The San Francisco call., 1896-03-11

drawn and pale. During the examination
by N agile she was allowed to tell her story
In her own fashion, the attorney merely
directing her attention to certain points
which he wished to bring up.
II was married to DR.. Brown in July,
1866" commenced the pastors wife, land
our family consists of four sons. Our mar
ried life has been happy and united one.
l hrst knew Miss Overman IN Tacoma,
where my husband was pastor OF church.
She used to do sewing for me, and DR..
brown frst met her at our lunch-taDle:
She came frequently to our house. and
during the few weeks preceding our de-
parture for San Francisco she came almost
daily"
Now" asked Nagle, what do you
know of Mrs. Stockholm
I'm August or September, 1898, Mrs.
Cooper introduced Mrs. Stockton to my
husband as teacher in one OF her kinder
gartens. About week afterward Mrs.
Stockton came to our house and asked DIR.
Brown to 60 with her to the house OF a
rich gentleman friend, from whom, being
widow With a child dependent upon her
and in need of means, she hoped to secure
financial aid. DR.. Brown accompanied her
thither, and I cannot recOllect hearing
more of the matter.
Il next met Mrs. Stockton in October,
1893, when she volunteered to assist me in
preparing and serving the lunch which the
church ladies rendered to the member OF
the general association which met in the
church parlors.
Il was never, that / can recollect intro
duced TO Mrs. Stockton, though plainly
remember her joining the church..
Did you not try to exclude her from the
choir on one occasion?" interrogated
Nagle.
YES" answered Mrs. Brown, "though
thrOnph nj
kind. In Tacoma | had had charge of
the choir, and on one occasion l
organized and directed a chorus of 400
voices. Hence. when the Smith revival
meetings were about to open In our
church, the task OF selecting singers was
assigned to me. Among the volunteers
for the choir was Mrs. Stockton, whom l
rejected, as did not fancy her voice. No
personal feeling, l repeat, was involved in
my, action. and it did not cause any i'll
feeling. Mrs. Stockton continued to visit
me, and seemed as friendly as ever"
Now, Mrs. Brown" remarked Nagle,
perhaps you can give us a little light on
the famous Turkish tea episode?"
Zone morning shortly before the tea,"
responded the pastors wife, ''Mrs. Stock
ton came to our house in great excitement
and Indignation. She showed us letter
from Mrs. French, wherein that lady re-
queSted her to refrain from taking part in
the programme of exercises at the tea
assigning no reason for the request. DR..
Brown and | went with Mrs Stockton to
ask an explanation from Mrs. French.
That lady persisted in her refusal to
give any reason for wishing to exclude
Mrs. Stockton from the programme, and
displayed some anger during the inter-
view. When we had left Mrs. French's
house, Mrs. Stockton was in violent
rage, and demanded of DR.. Brown whether
he intended allowing Mrs. French the priv.
ileges of the church. Certainly l do
was DR.. Browns answer; you don't think
I'm crazy, do your AT this, Mrs. Stock
ton left us in anger"
when did you next hear from Mrs.
Stockholm inquired Nagle.
MRS. Cooper met us at ministers
meeting in the old Y. NJ. c. A. building"
answered Mrs. Brown, "and asked to see
the doctor and me alone. After binding
US to the most inviolable secrecy, she
said: 1t makes me fairly Ill to see you
with Mrs. Stockton. Do you know, she is
bad woman In support of her asser-
ton, Mrs. Cooper mentioned the name of
a gentleman as being her informant"
''Who was the gentleman2" queried
Nagle.
II prefer not to state, was Mrs. Browns
answer. "Dr. Brown and | have sorrow
enough in connection with this affair, and
by dragging his name into the case. This
man, according to mrs. Cooper's state
ment, asked her to employ Mrs. Stockton
as q teacher in one of her schools, which,
after some demurrer, she consented to do.
Il kept her. continued Mrs. Cooper, 'as
long as decency would allow; but at last |
found it would be impossible to keep her
any longer Must repeat Mrs. Cooper's
words?" pleaded the pastors wife, raising
her eyes in an appealing way to the rugged
countenance of the venerable moderator;
"it was terrible tale"
al think you had better repeat what you
can remember" answered DR.. Mclean.
"Well, then" resumed Mrs. Brown in a
lower tone, a flush of shame passing over
her face, Mrs. Cooper went on to say:
The gentleman told me ii l could not
keep Mrs. Stockton with me to send her to
some other place. l sent her to Port An
geles where in short time her name was
carried about amid great scandal. She
was universally regarded as the gentle
mans mistress. and he was supposed to be
the father of her child
"These are, as far as l can remember,
Mrs. Coopers exact words. DR., Brown
asked her whether she had known Mrs.
Stockton's character when she introduced
her to us, and she answered: Yes; /
knew it all the time
I'VE kept our promise Of secrecy to
Mrs. Cooper until she turned upon us and
became our enemy. After the arrest of
Mrs. Davidson, Mrs. Cooper sent my hus-
band very kind letter of sympathy.
Then, when Mrs. Stockton commenced to
figure in the affair Mrs. Cooper changed
her attitude entirely. She sent my hus-
band an insulting letter which / opened
and put in the fire without letting him see
it. We often open each others letters as
my husb and have no secrets between
us. The letter was so grossly and heart
lessly insulting that could not bring my
self to let the doctor see it,
Now" observed MIR. Nagle, "let US hear
about Miss Overman's visits to your
house,
"Soon after our arrival here from Ia.
coma" answered Mrs. Brown, "Miss
Overman wrote me letter complaining of
hard times and lack of rest. invited her
to come and take rest with me. After
some delay she came, at my invitation, be
it rememb bered. and remained with us
about five months. Then her people in
sisted upon her return, and / prevailed
upon her to delay her departure until DIR.
Brown went, as ne was going to lecture in