The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-26
BeIyue Girl Tells of Relations
With st. Marys Cousin.
Kept Books and Received Hugs
and Kisses, She Said.
SHE WAS WITH HIM TWO YEARS
Then Her Discovery and Long
Flight to Texas.
Defendant Is Son of Wealthy
Banker at st. Marys.

Isabel Kessler, daughter of the viii
lage blacksmith at Belvue, broke down
and cried twice this morning on the
witness stand in Judge James A. Nc
Clure's division of the district court.
as she told a jury the story of her al
legged betrayal by her cousin. John
Moss. son of the late Tom Moss, a
wealthy St. Marys banker.
Tears welled in the girls eyes when
she told of the dread she had of tell
ing her parents Of her shame after she
discovered she was to become a moth
er. At another time she hid her head
| in her arms as she told of the day
after the birth of her child in a ma
ternity hospital at Kansas City. Mo.
when her uncle from Texas called to
see her.
| Miss Kessler, now 10 years of age,
took a diamond ring. worth $500, from
| her finger. and presented it to the
| jury. 1t is a ring she claims her al
legged betrayer gave her. She took off
| long coat she was wearing and dis
| charges Moss gave her. Mink furs,
also claimed to be the gift of Moss,
were shown to the jury.
Miss Kessler described a summers
day in her humble home at Belvue
when her rich cousin drove up to the
Kessler cottage and alighted. She
and her mother were in the room. She
was ) years of age at that time, she
said
He proposed to mother that I go
over to st. Marys and help him keep
books" she related to the jury.
The proposition was accepted. She
went to ST. Marys and began working
on her cousins books. she said.
Rugged and Kissed Her.
81 had been there only a few weeks
when he began hugging and kissing
me-" she told the jury. Il told him
he shouldn't and he said it was all
right-we were cousins"
Miss Kessler described the night of
her alleged betrayal She slept with
her Aunt Mollie in the Moss home,
she said, and retired early.
ct was sound asleep when he came
into the room and awoke me-" she
said. HE told me to hush and said
that If told it would hurt me worse
than it would him. 1 went crying
downstairs to where my aunt and
Uncle Tom, who was then alive, were
sitting.
IT didn't have the courage to tell
what had happened and when they
asked me what was the matter 1 told
them 1 was sick. They gave me some
medicine and I stayed downstairs I'M
til my Aunt Mollie went to bed"
! These relations continued for two
years, the girl told the jury. They
| ended, she stated, after she discovered
her trouble.
II told John Moss about it and he
said he Wouldn't believe it was true,
she testified.
Next, the girl described returning tc
her humble home at Belvue. her dread
of discovery by her mother. her three
older sisters and younger brothers OF
her secret. Her voice broke and tears
again welled in her eyes.
She Went to Texas.
ct knew it would break up the FAM
| nj T xrnt1l6n'f toll them " she fPS-
titled. 81 insisted that I was going tC
Texas with my cousin who was visiting
with US at the time. They didn't want
me to but I told them I was going
Finally, they consented and my cousin
and myself drove to Texas where my
Aunt Mary Swift lives"
The girl never did tell of her trou-
BILE until her aunt discovered it Then
she told it all, she testified, and
named John Moss as the man.
MY aunt made me return to Kan
.. sas to face John Moss" she said. 1--WE
arrived in Topeka one night anc
: stayed at the Chesterfield hotel. The
next day we drove in a motor car tt
St Marys and called at the Mos
home Aunt Mollie Kessler was there
E John was outside. She sent for John
When my aunt accused him or beinf
the cause of my trouble he cursed US
denied it all and threatened bodil!
I harm"
, Miss Kessler described trip baci
Ito Belvue and the mingled grief an'
: anger toward Moss her confession elic
7 tied. There were several other visit
: to the Moss home by her aunt AM
1 her father and mother. she testified
s with John Moss always denying every
thing and refusing to snare any re
: sponsibilitS for the alleged wrong n
: had committed
L Court Room Filled.
n She told of her aunt taking her L
the maternity hospital at Kansas City
: Also in her testimony she told tn
= various gifts in clothes, spendin
It money and jewelry bestowed upon ne
!, by her cousin. John Moss.
Oliver Kessler, the father, on tn
: witness stand. told the jury he with
e held filing criminal charges agains
q Moss because he didn't want to brea
~ up the family. He denied that his onl
n desire was for money when cross-eN
,e amined by John Schenck.
5, Aunt MoIlie Kessler maintains