The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1900-02-01

Mrs. Sells Recieved While In Australia
With Her Husband.
lEnquirer.I

COLUMBUS OHIO, January 19.--A
huge bundle of dispositions was filed
with The County Clerk this after
noon In the divorce suit OF Peter
Sells, the millionaire circus proprie-
tor. They contain some surprising
testimony against Mrs, Mary Sells,
the beautiful wife of the well known
Snowman.
The dispositions filed today are
those of Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Civ.
alls, Of Houstan Texas. Mr.. Civalls
was formerly connected with the
Sells Bros. and Forepaugh's combin-
ed shows. His wife, who was a
bosom friend Of Mrs. Sells, accom-
panied that lady with the show to
Australia. The depositions relate
largely to letters alleged to have been
received by Mrs. Sells while abroad,
from William Bott, prominent
Columbus boniface, ard Harry
Lyons, a well-known railroad man
of this city. These letters are alleg-
ed to have been intrusted by Mrs.
Sells to Mrs. Civalls for safe keeping.
Mrs. Civalls has turned them over
to the plaintiff, and they are made
part of the evidence, as exhibits.
The depositIons embrace over 400
pages Of typewritten matter, and
there are also nearly 100 exhibits In
the form Of letters written to Mrs.
Sells, RECEIPTS and other interesting
information. Mrs. Augusta Civalls,
whose testimony is the most sensa-
tlonal, ia well known in Columbus.
She now resides in Houston, Texas,
where her husband Is city bill post
er. She arrived in Columbus early
last week accompanied by her hus-
band.
1t was In the antipodes that large
part of the history detailed in the de-
positions was made. Mrs. Civalls
testifies that she knew Mrs. Sells for
a number of years previous to the
trip to Australia. She tells how she
became a conflding friend of Mrs.
Sells, and helped her in her alleged
clandestine engagements, not only
in Columbus but in Australia and
st. Louis.
The Australian end of. the story is
the most interesting. In that far fl
country to those connected with the
show Mrs. Sells was known as the
wife of Peter Sells. But to Mrs.
Civalls and numerous postmasters it
seems she bore the common name of
Name Smith.
Mrs. Sells, the depositions allege
impaired to Mrs. Civalls her secret.
She had friend in Columbus, Ohio,
who would correspond with her and
the letters would he addressed to
Name Smith. Mrs. Civalls was to
go to the different postoffices and in
quire for mail from Columbus for
Name Smith, and the letters present.
ed as evidence today shows that
more than one Postmaster had let
ters for "Mame Smith," Boats car.
rying mail to Australia do not sail
daily and according to Mrs. Civalls
testimony her inquiries at many of
the postofflces would be rewarded
with as high as six letters.
These were all turned over to Mrs.
Sells. Mrs. Civalls says that Mrs,
Sells would receive these letters
with every outward manifestation of
pleasure, and then would 60 to some
quiet spot ard read them for hours.
Occasionally she would visit pub
lie park, and there under a shade
tree she would devour the love tok-
ems. Some of these missives were
quite lengthy, and finally the time
came when the correspondence was
more than she could safely carry.
She asked Mrs. Civalls to keep the
letters for her. 1t would not do to
let Mr.. Sells see them, SO the depo-
sitions allege, and she did not want
them destroyed.
Mrs. Civalls said that on different
occasions she wanted to turn these
letters over to Mrs. Sells. but the
latter always put her of and refused
to receive them.
The letters, It is alleged, are full of
expressions Of love and affection.
Mrs. Civalls testified that when she
lived In st. Louis Mrs. Sells visited
her, and while there she received a
number of letters from her alleged
Columbus admirer. On one occasion
after receiving letter, Mrs. Sells
told the witness that gentleman
friend was coming from Columbus
and that he was to stop at Mrs. Civ
all's house. The witness said she
refused to tolerate this, In her am
ger Mrs. Sells tore the letter In
pieces and threw 1t on the floor.
When she became calm she relented,
and picking up the fragments of the
letter, turned them over to Mrs. Civ
alls to keep with her collection.
She kent it we'll, for IL was introduc-
ed in evidence with the other Of the |
exhibits. The remainder Of Mrs,
Civalls testimony is along this line.
Her husband substantiates her story
In number of instances.
Mrs. Sells, 1t 10 alleged, had q box
- d