The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-03-12
MRS. TUNNELS STATEMENT
Is Fortunately, Nothing More
Than Hearsay Evidence
DR.. BROWN GREW ANGRY
But His Careful Counsel Gained the
Rising Storm
The Minister Never Dill q Thug That Was
Wrong, But He Should Have
Told Ills Wife

Associated Press Special Wire.
SAN FIR NCIsCo, March l1.--Dr. G. o.
Brown was the only witness who appeared
today before the Congregational council
before which he is being tried on charges
Of immortality. The investigation covered
wide latitude, and at times the questions
asked by the ministers aroused the pas
tors anger. He accused the ministers of
showing disposition to doubt his state
ments, and at last became so vexed that it
was necessary for his own counsel to adj
nionish him that his inqusitors were only
performing their duty.
| DR.. Browns narrative began with his
trip to Tacoma two years ago, when he
was accompanied by Miss Overman. He
admitted that he occupied a berth in the
sleeping car above Miss Overman, but said
he did so at the suggestion Of friends, who
thought it would I've better for him to oc-
cupy the berth than to have it assigned to
stranger. He denied that anything took
place on the journey that reflected on the
character of either himself or Miss Over
man.
The minister was taken to task by the
council for keeping secrets from his wife.
He admitted that he did not tell Mrs.
Brown that he had paid $500 to Mrs.
Davidson until three weeks after the event t,
and that he failed to tell her about Mrs.
Stockton kissing him until a month after
He also said nothing about letter couched
in familiar terms which was written to him
by Miss Overman. In explanation the
doctor said he kept these things from his
tf6 bn =
sarily disturb her peace Of mind. He said
if he continued to be minister he knew it
would be necessary for him to meet women
of his congregation alone, and he did not
wish Mrs. Brown to be worried.
DIR. Brown denied that he induced Mrs.
Tunnel to accompany Miss Overman to
Tacoma for the purpose of giving Miss
Overman medical treatment. He admitted
that he had sent money to Mrs. Tunnel
since she left the city, but denied that he
was instrumental 10 securing Mrs. Tun-
nell's departure from the city in order to
prevent her from. appearing as witness
DIR. renney, who. conducted the cross.
examination for the council. questioned
DR.. Brown very closely as to why he paid
the $500 to- Mrs. Davidson. The minister
was asked if he did not know the payment
of the money was against the presumption
of innocence. DR.. Brown replied that he
paid the money in oder to obtain a re-
ceipt, which he considered tangible evil
,lence upon which to base the prosecution
of Mrs. Davidson. He said his attorney
advised him not to prosecute Mrs. David
son on account of the scandal such an
action would preciptate. but to have The
police compel her to leave the city. He de-
clined to take the advice.
DIR. Brown said he had evidence to Prove
that Mrs. Davidson had tried to compel
woman in Fruitvale to impersonate Mrs.
Baddn, the woman for whom Mrs. David.
son says she obtained the money from DR..
Brown. The minister said Mrs. Wellesley
told him Mrs. Davidson had tried to in.
duce her to pose as Mrs. Bannin.
At the evening session George W. Bick.
ford. the man who found and published
the Tunnel: letters, was a witness. II
told how Mrs. Tunnel had asked him to
care for some of her belongings while sbs
was out of town. She appeared to be wor-
ried and said she had lost two important
letters. This was before the sc ,ndal be.
came public, but he remembered her en-
preston and searched through her effects
in search of the letters. He found several
of them hidden in a coal scuttle and coal
oil can. The letters were scattered abont
and some of them were out of the en-
velopes. This part of Bicxford's tesii-
mony is considered important as Miss
Overman testified that wnen she returned
the letters to Mrs. Tunnel they were in a
DunQle. blckIOruS story was not shaken
by cross-examination, though his character
and motives were vigorously attacked.
The next witness was Mrs. H;ida Bar.
ton, who was associated with Mrs. TunrW,
in the cooperative restaurant. She sa~~,
that Mrs. Tunnel was very poor, an.
sometimes did not have enough to eat.
They were intimate friends. but Mrs. Tun.
nell Suddenly disappeared and was gone
several months. When she returned she
said she had been to Tacoma with Miss
Overman and that DIR. Brown had paid her
expenses and had given her $40 fol- speua
ing money. Mrs. Tunnel told her that
Miss Overman was in love and had gotten
into scrape and gone north
for medical treatment. The foiiow.
ing Christmas Mrs. Tunnel mad
$500, 500 of which she invested in the
restaurant. Mrs. Barton asked her where
she got it and she said from the same place
she got the mo.ley before. All she he'd TO
do Was to talk and she could have plenty
of money. On cross examination Mrs.
Barton became badly mixed os to dates.
and the value of her testimony was
lessened
Dir. Brown was recalled and denied that
Ms. Barton had ever seen him at meet
ing of the Allen mission as she had testi-
fed.
The council then adjourned until tomor.
row afternoon. The testimony will be all
in by tomorrow night and tho case will be
closed SO far as the taking of testimony is