The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-12
VERE'S VAGARIES.
Strange Stories Told by the
Chicago Missionary.
She Was Found Wandering In The Streets
Of Cincinnati.
The Young Woman Is Apparently Demented
and Tells Queer Tales of PerSe-
CutiOn in Chicago.
Epecial to THE MORNING CALL.

interview with Archbishop Feehan. She
the archiepiSeopal residence, to understand
that she was going to see about getting some
property which is in possession of the Cath
olic Church in England, that she was for
mery amember ofthatchurch, and was once
a nun. She evidently deceived Mrs. Bolton,
as tho Archbishop SAYS his talk with her
was exclusively in regard to her work
among the vicious classes of this city and
was not Of a personal character. 1t appears
she also called on Archbishop Feehan yes
terday. The cabman who drove her there
to-day identified Miss Ava's picture as that
of the woman in question. He said after
she entered the cab he saw her take off
blonde wig and arrange her hair. About
one week ago she visited Seder, the British
Consul here, and, under seal of secrecy, told
him remarkable and mystifying story, as
Sader confesses, but he declines to give the
tenor of it. She is very captivating, with
full blonde wig, frizzed and banged. and
she told Mr.. Sadler she had lived in
Chicago for ten years, whereas she has not
been here as many weeks. Sadler says lie
does not believe her to be an English
woman. She spoke with a Freuch accent
and spoke French like a native.
SAID TO BE DIss DEBAR.
Concerning her identity an evening paper
says: Vera Ava is. tits now asserted, none
other than Ann Odelia Diss Debar, the
spoOk priestess of New York. She was
seen on the street and recognized by New
York newspaper woman, who called upon
the Chief of Detectives this morning and
told him pf Iar iisaEypry Hpr loo
of Ann Odelia tallies exactly with that of
Miss Ava. According to the New York
lady, the notorious spiritualist carries
stock of wigs and other make-ups, and has
of late been travelling across the country
swlndilng gulllble church people. The po-
lice have no doubt from the statement made
by the New York lady, that Miss Ava is
Miss Debar. This opinion is strengthened
by information CLEANED from other sources.
The police have become convinced that the
woman is merely III hiding, and the detec-
tiyes detailed on the case have been with
drawn.
BELIEF IN FOUL PLAY.
The vile of Rev. DR.. Bolton still holds to
her belief that Miss Ava has met with foul
play. She is firmly convinced that Miss
Ava is a highly educated woman from the
English upper class. She says that just be-
fore they went out together Wednesday
evening the missing woman showed her
wallet filled with tweuty-dollar pieces and
in addition about $4,000 worth of diamonds.
Raising her right haad in q dramatic man.
ner. she said to Mrs. Bolton: swear that
if ever | disappear you will not rest until
you have found me. even if you have to ask
all Chicago TO join you in the search" Mrs.
Bolton says Miss Ava had before told her
that she had enemies; that her mother had
been murdered and she seemed apprehen-
sive that some such fate would Overtake
her. She never said a word against the
Catholic religion, from which she was
convert. She had spent many happy days
rs TeligieuSe, but, desiring broader scope
for charitable work, left the cloister.
WHAT THE POLICE THINK.
1.-The straugest thing about the case" said
Detective Lieutenant Shea tonight, "is
that this Miss Ava, who Is written up as
fakir, has refused money from those she in
terested in her charitable work. A caller
at the station to-day, minister whose
name | cannot divulge, told me that char
itabIy inclined church member offered the
woman $1,000, but she refused it, saying
she had plenty Of money. The woman had
often stated that goods mad been shipped to
her from England, but the officials Of the
Custom-houSe say that no such woman has
ever been there"
a curious feature of the mystery is that
Miss Ava is reported to have said she feared
she would meet fate similar to that of DR..
Cronin. Father Kelly, upon whom she
called just prior to her disappearance, is
Louis as CrOnn suspect caused sensa-
ton at the time. He was speedily released,
there being no proof against him.
The sergeant in charge of the Central
Police Station this evening received tele-
gram from the Chief OF the Cincinnati p0-
lice, announcing the fact that he had the
missing Miss Ava in charge and asking
what was to be done with her. The ser
geant replied: Release Miss Ava. We
don't want her."
4 - 10
only effect of the telegram is to satisfy our
curiosity as to Miss Aya's whereabouts.
There is no charge against her, hence we
cannot order her arrest"
A reporter at an early hour this [Satur-
day morning called at the Jesuit College
and sent up word about Miss Ava's story
telegraphed from Cincinnati. Father Kelly
sent word back: "Ridicuousl Deny it in
my name."
FOUND IN CINCINNATI.
CINCINNATI, Sept 11.-Miss Vera Ava.
II her testimony is to be credited, is here in
the Cincinnati House of Detention. She
talks sometimes nationally and sometimes
with wild incoherence, and says her name
is Vera Ava, her native place, London,
England, and lately she has been in Chicago
and somebody brought her from that city
to this place, but who it was, and how and
when she was brought she seems unable
or unwilling to tell. 1t was nearly o'clock
and ordered him to drive to the st. Nicho-
las. She wore black woolen dress, was
in her stocking feet and without
hat. From her waist to above her
Nicholas, Burnet and Gibson house all
refused to receive her. AT the Gibson the
detective force took her case in hand and
removed her at once to the House of Drten-
tl0n. An examination there revealed the
TACT that she had not cent and not a scrap
.f lnr Il hat h1-
effects were her black dress and her stock
ings. The police have been unable to ascer-
tain how she got here. When asked about
it she would say. Il came from behind
gray stone wall and went up hill, but they
pushed me down Whenever went up, and
bumped their heads together" Nothing
satisfactory can be learned from her. She
said she had been at 800 or 420 West Mon
roe street, Chicago. Some of the officers
think her insanity is fegned, and it is sur
missed here in certain quarters that she is
Miss Dis de Bar of New York.
THE woMAN's STORY
Miss Ava told long story to an Associ-
ated Press representative tonight. 1t is
quite as singular as the previous stories
about her d0ings. Miss Ava said she was a
Roman Catholic, and was starting four
Chicago. This displeased Archbishop
Feehan,. who ordered her to a nunnery.
She refused TO 60. He then ordered
her to appear before council
at the Jesuit College Church on Wednesday.
She went In carriage, accompanied by
Mrs. Bolton. On entering the church she
found Archbishop Feehan and Father
Kelly present. They presented her paper,
which they told her to sign. She refused,
saying that as a future American citizen,
she meant to use her money as she pleased.
Ihereupon Father Kelly arose and said:
for ,,n,l,B Al
moment two men came in at side
door and threw cloth over her
face. After that she knew nothing
more until she felt as if she