Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-01-04
WAS C|NCHED FOR $500
Rev. Brown of San Francisco Has
a Woman Arrested.
CHARGES HER WITH BLACKMAIL
Paid $500 for Her Silence in Regard to
His Alleged Relations With
Miss Oyerman.

| san FRANCISCO, Lee. 1S.-NlIS MdI
| A. Davidson has been arrested on q
| charge Of extortion preferred by Rev
G. 0. Brown, pastor OF the First Con-
| gregational church. Mr.. Brown charges
| her with blackmail and says ne paid her
| $500 to secure her silence in regard to
his alleged relations with Miss Over
| man, young woman from Tacoma,
! who visited at his house.
The First Congregational church Is
the largest and the most fashionable
one OF that denomination in the city.
Mrs. Davidson came here during the
| midWlnter fair as the representative OF
Boston corset factory, and lately con-
Quoted a corset store Of her own. She
has attended DR.. Browns church for
about a year and has taken great in
terest in church matters.
Miss Overman came here from Ia
coma for her health and visited at the
house OF Dr. Brown, whose family she
knew in Tacoma. After a stay OF sew
eral months, during which time she
became acquainted with Mrs. Davidson,
Miss Overman returned to Tacoma, but
came back to San Francisco when Mrs.
Davidson promised to secure employ
ment for her.
According to the doctor, Mrs. David
son came to him last November at
time when there was intense excite
ment in the city over the exposure Of
several old men who had been debauch-
ing young girls and told him she had
been corr rnmissioned by Mrs. Jane Eliza
beth Raddin, lodging house keeper,
to demand $4,000 down and s100 a month
for 10 years if he did not want his inti-
macy with Miss Overman exposed.
Mrs. Davidson said that Miss Over
man had conflded to her and would tes-
tfy against him and that Mrs Baddin
knew that he had occupied 3 room in
the lodging house with a young lady.
Mrs. Davidson pointed out to him that
owing to the state OF public feeling, al
most anything witnesses would swear
to would be believed and advised him
to settle at once
DR.. Brown was Mortified at the ma
ture Of the charges brought against
him and saw no means Of escape. He
succeeded, however, in reducing the
figures to $500 down and $35 a month
for five years. He paid Mrs. Davidson
$500, for which she signed a receipt
After paying over the money DR.. Brown
without success.
Finally, he met Miss Overman, who
was stopping with Mrs. Davidson, and
reproached her with her perfdy. She
Indignantly denied that she had made
any such charges and when confronted
with Mrs. Davidson, denounced the wo-
man as Infamous. Miss Overnan i'm
left Mrs. Davidson's house
l,1
where she is now under the protection
If his wife. Then the minister consult |
ID with the deacCns of the church and
the result is the arrest Of the woman.
Both the minister and Miss Overman
ieny that there Is the slightest founda-
ton for the charges.
The Chronicle says: Miss Overman |
IS a tall young woman. with red hair |
and blue eyes. She is SAID to be di- |
vorced woman. Matte Overman Is her !
maiden name. Some months ago she
came to the Chronicle and offered a
story on a prominent man for $1,000.
She is not a particularly good-looking
but is an interesting talker."
So far the police have failed to find
any trace of Mrs. Baddin o. the lodg-
ng house which she Is said to have
kept.
The First Congrega tional church was
crowded this morning as the result Of
he exposure Of an alleged blackmall-
ng attempt upon DR.. Brown. The min
ster appeared as usual and in his ser
non referred indirectly to the attack
lpon his reputation. One Of the dea-
,ons also spoke and corroborated DIR.
Browns statement that he had con-
suited with the officers Of the church
before causing the arreEt Of Mrs. David
;On.