The sun., 1908-10-30
SELLS, GOULD INTERMEDIARY
SAYS HOWARD GOULD OFFERED
TO LET HIS WIFE DIVORCE HIM
After She Rejected Terms He Proposed
by which she Was 60 Keep Away
From Castle Gould and Become Tee.
total-Farnum e HistFioniO TutoP.

After She Rejected Terms He Proposed
by which she Was 20 Keep Away
From Castle Gould and Become Tee
tetal-Farnum FsistriOnic TuteF.
Elijah Sells Of Haskins a Sells. public
accountants, was examined yesterday In
the o6aoes Of z. @. Whitaker, as referee,
concerning his knowledge Of the facts
involved In the suit for O separation
brought by Katherine Clemmons Gould
against Howard Gould.
Mr.. Sells testified that he had never
observed any reprehensible conduct on
the part OF Mrs. Gould. had never seen
her intoxicated and had never heard her
use vulgar. coarse or abusive language.
He had been intimately associated with
the Goulds. even accompanying them
on long European trip as q guest on
Howard Gould's yacht Niagara. On this
trip the Gould party was admitted to all
the great ceremonial functions In the
various European countries, and Mr.
Sells and his daughter posed practically
as part Of the Howard Gould family.
Mr.. Sells. as q matter Of fact. La q second
cousin to Mrs. Gould and through another
marriage he considers himself relative
Of Mr. Gould.
AS to the relations between Mrs. Howard
Gould and Dustin Farnum, the actor
only opened social communication with
Farnum after she had been assured that
her husband would not live with her.
She then decided. according to the testi-
mony Of Mr.. Sells. that her best prospects
would lie in a return to the stage, so she
consulted various people. with the result
member OF her social household. but on
the distinct understanding, as Mr.. Sells
said, that while she might take instruc-
tion in acting from Mr.. Farnum or 60
through rehearsals she was not to be
considered either as an actress or as a
person seeking employment.
and suppers were not very, pleasing to
her husband, especially when. he was
not there. Nor did Mr.. Gould take kindly
to the interference of Farnum.. who was
Mrs. Gould's guest At the 81. Regis while
he was playing The Virginians' here
and In Brooklyn. Mrs. Gould insisted
aS ts '9s was fsn sRy sHSns Ss sessse viii
hear more testimony today, including
that Of Miss Margaret Sells, daughter
of Eli jah.
the Sells examination was that Howard
Gould had made q proposition 10 Sells
as friend Of Mrs. Gould bywhich a mutu-
ally satisfactory arrangement might be
had without the necessity. of a court
proceeding Howard Gould proposed
that his wife agree to: ,,s
1. Have nothing to do with the manage
ment of Castle Gould. ....
2. Abstain for life from all intoxicating
liquors. .......
8. Refrain from q course OF conduct
which involves humiliation to Mr., Gould
In his dealings with his subordinates and
In the presence OF mutual friends. and
4. Make no demand to participate in the
family finances, but leave everything to
Mr.. Gould.
Mr.. Sells said that he believed Mrs.
Gould would have consented to these
terms. which he carried to her from
Howard Gould as a peace negotiator.
but that she had already made up her
mind that she could no longer live with
Mr.. Gould unless he was prepared to grant
her all the rights. privileges and indul-
gences which wives usually enjoy. Some
discussion ensued. which resulted in Mr..
Gould, amending the conditions to the
effect that II Mrs. Gould would not agree
to the proposals Mr.. Gould would gladly
AFFORD her the means OF instituting an
action for absolute divorce under the
laws OF the State e..