The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-25
MRS. SELLS DEAD
Widow Of Allan Sells Expires
Suddenly Today.
Called For Help but Death Came
More Swiftly.
HAD NOT BEEN WE'LL.
Recently Returned From Visit
TO viii Sells in South.
Supposed That Her Sickness
Was Not Serious.
WAS CONSIDERED RICH
Left VIII But Provisions Are
Not known.
The Fortune is Probably More
Than 100000.
Supposed That Her Sickness
Was Not Serious.
WAS CONSIDERED RICH
Left a viii But Provisions Are
Not known.
The Fortune is Probably More
Than 100000.

Mrs. Sarah Anna Sells died this morn
Ing at $40 o'clock at her home, III
Quincy street of heart failure.
AT o'clock Mrs. Sells awoke and call
ed to her companion, Miss Barbara
Tauer, who was sleeping in the next
room. She complained of difficulty in
breathing. DR.. J. E. Flick. of Kansas
City, who was visiting at the house. was
called and he administered stinlulants
and a consulting physician was sum
moned but before he arrived Mrs. Sells
was dead. She did not speak after cali
ing her companion.
Mrs Sells had not been in the best Of
health for some time but nothing ser
ious was anticipated. Mrs. Sells had
but just returned from the south where
she went to see the first performance of
the season Of VIII Sells circus at Sa-
vannah. Georgia, on April 6. She re-
nained with the show for a few days
and returned to Kansas City from Ala
bama At Kansas City she was Joined
by Mrs. Blanche Mcclellan, an old time
friend who used to live at the Chester
field hotel in this city when Mrs. Sells
managed it and lived there. Mrs Nc
Clellan was i'll after reaching Topeka
L
moned from Kansas City and was to
have returned there today with her
On the train going to Georgia Mrs Sells
was slightly injured by collision. She
was standing near her seat arranging
her hat when the train ran into 4
freight. Mrs. Sells was thrown against
the seat and her knee was injured. At
ter returning from the southern trip
Mrs. Sells was not feeling we'll and she
summoned a physician who told her that
she was worn out and needed rest.
Mrs Sells was the widow of the late
Allan Sells. one of the Sells brothers in
the circus business. Mr.. Sells was mar
ried to Sarah Anna White about So
years ago. Her home was near Colum-
bus. Ohio. At that time Mr.. Sells was
in the circus business and Mrs. Sells
Travelled with him for several years and
took a small part in the circus features.
VIII Sells, known as their son, was
adopted by them when he was a few
months old. He was trained as a bare
back rider and was a feature of the cir
Gus for many years. Later he held a
contract with the Barnum circus
and Travelled abroad He had trouble
with Barnum' and then started a show
of his own The Sells brothers objected
to his using the name Of Sells for his
circus and law suits and a bitter fight
followed. Mrs. Sells sided with viii
Sells. He was in all ways a. son to her.
When Mr.. Sells died he was the own
er of a large amount of real estate in
and about topeka and a StOcxhOl0er
and director in the Central National
bank Mrs. Sells inherited his properly
and has managed and looked after it
since When Mr. Sells died he was said
to be worth between two and three hun
dred thousand dollars. Mrs Sells has
kept the estate intact but with depreci-
ated values she is thought to have been
worth about S150.000 or $500, 900.
Mrs. Sells owned her home on Quincy
street, the Chesterfield hotel, the Park
hurst-Davis building, a business house
on West Tenth avenue. considerable city
property and five or six farms in the
county. One Of the largest farms is
known as the Sells farm east of Topeka.
At one time Mrs Sells managed the
Chesterfield hotel. Not long ago she had
her home rebuilt and refurnished.
Not long after the death of Mr. Sells.
Mrs. Sells was married to Simon Green
span. Of Topeka, who was many years
her junior. The wedding ceremony took
place at Kansas City. Mrs. Sells never
allowed her second husband to have any
control over her property. About two
years ago Mr. CreenSpan became insane
and was sent to the state asylum After
a short stay there he was released as
cured but he still had hallucinations and
Il was finally found necessary to send
him to q private aSylurn at I.eaye0-
worth. He died there six months ago.
His own family paid his expenses at the
private asylum and he was buried in the
Greenspan lot at Leavenworth Mrs.
Sells viii be buried beside the body Of
Allan Sells in the Topeka cemetery. She
had her name Of Sells restored in the
district court
Mrs. Sells made a will some years ago
and ii is supposed that William Sells.
son, win be named as the heir to her
property. Mr.. and Mrs. Sells had no
children. William Sells has been tele-
graphed at Pratt City. Alabama. Of the
death of Mrs Sells and Mrs Emma
White and Mrs. Rachal Colby. Of Dav-
ton. Ohio. sisters Of Mrs. Sells, have
been notified.
MRS. SELLS AGE
Mrs Sells is supposed to have been g
years Of age at the time Of her death.
Although she had lived in Topeka for
more than 20 years. still very few knew
her Intimately enough TO know her age.
Mrs Sells was a very large woman. She
was quite tall standing about ; feet 10
inches in height She was very fleshv
and probably weighed over 300 pounds
Her weight was delicate subject with
her. and FOR years she had not been
weighed Mrs. Sells was familiar figure
on the streets. She drove a white horse
IN a low phaetDn- The horse was the one
which Will Sells used to ride In the ring
&&6 name was Chesterfield. and the hotel I