The San Francisco call., 1896-03-12

lSKetCneu Oy
regained much of its normal strength and
clearness, and although he was pale of
face and drawn and haggard about his
eyes his usual aggressiveness seemed to
have lost none of its robust quality. 1t
seemed to have been aroused also more
than once during the examination by the
councils treatment of him in the legal
sense. For the first time since the be-
ginning of the trial DR.. Brown was placed
in the position of the prisoner at the bar
whose testimony was to be weighed very
carefully, because, like that of Miss Over
man, it might have been affected by the
intense personal interest of the two In the
result OF the trial.
DR.. Brown expIaina& at the outset that
after he and his friends had placed the
Davidson matter in the hands of the Police
Department they were subject to the ad
vice of Captain Lees and Detective Sey-
mour, who had been detailed to work up
the matter. After Mrs. Davidson had re-
turned 20 her home after several days
absence Captain Lees and DR.. Brown went
to see Lawyer Lloyd, who had been pre-
viously retained by Deacon Morse as DR..
Browns. attorney. Detective Seymour
said, "Mr. Lloyd, the old bird has re-
turned" Lloyd replied: "All right, Mr..
Seymour; now you go ahead and do what
is TO Ee done. You don't want a long
siege of trouble with this woman. Sev-
mour will unbutton his coat and show his
star, and she will take the next train and
leave the City," Then DR.. Brown took
hand In the conversation.
l said: tWait q minute. | want that woman
prosecuted by due forms of law" Then Mr..
Lloyd laid before me with great seriousness
what must expect If ever prosecuted black
mailer in court. He said what Judge Campbell
a q rlyQ ard Qih in iDli
answer before the Superior Court, that the
blackmailer usually had perfect story made
up of little details. Mr. Lloyd said that my
name would be dragged through all the news
papers of the City. ] did anticipate that per-
hRps there would be two or three weeks of
trial and Its accompanying newspaper notori-
ETY., and its subsldence. 1t was distinctly
placed before my mind that / must expect to
endure something such as / have now en-
dured, but did not expect that / should have
TO suffer as much as have. 1t was pointed out
to US that if there was anything in our lives
that would not bear the scrutiny of the public
and the minutest investigation by the press we
should stop where We were.
From this poin: DR.. Brown switched off
to DR.. Allen and the cooperative Society
and alleged that that society and its lead
ers were and had been making bitter fight
against him because he reported to Rev.
Mr.. BurchelI of Port Angeles that the
Worlds Christian Cooperative Society
was ftaud. He alleged that because of
this report he had incurred the enmity of
President WiIderman, Mrs. Barton,
Messrs. Pierce. Blckford and Others Dr.
Brown thus described his visit to the COM
pany's office:
After two or three days search found him
in the second story OF a lodging house on
Fourth or Fifth street. didn't find him where
/ was directed by Mr.. BurchelPs letter. found
saloon there. L found him in the second
story in a dingy, greasy room. i'll lighted,
with dilapidated furniture and a center table
at which tramp-like individual sat writing.
L talked with him about an hour. Wilderman
said to me: "Dr. Brown, what is the purpose OF
this conversation?' l said then, frankly,
''Your society in Port Angeles has written TO
me for my opinion OF YOU" He said. What is
your opiniOn?' and said, al can tell you bet
ter al the end OF the hour"
found hat the society of which Wilderman
was president was receiving numerous initia-
ton fees from Port Angeles and other places,
and life membership fees of about 800. and
had absolutely no financial basis except some
wild land in Southern California. 1t was a
visionary, unsatisfactory, dreamy scheme 20
get peoples money without giving anything
in exchange. l said to him. "If you want me
10 tell you the truth frankly, will say that
believe you have scheme to get initiation
fees without giving anything for them"
He came to me afterward with letter from
Mr.. Burchell, and he sought to remove my un-
favorable impressions. told Wilderman that
l would write to Mr.. Burchell and tell him
what l thought, and Wilderman said that if
did so he would have me arrested for slander.
| told him that he was mistaken in his n an if
he thought to scare me in that way. Dr..
Burchell came to me afierward and said that
had saved him considerable money.
This President Wilderman swore on the pre-
iminary examination of Mrs. Davidson That
there was Jane Elizabeth Bsddin. when the
name on the certificate was I. E. Baden
there was no Jane Elizabeth about it all.
Those are the people who are against me; the
Bartons, the Bickfords, the Wildermans and
the Thurstons-they are all connected with
that Worlds Christian Cooperative Society.
After DR.. Brown had finished his argu-
ment on that point his attorney, Mr..
Nagle, asked him to state the date on
which he told Mrs. Brown about his hav-
ing paid Mrs. Davidson the $500. He re-
piled that he paid the money or November
90 and told his wife about it on December
19-nearly month later. DR.. Brown re-
Sumed:
The answer is very plain and reasonable.
During that month was trying to ascertain
rs to whether Mrs. Baddin existed. | had been
told by Mrs. Davidson that Miss Overman was
ready to swear with Mrs. Baddin and her
lodger that was guilty. Ii that were the case
any attempt to approach Miss Overman would
precipitate matters. | was afraid that If told
Mrs. Brown she would go Immediately to Miss
Overman and precipitate a scandal. My every
impulse aud the habit of lifetime made it
very difficult for me to keep this fact from my
wife. / informed Mrs. Brown very soon after
the Stockton kissing incident-perhaps too
long after, perhaps four or five weeks, it may
have been two weeks 1t was just after Mrs.
Stockton had asked me TO forgive her for what
she had done. That happened two years ago
last November. L told my wife about it the
next Sunday after Mrs. Stockton had asked
my pardon.
had a debate in my mimi as to what 1
should do about it. l knew that If was to
continue in the ministry for twenty years
longer as l had been for twenty years before
it would be necessary for me in the course
of my duties TO see ladies alone III my study
elsewhere. My wife has never had q suspicion
OF me. What effect would this story have up
on her mindy l felt that it would torture her
and would interfere with her future happi-
ness and my future. made up my mind at
her that Mrs. Stockton had asked nv forgive,
ness for what she had done.
For five or six months after that time Mrs.
Stockton conducted herself so well that she
won the confidence OF some of the best mem
pers OF the church. She was not appointed