The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-12-13
The Showman's Daughter Takes
the Stand and Tells of Her
Mothers lntrigues.
THIS TO YlNDICATE HER OWN NAME
Mrs. Sells Was Affected and 1t Re.
qulred All Her Strength to Re-
tain Her Calmness
whrn the Girl Finished the Mother
Was sobbing Softly, hut She
Spared Florence the ordeal
of xaminption.

Columbus, O.. Dec. s.-Florence
Sells resumed the stand Friday MORN
ing. SO far she has told the story Of
the intimacy of her mother with men
orher than her husband since 1891.
Florence has been fully cognizant of
the inirigueS of her mother with Bert
johnson, Ned Raymour, Harry Lyons
and Billy Bott, but had kept the Sc
cret hoping that her mother would
do better and the scandal never be-
come known. AT last she was forced
in vindication of her own good name
to take the stand and tell the whole
shameful story. She was in good
voice and had recovered from her
nervousness of Thursday evening.
Florence told of presents of perfumes,
Giamond rings wines and liquors
which Bott had given her mother.
She knew of these because her mother
had told her about receiving them.
ShC had seen her mother fix the side
door so that Bott could enter with
Uut ringing the bell. Bott sent Mrs.
.He!s green liquors in fancy bottles.
FLORENCE had seen her mother enter
thc Eunson block and go up the stairs
to lctt'S rooms.
Florence said that she and her
mnrher stopped at the West Baden
hotel. West Baden, Ind, in May, 1899.
William Bott was there, and she fre-
pucniiy saw him in her mothers
room at night. Her father was not
al West Baden. Bott was also with
Mrs. sells at the Thousand Islands
the same summer. Her mother and
Bot had taken long trips about the
Islands together, sometimes being
away all day. Florence said her
father was very kind to her mother,
and she had never seen him under
the influence of liquor. According to
The testimony of Florence. Bott had
been warned over the telephone by
some unknown woman. who told him
10 put his property out of his hands
ais soon as possible, as he was going
40 be in serious trouble. Florence
told of the last day at home and of
the last hours she spent with her
mother. She told of how on one oc-
casion that her mother had promised
iirl Slt Noulu ucNtE TtCtlNe DOlU
again, and then on the next night he
was in her mothers room. Florence
told of leaving home and going to
her aunt's. where for the first time
she told her father of her mothers
shame.
As Florence told this story she was
overcome by her emotion and was
compelled to pause. Tears came into
her eyes as she told of how she had
begged and pleaded with her mother
to forbid Rott the house and how
that mother had broken the prom
Use she had made. Even the Judge
on the bench was affected and the
women in the lobby had their hand
ker"hiefs to their eyes. For the first
time Mrs Sells was affected. and it
seemed to require all her strength to
re}rin her calmuess.
When the direct examination of
Florence sells was concluded there
was expectation. Every one was ex-
pecting that no mercy would be
shown the girl in the cross-eXamina-
tiun. but Col. Holmes, counsel for
Mrs. Sells, arose and sad Miss
Sells. your mother has requested me
not to cross-examine her daughter,
and will only ask you six questions,
to which you can return short an
Swers."
Mrs. Sells had broken down and was
souoing softly. but her daughter was
q. y-ryed and answered the questions
in firm tone. They were in regard
TO her love for her mother and grand
mother and why she had not visited
them. 1t was the most sensational
scene ever seen in court room in
this city. When Florence was dis
missed from the stand the plaintiff
rested. Florence was conducted from
the court room by her father. while
the mother sat sobbing- in her chair.
The Judge on the bench turned his
eyes away and the counsel for both
defense and pia,ntih sat sirul in
their chairs There had been dra-
matte incidents in the case before Fri
day, but this was the climax. Forget
ting the fact that the daughter had
turned from her in her trouble, for
getting her appearance on the stand
and the testimony she had given, the
mother bowed her head and waived
the right of cross-eXamination, and
let the story of Florence go to the
judge.
No matter what Mrs. Sells was or
IL, no matter her sins, her follies or
misdeeds, she rose superior 10 then,
all and spared her child the ordeal of
cross-examination. The plaintiff
had but one more witness to call, but
he was i'll and could not come,s so. with
the understanding that he might be
put on the stand at some future time
the case of the plaintiff was then
rested.
Tumor Removed From the Pope.
Rome, Dec. THE Messagero
Thursday says DR.. Mazzoni, the pope's
pl ysician, performed slight opera
ton Wednesday on tumor under
meath the pontiff's arm.
Ohcial Vote i'm Montana.
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