The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-02
st. Marys Banker AIibis fol
Dates With Isabel kessler.
Produced Check Book to Show
His Whereabouts at Times.
He ADMITS BUYING CLOTHES
Also Says Girl Had Diamond
Without His knowledge.
Greatly Disturbed on Stand and
Took an Airing.

After telling jury of going to the
cemetery to put flowers on the graves
of his father and mother, John Moss.
st. Marys banker and real estate man.
was asked today if a statement
charged against him that he had
cursed the memory of his mother and
her relatives. was true.
Ten thousand times no." he cried.
Moss was visibly disturbed. He
blew his nose repeatedly and finally
sprang from the witness chair and
walked nervcusly across the room in
Judge James A. McClure's division OF
the district court Returning to the
witness--chair. Moss answered two
more questions His voice broke.
!. Il can't stand this" he said.
Judge Mcclure told him to go out
into the fresh air for a few minutes.
In five minutes Moss was back in the
witness chair, apparently calm.
1t was his second day on the Wit
ness stand and the fifth day of the
trial of the $4,000 suit brought
vue blacksmith. who claims Moss is
the father of a child born to his
daughter, Isabel Kessler
Attempting an Alibi.
Attorneys for Moss had the St
Marys banker tell to the jury where
he spent Friday. Saturday and Sunday
of each week from January l, 1917, to
June q, ~ WIN TWO or three eA-
ceptions Moss turned to a check book
and a memorandum and then in
formed the jury as to his actions on
these days. Once or twice he was at
home but on two of the dates named
by Isabel Kessler as the days i'm
moral relations occurred between her
self and cousin, John Moss, Moss thru
the aid of his check book and mem
orandum attempted to show the jury
that the acts charged on those dates
werez i'm possible.
The. was one other specific date
named by the Kessler girl. That was
July 3, 1917. Moss frankly admitted
he was unable TO tell the jury as to
his Whereabouts on that date.
Admits He Swore at Aunt.
Moss admitted he cursed and swore
at Mrs. Mary Swift, of Texas. aunt of
ISABEL kessler. when she entered his
home and accused him of being the
father of Isabels child.
IT told her if she repeated the
charge that L would choke her and
throw her out of the window" he tes-
titled.
Moss told of the use that the com
Portable home of the late Tom Moss
had been TO the family of the children
of the poor Oliver Kessler. He ad-
purchased many clothes for all the
children. that the kessler girls had
gone to school at St. Marys and lived
at the Moss home for years.
The same treatment accorded the
| other Kessler children had been &C
| corded to Isabel Moss admitted. But
! he declared that only twice did he pur-
! chase goods outright for Isabel kess-
! Ter. The furs mentioned by the girl
and a hat were the only two articles
| he could recall purchasing for Isabel,
| he testified.
He Paid the Bills.
1.-The girls would go shopping to To-
/ peka or to St. Marys with Aunt Mol
| lie" he said. They would like a
! dress or a coat or some other article
and she let them get it. 1 paid the
bills"
Moss denied giving the diamond ring
to Isabel Kessler which she wears in
the court room. That ring. he test-
| fled was originally a diamond stud
owned by his father. Upon his IA
TIERS death it was set for ring and
the ring was given to Aunt Mollle.
Lillian KessIer got it at the fair
here in Topeka one time, he said
! land 1 never saw it again until Isabel
Kessler showed it to the jury few
| days ago"
| on cross eXa mination, Mess stated
that he was 3 years of age. He has
lived all his life in st. Marys except
ing three years spent in Milwaukee
Philadelphia and New York, where he
worked first as a laborer in a lumber
yard and later as an insurance agent
| The remainder of the time he has
spent at st. Marys. alternating be-
tween working in the bank and selling
insurance and loaning money, he testi-
fled.