The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-10
PITIFULLY CRUEL.
Florence Sells Exhibits No Pity
For Her Mother.
Gives Most Damaging Testimony
Without a Quaver.
MRS. SELLS BREAKS.
Her SObs Disturb the Court as
Daughter Concludes.
FOrbids Her Attorneys to Gross
Examine Florence.
THE DEFENSE BEGINS.
First Witness Tells of Peter
Sells Escapades.
Forbids Her Attorneys to Cross
Examine Florence.
THE DEFENSE BEGINS.
First Witness Tells Of Peter
Sells Escapades.
Saw Him in Questionable Resort
at Chattanooga.

When Florence Sells resumed the
stand in the divorce suit of her parents
she was very self-composed.
Her voice was in good shape and
clear. Peter sells accompanied his
daughter into the court room and con-
Quoted her to the witness chair.
Florence told of presents of perfumes,
wines. candies, ETC., which William Bott
had presented to her mother. These
presents were made very frequently.
Bott had also given her mother diamond
rings. Her mother had told her about
these presents.
She didn't know what kind of liquors
Bott had given her mother, as she was
not versed in such matters, but some of
them We're green and in fancy bottles.
She told of her mother drinking beer.
and described where it was kept. She
purchased her beer from Bout. She
would telephone Billy to send up the
beer. She had seen ner mother fix the
lock to the side door so that Bott could
enter without ringing the bell.
Florence had driven her mother down
town in the afternoon, and had let her
out of the buggy. She had seen her
mother on such occasions enter a block
and ascend the stairway to Bolts
rooms. At such times her mother would
tell Florence to meet her at O'Clock,
and under no circumstances to return
to the house until her mother was with
her.
Florence told of some presents which
had been sent her. She said that on the
night of October 23, 1892 she spent the
night at the home of w. A. Hardesty.
Florence told of her mother giving
her and all other members of the fam
lily tickets to the show of Buffalo Bill,
and how anxious she was to have them
all away from the house. Tom Hard
esty took Florence to the show.
SIo -of5 1oor- T,aiT- cod 10 I1e
quite gray, but she used a preparation
to restore it to its natural color Flor
ence remembered the trip to West Ba-
den, in May, 1899, with her mother.
William Bott was there when they ar
rived. All stopped at the West Baden
hotel Florence said she saw Bott in
her mothers room in the hotel several
times at night. Her father was not at
West Baden.
William Bott was with them at the
Thousand Islands. He stopped at the
same hotel with them She had seen her
mother and Bott start on long trips
about the islands. Sometimes they
would be gone all day on these excur-
sions.
Florence said that so far as she knew
her father was very moderate dr1nker
She had never seen him under the in
fiuenc of liquor. He was always kind
and considerate to her mother. She had
seen no Quarrels between them Her
father and mother would sometimes
ence told of the trip Eliza Donohue
took to Chicago with her father, and
she said that her mother helped Eliza
get ready for the trip, gave her clothing
and made all arrangements for the
journey. Mrs. Sells also planned the re-
turn trip She described the clothing
given by her mother to Eliza She told
of her mother laughing about Eliza'S
misadventure in Chicago, where she
missed the train.
Florence said that her mother re-
ceived a circular letter from Detective
Fox and on it was written: ''If you
the last Of October, 1899. The letter was
addressed to her mother. Her mother
showed her the letter. This was at the
time Peter was putting the shadows
on his wife from a rival detective
agency.
came to the house and said that Detec-
tive Fox. wanted to see her mother. The
to the Fox detective agency. When Mrs
Sells came down she went at once to the
office of Judge Haggerty, now her coun-
sci She said that Fox told her about
the theft of Bolts bicycle, and also that
Lyons visits to the house were known.
Judge Haggerty advised her never to
go into Fox's Office alone again.
Florence said that her mother told her
of the theft of Bolts wheel. That night
Florence was at Hardesty's and her
mother telephoned to her telling her
that some one had stolen the wheel
Florence told of another visit her
mother had made to Detective Fox.
Judge Haggerty summoned her mother
to his Office. Judge EIaggerty and Billy
Bott were in the office. Florence said
that Bott told her mother that he had
been called up by some woman, who
told him that he was in serious trouble
and should get his property out of his
hands He was mixed up in a divorce
case and his stolen wheel was to be
used as evidence. BOtt said that the
woman said she was a stenographer and
knew what she was talking about.
Florence said that Judge Haggerty told
her mother that she must explain to her
husband about the wheel. He wanted
Florence to say that Bott was calling on
her. but Florence refused.
Mrs. Sells made another trip to the
office of the detective. Fox told her
that she was in trouble and wanted to
help her, but Florence said that her
mother told him she would refer the
matter to her husband.
Florence told of the home coming of
her father the night before the separa
ton She said her father looked very
badly when he came home that night.
This was not to be wondered at, as he
had just been told the story of his wife's
shame.
Florence told of her last night at
home. of the breakfast in the morning