The San Francisco call., 1896-02-20

PTUpET OppOSIIt x,
effort, as her pastor. to recall her to the right
path and warn her OF the Improperly and dam
ger of her conduct.
Specification third-In this, that possessed as
he was of n knowledge OF the facts recited in
specification ?, he, the said {. .. Brown, con-
tinued his alleged intimacy with the SAID Mrs.
stockton taxing her on extended trips over
the street railroads and dining with her at
public restaurants without the company or
knowledge of his wife.
Specification fourth-In this, that knowing
the alleged facts mentioned in the last two
speelhcatlons, he took no steps 10 bring them
TO the attention of the church OF which he was
the pastor and the said Mrs. Stockton mem
ber but by his silence and conduct toward the
said Mrs. stockton gave ground for the belief
on the part OF herfellow-memberso of the church
mat she was living an exemplary Christian
lie and was worthy OF their Christian conf
dence and sympathy.
CHARGE 2-CoNDUCT UNBECoMING A CHRISTIAN
MINISTER.
Spectication-In this that the said c. o.
Brown, while pastor OF Christian church,
paid a large sum of money, namely $500, to
Mrs. Davidson, to be used by her in inducing
Mrs. Baddin to withhold from the public GER
tain alleged information possessed by her relat-
Ing 10 certain scandalouS or criminal conduct
on the part OF said G. O. Brown; which money
was paid to Mrs. Davidson covertly and in
secret, without telling any one OF any intent
in such payment, other than to secure the
silence OF the said Mrs Baddin and with no
provision for any concealed witness OF the
transaction and conversation connected there
and proper intention prompting the payment
could be understood and made apparent.
CHARGE 3-IMMoRAL CONDUCT.
Specification first-In this, that on he-,day
OF -, 1S9-, the said G. o. Brown is alleged, in
or near his study, to have put his arms around
Mrs. Stockton and kissed her, under what she
took TO be strong (anmall passion.
Specification second-In this, that he the said
c. o. Brown, is alleged to have been guilty of
criminal intercourse with Miss Overman, and
retain her in his house, knowing that his re-
lations with her were in contrayention OF the
law, both divine and civil.
In an evident state of Indignation DR..
Brown arose at the conclusion of the report
and remarked:
Is any action TO be taken upon document
with such important blanks in it-blank day
of blank. was once forced 10 defend myself
against a woman whose mind was blank, and
do not think l should be called upon to de-
fend myself against such charge unless dates
be given.
Hoyt-I wish to say few words in explana-
tion a. this point. We don't feel ourselves to
be prosecutors, and don't like to be called
prosecutors. All that the committee wanted
10 do was to make everything clear, and if Dr.
Brown were my brother or my father-he is
my dear, personal friend-I should have to do
everything that | shall do throughout this
council. Ny idea is to make the matter as
clear as the MONDAY sun. And this consider
the best act of friendship TO DR.. Brown that
could be done by any one. And so | wish that
the word prosecutor and prosecution would
not be used more than necessary.
McLean-The extraordinary Difference paid
to the wishes of the church and its
pastor has placed this council in the
apparent attitude of prosecutor. Our
attention has been called TO certain I'm
formulated charges, and if this investiga-
ton is TO amount TO anything the moderator
sees no way except that these charges must be
form ulated, and that we have assumed to
formulate them must not be construed into on
unfriendly attitude. l have no doubt but that
DR.. Hoyt expresses the feeling OF every men,
Der of this council. The greatest friendship
can be shown to Dr. Brown only by thorough
investigation.
expression OF his opinion and in defense of his
position. l would not nave the slightest
antagonism aroused by what may say; but
must use certain terms to save circumlocution,
and l hope the council will keep this in mind.
1t is not with any feeling against any one that
l used these terms
The report was duly adopted, and when
Moderator Mclean announced that the
report was not the property of the council
DR.. Brown again spoke. He said:
One thing ought to be amended. Facts are
spoken. l would like it better if they were
referred to as alleged facts.
The suggested change was made.
DR.. Mooar suggested that in order to
avoid the use of the word prosecutor"
the term Investigating committee" be
hereafter used. The moderator said it
would be SO understood.
AT this point the two letters on which
the first series of charges were based were
placed in the hands of Mr. Woodlands,
who read them. They follow:
For the Clerk Of Congregational Couacil-MY
DEAR SIR: charge that the Overman letters
1ncriminating DR.. Brown are genuine. l have
proof TO substantiate this fact. I charge that
Dr. Brown in his acquaintance with Mrs.
Albertine Stockton was not ministerial in his
minister of the Igospel in good standing l
charge that DR.. Brown intimidated Mrs Lena
Blanchard, threatening her with arrest and
Imprisonment If she did not sign statement
which she told him was false. Very truly
yours, SARAH B. COOPER.
Gentlemen Of the Council, Through the Commit
tee on Chdrges-DEAR SIRs: charge that Miss
Overman Zone of the principals in the so-called
Brown scanda) was in conspiracy with Mrs.
Iunnell the recipient of the famous Overman
letters, and that they roomed together at the
Cosmopolitan Hotel, corner Fifth and Mission
streets, in the City of San Francisco, one week
prior to the arrest OF Mrs. Davidson n ow await
ing trial. From good authority learned Mrs.
Iunnell was concealed in Dr.. Browns resi-
that she (Mrs. TunnelD was spirited away from
the City secretly by DR.. Brown. Respectfully
and sincerely yours, HARRIET COOPER.
Mr.. Woodlands explained that these
to ladies had promised to appear and sub
stantlate the charges contained in the let
ters they had presented to the committee
on charges.
Brown-lf this letter sent by Miss Har-
riet Cooper is to become matter of record
| would ask the council to strike out all
between the words 'sfrom" and "now
awaiting trial" Miss Overman is not on
trial.
Mr.. Woodlands informed DR.. Brown that
he was out of order; that the council had
no power to amend any documents SUBJ
mitted to it; that it could amend only its
own records.
Brown-Does this letter become matter of
record in this form? It seems TO be matter
OF grave injustice to Miss Overman.
Parkinson-Those letters are not the report
OF this committee. They were simply author
lzed to receive letters or charges, and from
ihem formulate charges or specifications
against Dr.. Brown. They do not say Miss
overman, or any one else, was engaged in
conspiracy.
This closed the controversy on this
point. Mr.. Woodlands announced that be