The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-12
Chicago Police Had an Idea Miss
Ava Was tho Notorious
Dis De Bar.
But the Woman Has Been Found
In Cincinnati Nearly Naked
and CrRzed.
Preacher Bottoms Wife Has Full Faith
49,, in Her stery, NJ Has Chi
cago Detective.

tion of fallen women, and who suddenly
disappeared Wednesday evening. Concern
ing her identity an afternoon paper says:
"Vera Ava is, as it is now asserted, none
other than Ann Della 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 anG told
him her discovery. Her description of her
tallies exactly with that of Miss Ava. Ac-
cording to the New York lady, the notorious
spiritualist carries q stock of wigs and
other make-ups, and of late has been travel
ing across the country swindling Rullible
church people. The police have no doubt
from the statements furnished by the New
York lady that Miss Ava is Miss Debar.
This opinion is strengthened by lnforma-
tion CLEANED from other sources. The
police have become convinced that the
woman is merely in hiding and the detec-
tives detailed on the case have been with
drawn.
II has been discovered that the woman,
who answers miss Ava's description, called
at ono of the medical colleges yesterday.
II this was she it proves that she did not
make away with herself Wednesday night.
On the day of her disappearance the al
legged Miss Ava had an interview with
Archbishop Feehan. She gave Mrs. Bolton,
with whom she drove to the arch episcopal
residence, to understand that she was going
to see about getting some property which
was in the possession OF the Catholic
church in England. She was formerly a
member of that church and it is said was
once a nun. She evidently deceived Mrs
Bolton, as the archbishop says his talk
with her WAS exclusively in regard
to her work 9b sens sts end the vay sooo ao
of personal character. 1t appears
that she also called on Archbishop Feehan
Yesterday. The cabman who drove hel
there, to-day identified Miss Evans pict-
ure as that Of the woman in question. HI
said after she entered the cab he saw hel
About week ago she visited Sadler. the
British consul here, and under seal OF
secrecy told him a remarkable and mystify
| ing story, as Sadler confesses, but he de
clines to give the tenor of it. She was yer,
captivating, with full blonde wig frizzet
and banged, and she told Mr.. Sadler she
had lived III Chicago for ten years, whereas
Sadler saws he does not believe her to be ar
English woman. She spoke with a French
accent and spoke French like native.
| The wife Of Rev. Dr. Bolton Htill holds tt
her belief that Miss Ave has met with fou
play. She is firmly convinced that Mis-
Ava is highly educated woman from thu
English upper class. She saws just before
they went out together Wednesday eyenini
the missing woman showed her walle
filled with twenty-dollar gold pieces, ant
in addition about $4,000 worth of dia
monds. Raising her right hand in
dramatic manner, she said to Mrs. Bolton
'Swear that if ever disappear you will no
have to ask all Chicago to join you in th'
| Search"
Mrs. Bolton says Miss Ava had befor
told her that she had enemies; that he
mother had been murdered, and she seemed
apprehensive that some such fate woult
the Catholic religion. from which she wa
convert. She had spent many happy day
as a religieuse, but desiring broader scop
for charitable work, left the cloister.
'"The strangest thing about the case, sait
Detective Lieutenant Shea tonight, is tha
this Miss Ava, who is written up as fakir
| has refused money from those sue interested
in her charitable work. A caller at the sta
ton to-day, a minister, whose name can
not divulge. told me that a charitably i'll
clined church member offered the woman
| 1000 but she refused it, saying she hat
plenty of money"
The woman has often stated that good
had been shipped to her from England, bu
the officials of the customs house say N
such woman has ever been near there.
curious feature of the mystery is that Mis-
Ava is reported to have said she feared sh
would meet fate similar to that Of Dr.
Cronin. Father Kelly. upon whom sh
called just prior to her disappearance. is
brother of the man whose arrest, In 81
Louis, as a Cfonin suspect caused sensa
tion at the time. He was speedily released
there being no proof against him.