The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-30
SELLS IN TOPEKA
Testimony of Snowman Concerns
DOings in Kansas.
Willie Sells Suit and Transfer
Of Property.
HE ENDS HIS STORY.
Gave His Wife Over $4,000
Worth of JeWelry.
Al 6. Field. Defends Character
of the Circus Man.
HE ENDS HIS STORY.


The examination of Peter Sells was com
pleted before the adjournment Of the Sells
divorce case for the Thanksgiving hoh-
days.
Mr.. Sells begun by showing a statement
of the Sells show, to the effect that In
1887 the circus lost Ss1 00O- He wanted to
make assignment but his wife DIS
suaded him. and in 1898 the show made
sll.S40. The next year it made $16oO00
Mr.. Huling tried to discover from wit
ness why he wished to leave Columbus for
Topeka Immediately after his separation
did " You want to escape this investiga-
tion2' Huling asked
.Then you proposed to leave town to
carry a lawsuit in Topeka before you
found out whether or not the charges
against your wife were true
I left that investigation IN competent
hands"
Mr.. Huling read a letter written by Mr..
ton In this letter Sells declared he want
ed TO fortffy himself against Willie Sells
yer. and, while believe we will win the
suit, / do not care to take any chances
ing. after getting home"
Mr.. Sells admitted that he wrote this
letter, and after a squabble the letter was
admitted in evidence. against the protest
of the plaintiffs attorneys.
truth Of the Defendants contention that
Mrs Sells made the real estate transfer
tecting his property interests against a
possibly adverse law suit
Sells declared that the meaning Of his
expression, we must forHfy ourselves
form so that he could meet any liabilities
which might come by reason of the suit
TO meet these liabilities. or to avoid
them asked Huling.
II VIII not deny. Mr- Huling, that when
heard these suspicious against my wife,
! proposed to get my property in my own
These letters were written, then, to pre-
pare the mind Of your wife for this trans
Ter OF property YOU desired2
They We're written Just as have writ
ten 70 her for Il years, glylng her my full
Very nice" said Mr. Huling- Now.
VII you answer BY yes or no the ques-
ten to prepare your wife for the final at
tack upon her2'
Sells said that when he hired Detective
Mahoney to work on the case, it was his
understanding that Mahoney would put
unfairly put other men to work
Huling directed his attention through
out the morning to elucidaung the prop
erty matter. He tried 10 force Sells to ad-
nit that he deceived his wife upon his
feelings toward her, in order to induce
her to deed her property to him Sells
refused to admit this.
sells further insisted that at the time
he made the arrangement with Attorney
Safer to draw up the deeds for the real
estate transfer he had not seen the de-
tecuves reports upon the case. He had
the detective was present in Sater's Of
fice-when the first conference took place
A letter dated Septembr 3. 1891, address,
. Harry D. Lyons was identified by Mr..
sells other letters OF similar purport
Sells was asked as to certain dates when
az his 6orns r,Ie1-it3p ~ rs ,h{I1sl hnSst
with him seIfs did not remember. sr.--s-F His
dates in 1895 and 1896, when Lyons is said
to have escorted Miss Florence to the
Huling secured these dates from a type
written slip which looked great deal like
that This diary was kept bv MISS ''F9 F1ors IS
ence. although II is not offered in evil
sells hand writing on one date Pete
p seems to have lost $50 Pete did not re-
dom lost in playing games with Lyons.
Peter did not remember that Lyons lost
money on Corbett when he fought Fitz-
prize fights.
said something in q low tone. Huline
asked Sells if he had not asked Lyons to
Sells Immediately said no Mrs Sells
hooked at him and laughed
At this point Huling stated to the court
that he wished to re-examine Detective
Maih9,n1ey and W H Fish, the lawn
attorneys for redirect examina ton re-
serving the privilege to continue the cross
In the redirect examination Sells stated
that the suit for damages brought in To-
grew out OF a dispute in the show bust
ness
During the 10 years from 1889 to 1899.
during which the show made no money
Lewis and Peter borrowed $50 600 to meet
their current expenses. The summer of
1897 was so improbable that the owners
We're unable to take their paper out of
bank, amounting to $4,000 which had
been incurred by wintering the show.
Peter testified that the Mercedes (Ca1.)
ranch- bought by him and Lewis consist
ed of $50 acres of raw land The purchase
Plless ts va ass S-l,9o95 ~, bor improvements the
turtner sum OF SZu,V4u was paid. The total
cost of 40 acres of California land was
therefore $4,000 This is an average Of |
&273 per acre.
On the redirect examination Sells was
asked what comment his prospective wife |
maoe IN august 1871. when he told her of
she laughed. and said:
Well that won't make any difference. |
AIInoSt As every islngie man has had some /
experience or that kind
Mrs sells was supposed to be IS years
Sells further said that he had no inti- |
macy with Maggie Andrews after mar |
rfage to Andrews In 1874 His last meeting |
with her. after Andrews death. was in |
the purpose of discovering whether she |
reeded financial assistance She said she |
was left an income Of so per month by !
her deceased husband
He declared positively that he had at no I
time contributed in the slightest TO Mrs. |
Andrews support and never told his !
wife that Mrs Andrews had borne him an /
illegftfrnate child. To the best of his /
knowledge Mrs tAndrews never bore a !
His last meeting with her, in 1890. was
purely accidental. and was in the pres
ence Of 3. F. Green He told Mrs Sells /
Of the incident as soon as he saw her.
At the time of Peters separation from 1
his wife he owed Mrs. Luzer. her mother. |
e41o0. which represented the estate left /
hy Mr.. Luker. deceased On this he paid 4
interest, thus affording the old lady an /
a. Ssiiz safd that neither his r.-ffs ,l-. Esv,