The Dickinson press., 1896-01-04
SHE HAS A HISTORY
MRS. NARY DAVIDSON. THE ALLEGED
BLACkMAIiEE.
The Woman Who Make. Charxes
Against Rev. &. q. brown Wa.
Convicted Of Fraud ft an East
ern City-She Now Tells u Differ
ent StorN-Eriends of the Mtnia-
ter Certain 1t Is a Case of Hlnck-
mail

Boston, Jan. 1. - Mary Davidson.
whom the state police believe TO he the
woman who is accused of blacliMailing
Rev. C. u. Brown of San FrauciScn,
had a remarkable career in New Eng
land. Deputy Marshal Shaw. who was
4 member of the state police in 1854
and 1885. had the case against Mr..
Davidson in charge and gave her his
tory us follows: She was horn IN
Bucksport. Me. She married II Col.
Blood, who was either killed or died
during the civil war. The widow went
to Washington. where she attracted
considerable attention while acting as
an army nurse. After the war she re-
turned to her native state. where she
married Il prominent shiphuild"r named
Davidson. Subsequently the David
sons Went to Lynn. Mass.. AMI she
opened Il music store. She obtained Il
fine stock of musical instruments lul-
der the mortgage system. After real
izing $G,MW on the stock She suddenly
disappeared. There was talk of sui
eide, hut she was finally located in Al
bany, where she was plying the trade
of insurance agent under the name of
Mary Sturgis. and where she had estal>-
lished a good reputation in church cir.
cleS. She was arrested and brought
hack to Boston. the trial proving Il
most remarkable one. the woman de-
Tending herself. She claimed that two
years before. while in Boston. she sus-
tanned Il sunstr0ke. since which time
her mind had been a blank. She did
not remember any of her business
transactions in Lynn. She claimed to
l)e unable to tell how she got to Al,
bany. So great an impression did she
make upon the jury that the district at
torlley. contrary to his usual custom Of
letting the ease go to the jury without
argument when the prisoner was not
defended in the interests Of justice,
made an argument in the case. The
prisoner WAS found guilty and sen
fenced to two years in the house of cor
rcctiOn at Ipswich. After leaving Ip-
swich she was heard from in different
parts Of the cnnntiy. and finally lost
sight of.
Tells Another story Now.
San Francisco. Jan. Mrs. David
son. under arrest here on Il charge OF
blackmail. preferred by Rrv. &. ..
Brown, now tells Il story that differs
slightly from the one she told when
first arrested. She says now she he
lievcs she is the victim Of Il plot in
which MIR. Brown and Miss Overman
are the plOttrrS. She still insists that
they are guilty and her theory is that
DR.. Brown. knowing that she was
aware of his relations with Miss Over
man, boldly resolved to fOrestall dam
aging Developments by accusing her of
blackmail. She thinks DIR. Brown SO.
cured the mysterious Mrs. Baddin and
had her call on her with the story and
thus force her into the position of go.
between. After inducing her to accept
money for Mrs. Badlin and to sign
receipt. DIR Brown now charges her
with blackmail.
Can't Believe 1t.
Tacoma, Jan. 1.-The alleged reln-
tionS of Dr. Brown AMI Miss Matte
Overman are Il complete surprise to
their many friends here. Miss Over
mans friends declare their belief that
1t is II case of blackmail. and say it
cannot be true that her relations with
DIR. Brown have been any other than
proper. In proof of this they cite that
she went to live with the Browns OH
her first visit to San Francisco over IL
year ago. at the earnest solicitation Of
Mrs. Brown. for whom Matte had
sewcd, both here and in San Francisco.
While here just Il year ago. DR.. Brown
called ut the Ovci1nan home and stated
that Mrs. Davidson was pure. Chris
tian woman. Matte had not met her
OH her first visit to San Francisco. and
went to live at Mrs 1AvitlSOn's after
going to San Francisco for the second
time last August. Her younger sister
Lille, received a letter from her yestcr
day. 1t was written Tuesday. and she
was then at Mrs. Davi,lsons. Ycster-
day afternoon came kilograms from her
reading: "Do not believe sensational
newspaper stories. Letter will cX-
plain"
Mr.. Overman says that Matte is
studying stenograplly and typewritins.
and that he expects her home in three
months. Her letter of explanation is
expected to-day or tomorrow.
DIR. Browns Career.
kalamazoo, Mich. Jan. 1.--Iscv. G.
d. Brown. who accuses one Of his flock
with cXtOrting hush money from him
i'll San Francisco. was pastor of the
First Congregational church here for
five years, beginning in 1880. He was
one of the most successful pastors the
church ever lad. He graduated at
Olivet college, and began his ministry
at Rochester. Mich. His character was
above reproacll. DR.. Brown went from
here to Dubuque. thence TO Tacoma.
and finally to San Francisco.
boy Burglars at DarabOO.
BarlboO, Wis, Jan. Flour small