The sun., 1909-12-02
VOWS FRANK GOULD PROMISED
Was HE BEFORE HIS DIVORCE
ENGAGED TO MARRY AGATNr

Was HE BEFORE HIS DIVORCE
ENGAGED TO NANNY AGATNF
Bessie de veIe shows vaiise Full Of Let
tiers signed Prank" ana Raises Her
Right Hand before Notary gublic
She HAS sued Gould for szO0. 600.
Miss Bessie Van Dorm. known on the
stage as Bessie de Vote. who is suing
Frank Gould for 5000. 900. announced last
night that the suit is for breach Of promise
of marriage She sent for the reporters
and gave out a statement which with
uplifted hand she swore to hsfore notary
public in her apartment II begins:
Il, Bessie Van Dorm. known profession \
ally as Bessis de Vote. wish to make this
statement. the first have publicly made
and in justice to myself make it Under
oath.
Il am sure Mr.. Gould will not deny that
we wers engaged to be married and that
that engagement existed until the day
before Mr.. 0ould's departure for Europe
Then follow extracts from letters which
Miss De Vote gays were written TO her
by Mr.. Gould. Some OF them are as foI-
lows:
Il am so looking forward to the time
when can belong to you and have you
for my wife.
III I did this il could be settled very
quickly, In three or four months at the
most. Any other way would take so
much longer than I ever supposed. but
dearest. you are worth waiting for"
The following are extracts from let
ters written TO me by Mr.. Gould during
the trial Of Mrs. Ben Teal, which win az
plain my silence at that time.
81 shall certainly, as have already
told you. do everything can to correct
the slander which has been thrown on
you who are 90 innocent. There are GER
tain persons who would unhesitingly
lsicl use you regardless OF anything but
their own ends and these we must beat
and bring to justice. Please don't be
discouraged and whatever do is because
believe Il best for you
I am 20 sorry you were upset last
night, but know you have been through
30 much lately, and when I thought IL
over. came to the conclusion IL was re-
markable that you had stood everything
the way you had. What 4 have done
and will dy you can depend on IL win be
done for your best interests. II I could
only have seen you you would have UNDER
stood. Az IL 10. you must have faith.
Everything 10 coming out az rikht in the
nd, and you must trust lfne'
MY reason for making this statement
under oath is that Mr.. Gould told me the
day before he sailed that should attempt
vindication no Judge would believe any
thing said because was an actress and
told him that was sure there were peo-
pie who had known me who wculd speak
for me, and he replied that they would
not be believed either because they were
In the theatrical profession too
MFR. 0ould's wife. who was Helen Kelly.
got divorce from him last May. Mrs.
Ben Teal. whose conviction for suborn-
ing perjured evidence that Gould visited
Miss de Vote In her fat was recently
reversed. was arrested on that charge
in 1908. so that although Miss de Vote
gives no dates for the first letters quoted,
the other letters antedote the divorce.
While Miss de Vote was making her
statement last night she sat under.
picture OF Antony and Cleopatra In
their galley. Five reporters tiptoed
in. Mas Van Dorm said good evening.
and that she vas very nervous, az this
was her first interview. In the back
Of the room was piano, and at this sat
stout person. who played low music.
The stout person wes introduced as a
notary public. Presently he arose and
l.n Va n...x. AAll a L..
written statements for the papers in her
hand. >sDo>yoa solemnly swear that the
statements you here make are truel'
said the notary, Miss Van Dorm raised
her right hand and swore. but had to
giggle little. for this was the first time
that she had ever sworn to anything.
At this stage in the proceedings one
Of the reporters asked il he might see the
letters referred to In her statement.
She brought out . black morocco valise
from which she produced a number OF
letters signed Prank She also opened
drawer in the table which she said con-
tanned more letters. She refused to allow
more than a fieeting glimpse OF the con-
tents. Those who glanced around the
room saw two large framed photograp phs
Of q gentleman strongly resembling Mr..
Gould.
Miss de Vote said that her lawyers
would undoubtedly be very angry that
she had made these statements. but she
simply courdn't keep quiet any longer.
She added that her lawyers were Judge
William M. X. Olcott of 10 Broadway and
Julius Silvermau OF $50 Nassau street.
The notary collected 81 and the meeting
adjourned.
III. c. PIERCE MAY GO FREE.