposing of the controversy. The final
and most killing blow she retained, and
delivered il only when called TO the wit
ness-stand by Attorney w. H. Schooler,
who represents the young man.
To say that Mr. Schooler was surprised
at the statement made by Mrs. Bell would
be putting it mildly. He was dunn
founded. and as she was his own witness
he did not fee like cross-examinlng,
though he might have been allowed to do
so II ne udO dppOo4CA W SlAC SOAAb ' 4OA PCA-
mission.
Continuing her testimony Mrs. Bell said
that she did not know how old Thomas
was when he was brought to her house on
Suffer street. between Jones and Taylor.
II have brought these children up as my
own and have consid them as nv
children. l have been a mother to them.
Mrs Bell swore that she told her attor-
ney, Lucius l.. Solomons. that she was
not the mother of these two children when
she first applied for family allowance
five years ago, and that he advised her
that it made no difference. Mr.. Solomons
was interviewed Oh this point and denie d
IL. He said he never heard OF this before,
that she did not tell him any such thing
as that.
There was an impression among the
LAWYERS that Mr.. Bell had at some tims
in the proceedings sworn that she was the
mother OF the TWO children in question,