The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-31


Overman returned to Tacoma, but came
back to San Francisco, where Mrs
| Davidson promised to secure employ
ment for her.
According to DIR. Brown, Mrs Davic-
son came to him last November at the
time when there was intense excitement
| in the city over the exposure OF sew
eral men, and told him she had been
commissioned by Mrs. Jane Elizabeth
| Baddin, a lodging house keeper to de-
| mand 1000 down and 800 a month for
ten years if he did not want mis- init
macy with Miss Overman exposed. Mrs.
Davidson said that Miss Overman had
confided in her and would testify
| against him. and that Mrs. Baddin
knsw Of compromising facts Mrs.
Davidson pointed out to him that o'T-
ing 10 the state of public feeling al
most anything that witnesses would
swear to would be believed and advis-
ed him TO settle at once.
Dr. Brown was Mortified at the ma
! ture Of the charges brought against him
| and saw no means of escape. He sue
! ceeded, however. in reducing the figures
| TO $500 down and S35 month for five
| years. He paid Mrs. Davidson $500, for
which she signed a receipt After pay
/ ing over the money, DR.. Brown attempt
! ed to find Mrs. Baddin. but without sue
! cess. Finally he met Miss Overman,
! who was. stopping with Mrs. Davidson,
| and reproached her with her perfidy.
She Indignantly denied that she had
made any charge, and when confronted
with Mrs. Davidson denounced the
woman as infamous. Miss Overman
! Immediately left Mrs. Davidson'S house
and went to the home of DR.. Brown,
where she is now under the protection
| Of his wife. Then the minister consult
ed with the deacons of the church and
the result is the arrest Of Mrs. David
son. Both the minister and Miss Over
man deny that there is the slightest
foundation for the charges.
Mrs. Davidson, when seen after her
arrest, said that DIR. Brown called on
her several months ago and voluntarily
confessed his love for Miss Overman.
He asked her advice and she told him
to sever his relations with the girl at
once. Miss Overman, she says, also
confessed her love for DR.. Brown, and
that he had promised to pay her s35 a
month. A few days after this Mrs. Da-
wilson says, DR.. Brown handed her s35
to give to Miss Overman, saying he
had promised 10 pay her that amount
for ten months. Some time ago.
strange woman, who called herself Mrs.
Baddin. called on Mrs Davidson, and
said she knew Of DR.. Browns intimacy
with Miss OVerman and demanded S10,
900 as the price of her silence. About
six weeks ago she sent for DR.. Brown
and told him of Mrs. Baddin's de-
mands. He said: 1T is all true, and
more, too"
Mrs. Davidson continued: "He refus-
ed to see the woman and asked me to
handle the business for him. He said:
You have our hearts secret and told
me everything. Dr. Brown said he
could not pay her $4,000 but would
pay s., 900, with $500 down and the rest
at the rate of S35 a month. DIR. Brown
said he would leave San Francisco
within three months, as he had calls
from Congregational churches in Brook
lyn and Philadelphia.
Next day she paid the $500 to Mrs.
Baddin, who said she was going to
leave town but would return each
month for the s35. Mrs. Davidson says
DR.. Brown has paid her S35 for Miss
Overman in August, September, Octo-
Der, November and December.
She concluded her statement by say
ing: 81 have kept this secret for the
sake of the church and for the sake OF
Miss Overman and DR.. Brown, but the
truth must be told. / am sorry l am
obliged to divulge these things"
The Chronicle says: Miss Overman is
a young woman with red hair and blue
eyes. She is said to be divorced wom-
an. Matte Overman is her maiden
name. Some months ago she came to
the Chronicle and offered story on a
prominent man for 81 900. She is not
particularly good looking, but is an in
teresting talker.
So far the police have failed to find
any trace of Mrs. Baddin, or the lodg-
ing house which she is said to have
kept.
The First Congregational church was
crowded as the result of the exposure |
of the alleged matchmaking attempt up
on DR.. Brown. The minister appeared |
as usual and in his sermon referred in |
directly to the attack upon his reputa- |
ton. One of the deacons also spoke and |
DR.. Browns statement |
that he had consulted with the officers |
of the church before causing the arrest |
of Mrs. Davidson. After the church |
services a number of the congregation |
shook hands with DR.. Brown and ex-
pressed confidence in him.
Mrs. Davidson has been unable TO OBJ |
tain bail, and is still in prison. She
says although she may be sent TO states |
prison. she believes her charges against |
the minister will ultimately be verified. |
She says she has long been aware of the |
alleged relations between Brown and |
Miss Overman. He had often asked /
her TO pray for him, she says, and once
secured a private room in the Y. NJ. c. /
\. building and there told her his pas
sion for Miss Overman was consuming
him.
He said,' she continued. :" he would
he willing to give UP his family. his pro-
fession and his entire career for her"
[ was greatly shocked and counselled
with him.
Mrs. Davidson's defamation of my
character is utterly inconsistent with
her actions for the past year" said
Brown
she says she knew was morally IN |
fit to occupy the position of pastor OF my
church. Yet she was one of the people
who went about singing my praises to
the trustees. deacons and other officials
Of the church. If 1 had not given her
money and secured signed receipts she
would probably have gone about cir
her infamous lies about me.
Now that I have receipts I have posi-
tive as well as legal evidence TO prove
her real character.
Miss OveTman will tell her story in
the court room. She will proclaim my
innocence and tell all she knows about
the diabOlical plot Of her pretended
friend 10 ruin me-
MRS DAVIDSON IN COURT
She Declares Her Resolution to STAY by the
Case to the End.
San Francisco. Dec. S0.-The case OF
Mrs. Mary A. Davidson. charged with