The herald., 1896-01-08
DEPLORADLE REVELATIONS
In the BrOWn.DavidsOn Black
mail Prosecution
DEFENDANTS TESTIMONY
Makes Frightfnl Charges Against the
Prosecuting Preacher
Extracts From Hiss Overman's Letter Which
Give Color Of Truth TO hrs.
Davidsons Assertions

Associated Press Special Wire.
SAN Francisco, Jan. 7.-When the pre-
liminary examination of Mrs. Mary A. Da-
wilson, charged with ex'orting $500 from
Rev. C.. o. Brown, was resumed in the po-
lice court this afternoon, he court room
was crowded with women, many of them
members of the First Congregational
church. Mrs. Davidson was first placed on
the stand in her own defense. She testified
that she was born in Bangor, Maine. When
she was 8 years old she moved to Bucks
port, Maine. She was married there TO
Franklin Pierce, who was, during the civil
war, a major. When he went to the front
she too went and volunteered her services,
working on the field and in the hospitals.
After the war was over she returned with
her husband to Bucksport. but not imme-
diately. He had resigned from the army
just prior to the close of the war. He died
in 1869. She subsequently married
Thomas Y. Davidson. She came to Cali
fornia on January 9th, two years ago, to
show corsets at the mdwinier fair, and
had lived here ever since.
She became acquainted with Matte
Overman at Rev. Mr.. Aliens mission.
About two months afterward she met her
at DR., Browns. She never was a member
of Dr. Browns church, but at the solicita-
ton of DR.. Brown and the superintendent
of the Sunday school she took Bible class
and had praised her work in that capacity
both before and after the date on which he
paid her the five hundred dollars. He had
also eulogized her to other members of the
Sunday school and of the church in her
presence. She narrated her intimacy with
Mauis Overman, whom she accuses joint
ly with DR.. Brown, and told how she had
secured the girls confidence.
Mrs. Davidson said that DR.. Brown gave
her $500 and said he wanted her to protect
him in his Illicit love for Matte Overman.
On November 21st DR.. Brown called on her
and she told him that Matte Overman had
confessed that she and DR.. Brown had had
illicit intercourse ending November "a,
| 1894. and that it had resulted in child
murder. DR.. Brown confessed to her the
witness) and asked her to prevent Mrs.
| Baddin, the lodging-house keeper, from
, coming to see him. Next day she went to
DR.. Browns studio and wrote rereipt for
| $500, which he paid her the following day.
| That night she gave the money to Mrs.
| Baddin. Later that night she saw DR..
Brown and walked with him. He said lie
! felt like a converted man. She said she
would pray for him and he said that if that
were the case he would occupy his pulpit
next day. He wanted to see Mrs. Baddn
because he hated to think he had wrecked
her soul. Mrs. Davidson's examination
| was not finished and the case went over
until Thursday afternoon.
MISS ovERMAN's LETTERS
| A deplorable revelation comes in certain
letters written by Miss Matte Overman to
her friend, Mrs. Tunnel, in this city.
In them Miss Overman declares that she
has the Rev. DR.. Brown in her power and
that he dare not defy her. She sees safety
| for him only in silence and obedience to
her. She says that her heart has hardened,
| and although she is shamed and insiIlted,
the reverend gentleman owes her living
which. at that time, it was her purpose to
| demand. The first of the remarkable let
ters written by Miss Overman to Mrs. Tun-
neil, is dated at Tacoma in June of last
year. The letter is in part as follows:
| "TACoMA, June, 1895.
my dear, dear friend- Il believe 1 am in
| Gods hands, but at present | am in dark
ness and tossed as straw in the wind.
"Have no fears for my living. As long
as b. lives | shall. | think he owes me
that and l do not feel l am doing wrong in
insisting on justice from him. Understand
me, my dear friend, consider This my op-
portunity for a higher education and calm
| ly consider what can be done if have the
will to do it. am not angry, but insulted
| and ashamed and rise above such spirit.
proving my womanhood in all | do and
say, and hope silence and obedience to
my wishes are his only safeguard. do
not fear him at all"
!
wrote to Mrs. Tunnel the former speaks
with bitterness of her past relations with
| the Rev. DR.. Brown. she denounces his
actions and threatens TO make him pay a
penalty which he will remember. The
| young woman seems to feel her own bitter
ness and excuses it on the ground that I'M
| lust treatment had hardened her heart and
caused her to make the most of her situa-
| ton.
| Her third letter was written on June 21,
| 1895. The letter is in part as follows:
II am glad you see as do, that B. owes
me something; that what have given him
| can never be repaid
| "lf you see B. and he asks you what |
want me ney for, tell him everything, and
advise him TO send it,"
| The fourth ietler which Miss Overmau
wrote TO her friend is one of special signifi-
! canoe, as it refers to her determination
| never again to remain away from San
| Francisco on DR.. Browns account. In this
| letter she declares that the gentleman will
| do what she says and whatever she wishes.
| In her seventh letter Miss Overman
writes her friend that Miss Stoval had in
quired from DR.. Brown regarding Miss
| Overman's character, and that the rever-
end gentleman had very highly recon-
Miss Overman remarks that this was very
kind of him. In this letter the young
woman's bitterness OF spirit returns. She
| has love for no one, finds the church an
ugly skeleton, repeats gossip, and decides
| to work out her own welfare as best she
may.