The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-19
USED A CHAIR.
Barbara Tauer Tells OF Assault
Made by Simon Greenspan.
Tried to Kill His Wife While
Insane.
MRS. SELLS INTENT.
Feared She Would Die Before
Her viii Was Changed.
Mr.. Holiday Considered Services
Worth So, 900 Per Year.

W Vi III ROSOOO Il "a L OGhA
The hearing of the Barbara Tauer
claim for $4,000 against the estate of
the late Sarah Ann Sells for services
dating back for 10 years previous to
her death, is still being heard in the
probate court before a jury.
At Tuesday afternoons session At
torney Smith, while questioning Miss
Tauer, said: DO you recall any at
tempt of Simon Greenspan to murder
Mrs. -Greenspan2
Yes" said Miss Tauer, ''he tried to
strike her with a chair and 1 took it
away from him"
Were you afraid of him and was
Mrs. Sells afraid Of him2"
Yes, constantly afraid of him.
Was he violent?"
Yes"
A. X Fulford was the first witness
called for the claimant at this morn
ing's session.
did Mrs. Sells ever talk to you about
Miss Tauer2" asked Attorney Smith
Yes" replied Fulford.
What did she say?"
HShe said she would give her Tenth
street property to Miss Barbara"
Why did she say she would give it
to her2"
Because she had been such a good
girl to me- was the reason she gave"
Just what did she say?" asked At
tOrney Dana on cross-examination-
'She said Miss Tauer had been the
one who had staid by her through all"
On redirect examination Attorney
Smith said, Miss Tauer conducted Mrs.
Sells business for herr"
Yes. She collected her rents and
conducted her business for her. In the
Is years knew her 1 never saw her
on the street out of her buggy more
than three times" replied Fulford.
''How much rent did Mrs. Sells have
collected each month";" asked Attorney
Dana
Between $500 and $500"
did Miss Tauer do the collectng?"
"A good deal of the time she did,
David T. Gregg was called and ex-
amined by Eugene Hagan.
How long have you known Miss
Since the death of Mr.. Sells"
did you ever observe Miss Tauer's
duties, and did you ever talk with Mrs.
Sells about Miss Tauer?"
Yes
What was the Conversations
t'She sent for me to come to the hotel
and wanted me to talk with Simon
Greenspan about his mistreatment of
Miss Tauer. She said she could not get
along without Miss Taner, who was
going to leave on account of Green
spans treatment. She said Miss Tauer
was Indispensable to her. and that she
meant to reward her handsomely in
her Will"
Did you talk with her at any other
time2''
YES, at another time she said Bar
bara was like a daughter to her, and
she meant to treat her as such and
leave her some property
You know what services Miss Tauer
performed for Mrs. Sells?"
Yes
sFWhat were they worth2"
II should say 1.5O0 or $4,000 a year."
did you know Miss Tauer was
p oil
4 did. Mrs. Sells so stated to me-
Miss Tauer was recalled to the stand
by A W. Dana
Can you tell what farms Mrs. Sells
owned 81
Yes replied Miss Tauer, and she
described Mrs. Sells ten farms in
Shawnee county.
DO you know how many places Mrs.
Sells rented in town"
Yes replied Miss Tauer, and she
named tWenty-one properties.
What was the rent roll month";"
Between $500 and $500 a month"
Col. H. c. Lindsay was called to the
stand.
Did you ever have a talk with Mrs.
Sells about Miss Tauer?" asked Mr..
Hagan.
Yes" replied Col. Lindsay; 'she said
she could not get along without her.
She said she expected Miss Barbara to
stay with her to her death and that she
meant to handsomely reward her"
did she say anything else?'
Yes. about three months before her
death she said she had made out her
will when she was mad at everyone on
account of criticisms about her mar
rage to Greenspan and she said she in
tended to make out a new will. At an
other time soon after that she told me
she had made a new will and had re-
membered Miss arbara."
Did Mrs. Sells ever tell you what she
intended to DO for Miss Tauer?" asked
Attorney Dana.
She asked me once which I thought
Barbara would prefer, her Tenth street
property or a farm near Tecumseh-
said I thought either one
Charles X. Holiday was called. IT
was called to Mrs. Sells house about
o'clock one morning about about four
or five months before her death. She
was afraid she was going to die before
morning. She said Ny God, must not
die. l have so much to do She said
she had not yet changed the will and
that she had left Miss Barbara OUT
What do you think Miss Tauer's SER
vices were WORTH"
AT least 5000 a year to Mrs. Sells
replied Mr. Holiday