The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-04
THE OVERMAN STORY.
Matte Is Surprised That Peo-
pie Don't Believe 1t.
SHE NEVER LOVED DR.. BROWN.
Gave Mrs. TunnelI Money to Go Out
OF Town-How she stole and Re-
wrote the Letters.

San Francisco. March 3.-The wintry
weather could not keep the curious people
away from the Brown trial today, and the
Congregational church was crowded. DIR.
Brown was ~, and sent word that he
could not be present Miss Oyerman was
placed OF the stand for cross-examination
She was handed copies OF the famous
Matchmaking letters which she wrote TO
Mrs. Tunnel. and pointed out wherein
they differed from the originals. She said
the original letters had been destroyed
after they had been stolen from Mrs. Tun-
nell. Miss Overman said all the parts or
the letters which had references 10 DIR.
Brown which were damaging TO him had
been put In by her for purposes of black
mail. but that otherwise she had stuck
closely to the original text in forging the
letters. 1t was pointed out TO her that 9TH
er parts of the letters were in style lead
ing up to the references to Brown, and she
said that in some cases the spirit OF the
letters had been changed by her.
At tonights session IL was announced
that Or. Browns physician had stated
that DR.. Brown was threatened with par
alysis of the right side. beside suffering
from loss OF memory and severe pains in
the head. DIR. Brown sent word that he
would try to attend tomorrow nights ses-
sion of the council. Miss Overman was
late in appearing. and. pending her arrival,
Joel Merchant. member OF the charcn
and one of the vestibnle committee, was
called and stated that he had never seen
DR. Brown in the company of any woman
other than his wife, and as he was in a
position. owing TO his Office in the church.
TO know all, or nearly all, that was going
on, he would have surely known II II DIR.
Brown had left the church in Mrs. Stock
toms company as often as Mrs. Stockton
had sworn he had. Witness had once
heard Or. Brown introduce Mrs. Davidson
TO stranger as "a second Mrs. Cooper,
which witness thought was great COM
pliment TO both ladies. He had heard DIR.
Brown call upon Mrs. Davidson to speak
or address the Wednesday night prayer
meeting. and thought that he had asked
her TO do this shortly before Mrs. David
son was arrested, charged with backmail.
He never saw Mrs. Stockton in conyersa-
ton with DR.. Brown.
Miss Overman took the stand and was
questioned by Or. Williams on the trip
to Tacoma. but nothing new was ELECTED.
Miss Overuan smiled broadly when ques-
toned as TO her feeling toward DR.. Brown
before and after the trip 10 Tacoma She
said she never wished DR. Brown would
forget his wife for her. She stated that
she had supplied Mrs. Tunnel with money
10 go 10 Tacoma She said that her pres
eflt feelings toward DR. Brown were those
OF sincere pity and sympathy. She ex-
messed herself as astonished that people
doubted her story and stated that she was
repentant and telling The whole truth.
When asked by DR. Sink IL she believed
her statement would be believed IN the
next world. she replied thst she was con-
ndent OF st. She had never shown any
outward manifestations Of her feeling
toward DR. Brown Or. Brown had never
furnished her money for her schooling
She gave the council. as a reason for
second visit 10 the Chronicle after Mrs.
Das-idson's arrest. that she wished 10 re-
fresh her memory and that of the city ed
stor OF the paper as TO the facts. She
knew that she Was doing wrong when she
Attempted to steal the letters from Mrs.
Tunnels room.
She had never told Mrs. Tlaneil that 10
she crul3 not give evidence In favor OF the
Brown side 20 leave town, but had asked
Mrs. Turmoil IL she could swear that Miss
Ovsrruan had never told her that she loved
nr Brown. bait Mrs. Tunnel could, not
and said she would go 20 the country to
tscaua testifying She stated that she had
sesf ryoyTef all her letters and could rot
rrr.f,les The answers that Mrs. Tunnel had
yr~tttan 10 her IN reply TO the letters that
she had written 20 her. She said that she
had t>ar1usgnctions about entering the
scheme Of Mrs Davidson when the plot
was first preached. and that she only en-
tered II when Mrs. Davidson had assured
har The story would never De published
Tonight's session was secret only the re-