The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-01-31
LUR|D TALE IS TOLD
ON WITNESS STAND
Contest Over Custody of
Children Comes to Head
at Ogden.
Special TO The Tribune.

Special TO The Tribune.
OGDEN, Jan l0.--Addltionai lurld de-
tails OF the family affairs involved IN
the Curtis Nicholson controversy FOR pos
session OF two minor children were
brought out today in the resumption OF
the hapeas corpus case OF Mrs. Sarah
Nicholson against Mrs. Ruella Z. Cur-
tIs. The matter occupied the attention
OF Judge n. j. Harris throughout the Gay
without the case having been conpleteu
at the adjournment OF court this eNeh-
ing -, a.
Ten dsys ago Mrs. Nicholson, said 10
be the mother of the children, applied Tor
a writ OF hnbeas corpus TO regain pos
session Of Ruella v. Curtis ana ,"a,. Atoere
3 Curtis, who have been in the CUSTODY
OF Mrs. Curtis, the supposed grandmoen
er. for brief intervals during the past
few years. il Is alleged that Mrs. Curtis
has repeatedly stolen tho children from
their mother, these Affairs having been
brought 10 public notice In more than
six cities between the Missouri river ana
the Pacific coast. The arrest OF Mrs.
Curtis IN this city recently followed ner
attempt TO escape to Salt Lake with the
children.
On the witness stand today Mrs. Mich
olson testified that she had no means
of knowing whether Mrs. Curtis was her
real mother and that she had never
known her father. While they were re-
siding in an eastern city, according TO hef
testimony, man caIleo at lHcir house
for a little girl and Mrs. Curtis's mother
concealed Mrs. Nicholson. then q small
girl. behind a chair until the man left:
The witness said she had been reared
by Mrs. Curtis, who she regarded as her
stepmother.
When only II years Of age. Mrs. Mich
olson declared. Mrs. Curtis had induced
her TO lead an immoral life. forcing her
10 earn their livelihood, Mrs, Nichol-
son testified TO the alIega uons OF her
complaint to the effect that Mrs Curtis
had been married seven times under the
common law, also that the woman had
led an immoral life. had been arrested
in several cities for vagrancy. and had
been committed TO the Buffalo, N Y,
mental hospital after having been a6-
judged insane. The witness said they
came west when Mrs. Nicholson was
years old. since which time they have
Nicholson said she had no meal ms of
knowing her real age.
With regard to the children, Mrs.
Nicholson said the little girl was born
but that Mr.. Nicholson was not the ia
Their of either one. Her recital of their
travels about the west and the many
alleged kidnapings of the children by
Mrs. Curtis was n lengthy one She de-
clared that she was in possession of tho
children since they were born with the
exception Of those times when Mrs. Cur
Ills had stolen them.
Edward Nicholson. the plaintiffs hus-
band. and a reporter In the employ OF
the Ogden Examiner. we're the only Wit
nesses other than Mrs. Nicholson The
former practically corroborated the testi-
nony OF his wife end the newspaper man
told OF Mrs. Curtis's conduct while she
had been living in Ogden. The con-
troversy over possession of the children
II is said, is largely due 10 the fact that
they will eventually come into possession
of small piece Of property In Topeka.