The San Francisco call., 1896-03-09
DR.. BROWN INDIGNANT.
Denies Certain Allegations Made by
MIR. Patton-NeW Features in



taken within the past two days.
Not that they think the public will be-
heye the damaging statements made by
Patton, Bickford and others, but the fear
is great that their enemies will say ''I told
you So" The pastor and his young friend
claim that these new accusations are unut-
terably false, but none the less disturbing.
Until late yesterday afternoon Pastor
Brown claimed not to have known of the
story published in THE CALL to the effect
that ID. ID. Patton of Dayton, Wash, acted
as his messenger in conveying a certain
sum of money to Mrs. Tunnel while that
lady was spending few uncertain and ap-
parently unhappy days in Visalia.
When, however, the reverend gentleman
was assured OF the genuineness of the in
formation he consented TO give his version
of the affair.
81 cannot believe" he said, by way of
introduction, "Mr. Patton ever made the
statement that he knew me to be guilty
because Mrs. Tunnel had said So During
the short time | saw him he gave every
evidence of being thorough gentleman,
and, consequently, not given to telling
lies. If, therefore, Mr.. Patton expressed
an opinion OF my guilt based on what he
says Mrs. Tunnel told him, he lies, for
Miss Overman's friend could never have
spoken any words which would lead him
TO such conclusion.
"Mr, Patton came to my house one aft
ernoon with a letter for Miss Overman
from Mrs. Tunnel, requesting that certain
articles of wearing apparel be sent her by
the bearer. found HIM to be very pleas
ant gentleman, and he remained over
night with"
No" interrupted Mrs. Brown, she did
not stay here that night, but went down
rot IN ha No, q
o'clock"
"Yes," added Miss Overman, by way of
confirmation, "he went downtown, Just as
Mrs. Brown says"
"Well. you see," resumed the doctor,
these little details escape me, but l now
recall that what Miss Overman and Mrs.
Brown have said is absolutely true. The
next morning Mr.. Patton called about 9
o'clock, and our conversation of Mrs. Tun-
nell was of a general character. He told
me that she was in destitute circum-
stances, and SO long as she was friend of
Miss Overman and doing as she thought
that young lady desired, 1 felt obliged to
assist her financially. This l did, and l
want to say that Miss Overman learns of
this now for the first time. There was no
occasion to tell her had sent Mrs. Tun-
nell money. and did not do So"
us it true that you paid Mr.. Patton's
passage to and froms sVisalia?" interrupted
the reporter.
''No: this is unqualifedIy false" an
swered the pastor. There was no earthly
reason for my doing such a thing because
Mr. Patton, being a railroad man, travels
on pass. / never gave him a cent except
the $40 for Mrs. Tunnell.'
During the first part of the interview DIR.
Brown Law snug ana warm on a lounge in
the front parlor. Later he ensconced him
self in rocking-chair, Miss Overman TAX
ing possession of the lounge, with its ac-
companying rugs and shawls.
II can add little or nothing to what DR..
Brown has said, remarked Miss Over
man. 81 know nothing of any money
sent Mrs. Tunnel except what passed
through me. You may say, however-and
/ want every BODY to understand it-that |
intend to have Mrs. Tunnel back here or
know the reason why. | do not know her
present address, but | will soon learn it.
The case now demands that she tell the
council all she knows, and when that is
done l have not the slightest fear of the
result"
Miss Oyerman, while under cross-ex-
animation, said that DR.. Brown had given
her sum of money for Mrs. TunnelI,
which had been sent by the man who
called for that lady's clothes. This man
now turns out to be Mr.. Patton. So it is
plainly evident that DR.. Brown sent an adj
ditional sum of money to Mrs. Tunnell,
but did not think the matter of sufficient
moment to mention to either Miss Over
man or his wife.
Mrs. Brown stated last night that if any
thing happened to her husband the blame
would all rest on the newspapers.
''They have pursued and vilifed him."
she declared, so outrageously that l
would not be surprised if he found way
out of it all. F"
The testimony of Mr.. Bickford, which is
regarded by the prose cution as very dam
aging, is not thought much OF by DR..
Brown and his friends. The pastor is in
receipt of letter from well-known at
torney, showing that the Overman letters
were for sale to the highest bidder. The
letter reads as follows:
51S BAKER STREET, San Francisco, Cal
DR.. c. o. Br otcT-DEAR SIR: If 1t would be
man named Bickford called at my office on the
Thursday before the Overman letters were pub
lished and wanted me to go with him 10 Mr..
Lloyd or Judge Louderback yourself and
find out if money would not be paid for the
letters which he brought with him and dis
played to me. He stated that he had taken
them out of Mrs. Tunnell's valise and thought
they ought to be worth at least $1,000. told
him was not doing that kind OF business. He
then asked me if l would go with him to the
newspapers with the letters. This declined
to do He then went away and the letters were
published a few days afterward. l heard sub
sequently that he received $l5 for them, and l
also heard that he had been engaged to trace
up Mrs. Tunnel, as he claimed to know where
she could be found.
He was almost a stranger to me, and was
shocked that he should try to engage me TO
help him sell evidence or to make money by
such questionable methods.
/ have no sympathy with this nest of black
mailers and extortioners which you have I'M
earthed, and 1 consider it is my duty to give
you this one item OF information, II 1t Will be
of any assistance to you.
/ am not desirous of any notorieIy in this
matter. Neither have l any wish to make any
trouble for Bickfo1d, although he was no client
of mine and the information was not impaired
to me as his attorney. / simply call this 10
YOUR attention and you are at liberty to use it
or not, just as you wish. Yours, ETC.,
w. A. S. NICHOLSON.
February %, 1896.
Mrs Davidson had many callers yester-
day, confined mainly to members OF her
former Sunday-school class. The white
haired alleged eXtortioner was in happy
frame of mind when seen by CALL repre-
sentative.
"Of course, no one believes the stories
told by c. o. Brown and Matte Overman.
They are so palpably false as to admit of
no argument whatever. | have not de-
cided as yet what | will do about the mat
ter. 1t is probable, however, that | will
present the facts to the Grand Jury. By
her own admission she is thief and
forger."