The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-19
Butte Department.
HER LIFE And TIMES
Matte 0verman'S Version of Her BIZ
ography up to Date.
WAS CONVERTED AT HELENA
She Joined the Baptist Church and
Shook Her Husband There-In-
nocent OF Any Wrong-Doing
Toward Pastor Brown.

From the San Francisco Call.
For the first time since the Brown
Davidson scandal has been under the
nashlight of public scrutiny and COM
unent, favorable and otherwise, one OF
the principal witnesses has consented
TO talk. Miss Matte Overman, about
whom so much has been written and
said and against whose character the
most damaging insinuations have been
made, consents to tell the story of her
life to the CAN.
True, she does not deal directly with
the more recent events of which she is
the central figure, reserving that for
the council. but she grapples without
nhe least show of hesitancy or fear of
contradiction the stories involving the
moral side of her nature, from child
hood down to the present time.
''I might just as well have done this
long ago" said Miss Overman yester-
day, by way of Introduction, but be-
fore could collect my wits all those
horrible stories from Tacoma, Spo-
kane, Walla Walla and other points.
founded only in the imagination of
sensational correspondents, were pub
iished. / was indignant that such
things should be said, and so made up
hubbub had in a measure ceased. If
anything Is to be said now i want to
commence at the very beginning of my
life, so there may be no after bicker-
ings of things left untold.
II was born April 8, 1868. in Benton
county of the then new state of Ore
gon. My parents were among the ear
hest settlers in the valley, having
crossed the plains in 1852. in wagons
drawn by oxen. Their first stopping
place was Portland. but not having a
prophetic vision of the future greatness
of that city, they soon moved to Alsea
valley, where they lived for nearly a
score of years. There / was born, be-
ing the eighth of family of 13 chill
dren.
II was years old when my parents
decided to move to the territory of
Washington, where they later settled
on a farm in Columbia county. After
years of toll and labor II became n
place rich in resources, and L recall
1t now as a spot full OF the sunshine
of happy youth. In my 10th year,
father disposed OF his farm. and we
moved to the town of Walla Walla.
where we took a house sufficiently am
pie for the accommodation of roomers
and boardeTs. II was at this place
met the man whom afterward mar
ried.
1T never while in that city engaged in
the dressmalSing business, nor did my
sister, who was with us during my
residence there. 1 knew absolutely
nothing of this kind of work at that
time. being only IL years old. The
statement therefore published in the
daily papers to the effect that I ac-
cepted $1,000 from a man In order to
establish a dressmal1ing business is ut
terly without foundation. 1t was also
said that secured $500 from a clerk in
this same mans store, but was forced
to return it, This Is unqualifiedly
false. both as to receiving the money
and returning that which / never had
Very much against the better judg-
ment OF my parents, l went to Spo-
kane In the month of November. 1885
marrying on my arrival there ID. w.
Snveira, who at that time was keep
ing boarding house. After a short
residence in Spokane we moved to Hell
ena, Mont, remaining there until Jan.
j. 1883. After a few months of married
life l discovered among other things
that Mr.. Silveira was unable to sup
port me- Being then clever with the
needle. l began first as a seamstress
and later branched out as a full-hedged
This occupation followed success
fully for more than IL months prior TO
my departure from Helena. Just here
let me say that about one year previ-
Gus TO this time | experienced CONVEX
sion. and was taken into full member
ship in the First Baptist church of that
city. soon had a wide circle of
friends In the church. / became
member Of the /. o. G. T., OF which
was assistant secretary for one term,
being in good standing in the lodge
when / left.
ION leaving Helena 7 obtained n let
ter Of introduction from my pastor to
any church where I might care to pre-
sent it, This letter spoke of me in the
kindliest manner, recommending me
highly TO any one who might be inter-
ested. Later on ! presented this letter
to a Baptist church I'm Spokane. and as
b result learned one of the bitterst les
sons of my life. AS soon as the minis
ter learned that was married and liv-
ing apart from my husband the sym
PATTY and interest formerly extended
me were withdrawn.
"All this. however. is OF little interest
10 anyone. so l will skip that part Of
my life. When / left Helena IL was
much against the wish OF Mr.. Silveira.
In fact he went so far as TO dispose OF
some OF our hardearned pennies at the
gaming table. thinking thereby 10
xeep me as his chief support. And why
not? It is pleasant 10 have a little /
home. especially II that home is neither
IN expense or burden TO one. SO IL was
With Mr.. Silveira. For fully year
before | left him / wholly supported
myself. even TO paying the laundry
bills and house rent On my departure I
rom Helena such garments covered =
ny back and filed my trunk as only
nv money had Durcha sad
After a short visit TO my home at I
Valla Walla. / wrote TO him. on the 4
ldvice OF my parents. who up TO that B
ime had known nothing OF my domes-
ic troubles. advising him that I would .
lever live with him again. but would 4
eek redress through the courts. Being /
fraid that he might attempt TO carry 4
nut his oft-repeated threat 10 take my
lie ] went Immediately 90 live with a
married sister in Spokane, thinking 10
scape him should he seek me I'm Walla
Valla. II seems. however. that my
ears were groundless. for I never heard
rom him directly. even when notice
vas sent OF my application for divorce.