The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1896-02-29
Mrs. Davidson's Testimony Read
at the Church Court.
WAS GAY WITH MISS 0vtHMAN
Wanted the Forgetful Lady to Help him
to Abandon Ills shady
Ways.

San Francisco, Feb. 26.-To the dis
appointment of hundreds of people VINO
attended the Brown trial before the
Congregational council today, it was
announced that the attorney for Mrs.
Mary A. Davidson would not allow his
client to appear before the church
court until her trial before the superior
court is concluded. The alleged extor-
toner was to have confronted Brown
this afternoon, but the council and the
curious public had to be content with
the reading Of her testimony as given
at the preliminary examinations Mrs.
Davidson's testimony was read in all
it's details, recounting her connection
with Brown, Miss Overman and the
First Congrega tional church.
Mrs. Davidson stated that after No
vember %, when Brown paid her $500,
the pastor visited her Bible class and
commended her as teacher. The state
ment related that Brown said to Mrs.
Davidson: 81 have an unlawful love
for Matte Overman and l appeal to
you to help me-"
This statement continues: OR
Brown said his last criminal inter-
course with Matte Overman was in a
lodging house at Bryant and Sixth
streets. He has admitted that he had
been guilty before but not since that
time''
The witness (Mrs. Davidson) lectured
Brown on his faults and the minister
then told the story of his entire career,
q hat L; 10
faults had been child-murder. Mrs
Davidson suggested that Brown meet
Mrs. Baddin, who was cognizant of his
llaslon with Miss Overman, but Brown
SAID he did not want to meet her or any
otner woman and asked the witness to
arrange the difficulty for him. The
witness then agreed to settle with Mrs
Baddin for the minister and took the
money as his agent.
Brown then read the cross-examina-
ton in the police court when Mrs. Da-
wilson developed extraordinary defect
OF memory. She did not ranoernbar
whether she had borne a child. had eyer
peen arrested or had ever assumed
other names than Davidson. Brown
read Mrs. Davidson's denia,s that s1a
had ever been in jail according to her
recollection, and said he would present
the records of the Massaehusetts cont
to show that she served a term in ia
in that state
Al the evening session Mrs. Thurston
OF oakland was on the stand. Mrs
Ihufston related matters that had been
conhded to her by Mrs. Tunnel con-
cefnlng the relations of Brown and
Miss Overman.
TROUBLOUS SESSION
The night session nearly broke nm -
d row. Or. Brown accused the moder-
ator ana the council of prejudice
against MN and of taking an unfair
advantage of him. He declared that bo
would refuse to go on with the co,noi1
as he was convinced he could NOT SCENE
fair treatment
MISS OVerman, who was r,,a,o,,4
burst into tears and Browns frio,,ae
crowded to his side. The nodora+ 49,,
ueiliailoeo TO know in what respect he
4ie'u peeil uhIaf and wordy wranala
ensued. " al 8 ie
IT. Brown finally apologized for bie
language and order was restored mrs
1hurston proved to be DANA OIL, r-,i4
ness against Brown. She said tbot ,5iaa
oVerman had told her that Dr pro--s 7
had sent her to Tacoma and ,oid w..
expenses as Mrs. Brown would NOT
4iei III the house. Miss Overnan had
soiu Mrs. Ihurston that DIR. Brown had
sq luz her hand and kissed her.
Inc council will go on with tho ~
Vestigation tomorrow. 'iie III