Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-03
MANY MOURN AS
HEAD Of BELL
HOUSE DIES
Beloved Woman Had 'Mothered'
Scores of AtIanta's Best
Known Men.

Hundreds Tuesday were mourning
the death of Mrs. Emma f. Bell, mis-
tress of the Bell House, home Of
some of Atlanta's best-known pen.
For several weeks Mrs Bell's condi-
ton had been serious. Monday she
sank rapidly, and died, surrounded
by many members of the Bell House
colony.
Funeral arrangements have not
been completed. Surviving the de-
ceased are a daughter. Mrs. Jack Cut
Ter. of Macon, and q son, Richard
Bell, of Detroit.
In 1874 Mrs Bell founded her ia
nous boarding house. 1t was first
located on Walton street. near Fair
lie. Then II was moved into the old
Leyden house on Peachtree. and then
on Pryor street, on the lot now oc-
cupied by the Marion Hotel. For the
past few years 1t has occupied the
old Ben Hill home on Peachtree, next
to the Capital City Club.
Famous Retreat fer Bachelors.
For years It has been the happy
hunting ground" of bachelors. Few
Bell House boys ever married, and
those who did always came back when
wife" went on her vacation; and
from them came no loVelorn signs.
Thus II came TO be almost a prov
erb: "Once a Bell House boy, al
ways one"
Like the old inns where English
men Of letters gathered was the Bell
House. II has sheltered more men
vino have risen to prominence than
any other similar institution in the
South.
A few of the wellknown Atlantans
who formerly enjoyed the delicious
meals of the Bell House are Preston
S. Arkwright. DR.. w s. Elkin, Judge
Andy Calhoun, Percy II. Adams, John
W. Grant, Robert l.. Foreman, T. b.
Paine and Tom Erwin
Currier "Star 6oarder" SO Years.
The oldest of the present colony of
bachelors is Charles e. Currier, pres
ident of the Atlanta National Bank,
He has been one of Mrs Bells star
boarders" for SO years. Next issMyron
E. Freeman, who has resided at the
Bell House for q years.
Il think she was the best woman
who ever lived" said Mr. Currier of
Mrs. Bell.
Mr. Currier spoke feelingly of the
years he had been under the home
Of other fortunate bachelors.
she was Ike a mother to us all,
he said ITS thing you can't talk
about, some way, so as to make any
body understand the relations that
existed between Mrs. Bell and her
great family of boys.
Insisted on Good Boarders.
where the Marion Hotel is now,
on Pryor street, | became member
of the Bell House circle in 1891. Tom
Paine was there at that time and
Hugh McKeldin and Jim McKeldIn.
Tom lives out at East Lake now; the
others are dead. Eighteen years ago
Mrs. Bell moved to the house at No.
25S Peachtree street, known as the
Bell House to-day.
"She was the best woman / ever
knew. She cared nothing for money,
but she surrounded her boys with an
atmosphere that made 1t harder to get
into the Bell House than into the
most exclusive club, unless you were
the right sort, and had some member
of the circle to vouch for you"
Mrs. Bell From Mississippi.
Mrs. Bell was Miss Emma Edwards
before her marriage to John Bell.
Born in Vicksburg, Miss, &c years
ago, she came to Atlanta In the early
70's,
Thousands throughout the South
will regret to hear of Mrs. Bells
Death. During her eight weeks Ill
ness she had received hundreds of let
ters. Perhaps no woman In private
life in the South was better known.
Certainly none was better beloved
Mrs. Bells funeral viii be held on
Wednesday at 2 p. m. at the residence,
No Dannhtvan 4,h I'D
Orme Finn, Of the North Avenue
Presbyterian Church, officiating The
interment VIII be in Westview Gene
terry.
The pallhearers will be Charles f.
Currier DR. w. S, Elkin, Myron f.
Freeman. w w. Kingston. Thomas
r. Paine. Captain j. c. Haskell Judge
Percy II. Adams and DR.. John +,
Denton.