The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-09-14
Probability that Miss Vera and
Diss Debar are Identical.
STRONG PROOF OF THIS FACT.
The Startling story of the Alleged
Kidnapping--Whnt tho Catholic
Priests in Chicago say--.she Puts on
a Bold Front in Cincinnati---she De-
mics that She is Diss Debar, the Ad.
venturess
yenturesS

regarding tle ldentlty OF vera ANu 10
mains. 1t is stated but also denied that
her brother Solomon, of Louisville, has
identified her as his sister, Ann odelia
Diss Debar. She still remains in the
House of Detention and shares the Office
with the matron and spends most OF her
time on a lounge, which serves as a sofa
by day and bed by night.
1t is stated that some persons who
saw the woman to.day say that they
saw her last Thursday quite early in
the day riding on cable cur in this
city. At the House OF Detention at
later hour tonight officers said she has
not received any letter or telegram
from friends or acquaintance as was
naturally to be expected il she were
well known person OF large means as
she claimed ut Chicago she was.
She has put on a bold front here:
The following is her story as told to the
Superintendent OF Police.
THE woMAN's STARTLING STORY.
"Last Wednesday l called on Arch
bishop Feehan in Chicago in reference
to my renouncing the work ! had been
engaged in for years, and after an un-
satisfactory interview, he asked me to
90 to the church OF the Holy Family in
West Twelfth street, Father Kelly's
church, rs the council would meet
there that evening. persuaded Mrs.
Bolton, wife Of the minister OF the Cen
tenary Methodist Church, to accom-
pany me, and without changing the
horses in my carriage (ny own carriage
and horses), VIC drove Immediately to
Father Kelly's church, arriving there
at 6:l5 o'clock. instructed my coach
man to turn the carriage to the east
and wait for me: stepped into Father
Kelly's study and there found the
council in session. There were eight or
nine of them and among them Father
Fitzgerald and Chancellor Muldoon.
The others did not recognize. After
Il recapitulation Of the old business ]
was asked to renounce my mission busi-
ness and the faith Of DR.. Boltons's re-
ligion, Methodism, and / was given the
ultimatum of doing this or taking the
consequences. Seeing the American
flag outside, left from labor day, my
stalwart Coachman and my friend Mrs.
Bottoms, l refused and felt perfectly
safe in doing SO.
SEIZED AND RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS.
"Then Father Kelly said, DO your
duty, and two big, strong mon, one Of
them Father Fitzgerald, seized me and
threw cloak over my head, after which
/ remembered nothing until found
myself in Cincinnati.' They say l went
out OF the church to pray, do they?
Anyone who knows anything about this
church will know that 1 could not so
from Father Kelly's study into the
church" i"
When Miss Ava was told that the
general belief in New York and Chicago
was that she was the lost Madam Diss
Debar, she was furious. why, what
can sayH she screamed. "What bet
ter proof can ! give than to say that the
Sl,5O0 camels hair shawl that Mrs. Boil
tons had on her knees in the carriage
when lett her was mine"
1t was suggested that she might solve
the puzzle by telling where she had
been before coming to Chicago. She
said that was her affair. Her family
was opposed to her leaving the Catholic
Church, and she did not desire to go
into that matter, as it might involve
her in more trouble. She was par
ticuiariy bitter on DR.. Bottoms for not
befriending her.
WHAT FATHER KELLY SAYS.
A dispatch from Chicago says:
Father Kelly, whom the woman ac-
cuses of completely in the abduction,
said to reporter in reply to her story:
at is almost too absurd to talk about.
The woman came here on that evening,
and / saw her alone in the parlor, as |
would see any other visitor. She had
called on mo on three different occa-
sions before this, and proclaimed her
self to be Catholic. She has also on
several occasions gone through con-
fessions in the church. OF course l
took it she was Catholic, and as she
appears to know the forms of our
church thoroughly, there was no neces-
sity to use force to try to proselytize
her"
"What was her special business
Wednesday evening"
"She merely came to talk over her
scheme for the reformation Of destitute
and fallen women. She said she was q
lady OF large means and had largo es-
tate in England and asharein Mackay's
mines"
"What about her having property in
tho hands OF tho Catholic church q
@She never mentioned such q thing,
but spoke OF having enormous wealth
OF her own. She said she had been
nun. She struck one as being re-
markable character. II You spoke only
six words to her you would never for
get her. She could talk on any subject,
and her knowledge seemed world
wide.
FATHER KELLY HAS A WITNESS.
Father Kelly was shown the picture
of Miss Debar, and he said 1t bore a
strong resemblance to Miss Ava. he
has witness who saw Miss Ava enter
the church from the side door and pass
Immediately out Mt the front, carrying
tile bag in which her jewels were. AM
other person saw her get into carriage
which was waiting for her at the corner
and drive away.
Archbishop Feehnn, in IN interview
to-day in regard to Miss Ava said: ~
paid but little attention to her talk
about erecting institutions and those
extensive schemes because know what
It Is to raise up an institution and l
thought her ideas were too broad. Her
intentions seemed good, and received