The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-31
LLOYD OUT OF THE CASE.
Strong Commendation of the
Brave Woman of the
Prayer-Meeting.
MISS OVERMAN A HYPN0TIsT.
Mrs. Davidson Says Matte Has Mes
meric Power Over Men-Fighting
to Postpone the Trial.

Rev. DR.. g. o. Brown, so far as any one
outside of his present family circle knows,
still bears alone the deep secret of what IS
embodied in the statement which, ne
claims, if made public would remove
every vestige of suspicion in the minds of
those who are inclined to put faith in the
charges of gross immortality made against
him by Mrs. Mary Abbott Davidson.
He did not divulge the contents of this
sacred document yesterday morning at IL
O'Clock to Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper at his
home, as he had promised to do at the
prayer-meeting in his church last night.
His reason for ia ling to keep his word was
that ex-Judge Davis Louderback, the attor-
ney employed by the pastor to prosecute
Mrs. Davidson on the charge OF extortion,
had ordered him to remain silent.
Mrs. Cooper and her daughter Hattie
were Just putting the finishing touches to
their street toilets, preparatory to setting
out for the residence of DR.. Brown, when
a summons came to the telephone. It
proved to be from the willing-to-make-a-
statement minister. It's purport was as
follows:
saw III lIlc UcMc pa
pers this morning my offer to make a
statement to you in confidence, and has
forbidden me to do so. My offer last night
was made on the impulse of the moment.
I am very sorry to have given you any
trouble in the matter"
This was virtually all that passed. Ac-
cording to Mrs. Cooper, who was most
reluctant to speak of the affair at all, the
voice of her lawyer-ridden pastor sounded
extremely genial. AS she expressed it:
cit made me feel glad to hear again his
voice in pleasant tones.
You have no idea what relief it was
to me-" said the heroic lady, ito know
that was not to be placed under the or
deal of having to see DR.. Brown and listen
to his statement. The task was strongly
repugnant to me, but I had determined to
put my own feelings entirely aside, even ii
it Frustrated me, which 1 feared it would
do at one time. But, thank God, this trial
has been spared me.
~ have been extremely worried over nv
course Of action. l felt l was right and
would not have been able to rest had l not
acted as did. But It cost me more than
most people can realize. l love my
church, and was always most loyal to DR..
Brown, but felt that the church was at
stake. Ever since the death of my dear
husband l have been troubled with my
heart. It is not organic, but acute, and
last night il thumped so hard and rapidly
that at one time l thought l should fail
However, have survived, and hope to see
the whole matter soon cleared up.
II wonder why some of those who,
after the meeting spoke encouraging
words to me, did not do something during
the heat of the excitement to show me
rio hlo 2 hi fr1,r
to do. but felt that l had 10 do it.
81 had no intention of asking DR.. Brown
any questions during the proposed inter
view. | would simply have listened to his
statement and have come to conclusion
from that, but l am glad that l am not in
possession of his secret. | only want to
have the truth made manifest. I have
done my best.
"They bring no solid evidence. But
they will have to put it in when the trial
takes place. They passed resolutions oil
contidence-almost of adulation-and /
was not prepared, as a member of the
church, to give even MY tacit consent tC
them. Therefore, spoke.
"If discover that my conduct has moi
been justified by future developments,
shall gladly go into the pulpit and say
that am sorry for what 1 have done. But
in the light of existing evidence feel thai
/ am right. What we want is righteous
feel very glad TO see him exonerated.
II would certainly go to hear him preach
for l love my church rather than the man
I have been church member since l wa:
IL years of age, and taught my first Bible
class when l was Il.
MY course of action was we'll consid-
cred before it was carried out. The day
before the meeting / went to one of thu
trustees and informed him of my feeling.
and ideas, and he told me l was right and
to go ahead and make protest against the
resolutions"
Mrs. Cooper received an anonymous let.
ter few days ago intimating that she wa.
making herself liable to church disciplin,
for speaking against DR.. Brown according
to newspaper reports. In fact, the letter
was considered by Mrs. Cooper as threat
intended to make her remain silent dur
ing the present controversy.
One of the vain efforts to gag Mrs
Cooper at the Wednesday light praye
meeting was made by DR.. Brown himsel
when he interrupted her statement by de
claring that she was violating one of tn.
rules of the church in publicly denounclny
him before she had appealed to him per
sonally. Mrs. Cooper replied that sh,
had done so In letters written to him
But DR.. Brown denied having received
them.
When Mrs. Cooper was asked abou
them yesterday she instinctively turned Il
her diaries Tor confirmation of her asser
ton. The daily record for 1895 showed
that she had written DR.. Brown on tn,
9th of December, and the diary for thi
year showed she had again written him OF
the 9Th of January. Each of the letter
was inclosed in an envelope bearing tn,
following inscription in the left hand uppe.
corner:
Return to Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper,
President of the
Golden Gate Kiuderpa-feu Ascoofatgoo
and Free Normal Training School,
1902 Vallejo street, San Francisco CAL
If not delivered in 10 days.
Neither of these letters has been re
turned to Mrs. Cooper, nor has she heard
from either.
The one written on the 10Th of Decembe
was of a non-com initial character and wa,
so phrased that if the recipient wer
guilty it would be condemnation OF HIM
while if he were innocent it would be al