The herald., 1896-01-03
Springs From the Seed Mrs.
Davidson SOwed
THE WOMAN IS IDENTIFIED
As the Worker of Nefari0us Scheme 5
at Boston
Many People of Wealth and Social Standing
Involved--Mrs. Davidson Still
Languishes in Jail


public scandal by his charge of blackmail
against Mrs. Davidson, is developing new
sensations every day. The blackmail
which it is alleged Mrs. M. A. Stockton
practiced on the reverend gentleman, has
carried the affair into circles much wider
than that of the First Congregational
church. The figures of women which are
generally hidden in the shadows of the city
are coming into the light. The names of
men of the highest standing in the commu-
nifty are being used in the case and the uu-
initiated are seeing the machinery with
which blackmailers conspire, and men are
trapped even before the altars at which
| they worship.
Many new facts have been learned of
the recent movements of the four women
who occupy such prominent places in the
| scandal. A great many OF the letters
which Miss Matte Overman wrote to Mrs.
Davidson, now become public property
throw much light upon the relations be-
| tween the two women. Mrs. Davidson has
at last been positively identified as the
| swindler of Lynn. Frank r. Whitworth,
who knew her we'll. has gone to the police
and identified her as the ex-convict of the
| Bay state. Thomas j. Bass tells how Mrs.
| Stockton tried to blackmail him, and
| others tell how Lloyd Tevis tried to be-
| friend Mrs. stockton. In the maze of new
sensations Mrs. Martha Tunnel appears
with more prominence than ever before.
Her meeting with the Rev. DR.. Brown and
Miss Overman in South Side lodging
house on December 21st even gives a
touch of mystery to the affair. In the
midst of it all the trustees of the church
are doing nothing and the police are pre-
pairing for the prosecution of Mrs. David
son. With Mrs Stockton the police have
nothing to do. she has produced scan
dal, but not prosecution.
Mrs. stockton has an exceptionally inter-
esting personality. She prefers to be
known as Mrs. Fannie Stockton. She
came to this city from the north. She is q
divorced woman, but joined the First Con-
gregational church as widow, bringing
credentials from church in Port Angeles
Nearly two years ago she nearly brought
scandal to the church, but little diplo-
macy saved it from notoriety. 1t was all
over Turkish tea given by Mrs. Frank
French. Mrs. Stockton was invited before
Mrs French learned certain charges VIII ch
placed Mrs. Stockton in a very bad light.
Mrs. French concluded that Mrs. Stockton
was not a worthy associate for young ladies,
and the new member of the church was
sked not 10 attend the Turkish tea. Mrs.
stockton was indignant, and her cause was
champoned by DR.. Brown. The reverend
gentleman went with her to see Mrs,
ceedings before the standing COM
Inittee for her action. Mrs. Stockton re-
ferred Mrs. French to Lloyd Tevis as
sponsor for responsibility, but Mrs. French
was not looking for reference. She says
that DR.. Brown subsequently told her that
Mrs. Stockton had saved him and the
church from scandal. Mrs. Stockton still
declines to explain her position. but will
probably do so on the witness stand.
From Seattle a story of the life of Miss
Overman has come. 1t relates chiefly to
her business as a dressmaker ana her asso-
Citations. In explanation of this story Miss
Overman said last night that she OCCASION
ally went to Seattle to help her sis er, who
maintained a dressmaking establishment.
On one OF her visits her sister informed her
that certain dsrcputable woman owed
her money which she refused to pay.
AS it was dark night, Miss Overman's
sister suggested that she should go TO the
house and try to collect the money. The
suggestion was accepted. but Miss Over
man met with warm reception. he
woman was angry and violent and her vis-
| itor left without collecting the bill. The
matter was subsequently, placed in the
hands OF an attorney, who forced payment
| OF the money. In explanation of The man.
| icure incident, Miss Overman said that the
rooms occupied by her sister as dressmak-
| ing parlors were formerly utilized as
| manicuring establishment. Several peo-
| pie, she said, not knowing the change of
occupants, called to have manicuring work
done, and upon this incident alone the
charge against her was based.
| These facts will become a matter of
record in the police court, Mrs. davidson
| has subpoenaed Lloyd Tevis, Mrs. M. A.
Stockton, Mrs. Julia Gillie, E. S. Simpson,
| Nina Lyman, III. G. White aid j. b shop
as witnesses for the defense Lloyd Tevis
says he will tell his story in court and not
before. He admits having taken some in
| terest in Mrs. Stockton, going even so far
| as to attempt to secure her employment.
| What prompted that interest he will not
| say until he is asked on the witness stand.
Thomas j. Bass, the president of Bass,
Heuter d Co., is more frank. He says tn at
| Mrs. Fannie Stockton did make an effort
| to olackmail him, attempting to use Attor-
ney George Gear for that purpose. she
claimed that Bass had DETAINED her char
| acter, and she wanted damages. Gear was
| not in that business, however, and saved
| Bass, as he has already exp aimed in his
affidavit. The united efforts of the two
men were successful against the schemng
| OF Mrs. Stockton. BASS memory fails
| him in an effort to tell how or when he met
| Mrs. Stockton. The father of ATTORNEY
Gear also sheds some light upon this cpl
sode.
| DR.. Brown is in daily conference with his
attorney, the detectives and his friends.
OHers OF alQ are coming from all sides.
and the opinion is expressed that he will
come out of the fray with his honor un.
| smirched.
| Many interesting letters were written to
Mrs. Mary A. Davidson by Miss Matte
| Overman while lhe latter was in Tacoma
| The letters are filed with exp essions of
the highest regard for Mrs. Davidson and
are also permeated with an intense spirit
OF religion. Many references are made to
Ut. Z. q. Brown and to the First Congrega-
| tional church.
She says that she appreciates fully the
beneficial influence which Mrs. Davidson
had upon her, and in more than one of the
letters regrets exceedingly that she is sepa-
rated from her reverend friend. Taking
into consideration the statements made by
| Dr. Brown of the high intellectually of
Miss Overman. her wide reading, general
intelligence and superior mental attain.
ments and high education, the style of the
letters is hardly what one might expect
from SO highly cultured woman. They
are filled with incorrect spelling and inn
proper grammatical constructions.
Mrs. Davidson is still in the city prison
and has given up all hopes of securing
bail. She spends her time in reading the
Bible and entertaining visitors who cali on
her in great numbers daily. II shall soon
be in position to do prison reform work.
she said today. II am study ing the lower
types of humanity as I find them here
90 interested have | become in the worh
that really have not thought much of my
case. do not fear the result, however
My trial will be prolific of interesting de
velopments." Mrs. Davidson expects tc
be held for trial in the superior court, an6