The herald., 1896-05-10
Declines to Respond to a Re-
vamped Sensation
MRS. DAVIDSON'S LECTURE
The Brown Case Rehashed From the
Lecture Platform
the Affair, and That Is, II Did
Not Pay
Press Snecjal Wire.


SAN FRANCISCO. May 9.-Mrs Mary
A. Davidson made her debut as a lee
turer on the First Congregational
church troubles at Odd Fellows hall to-
night. The affair was down on the
program as "A key to the Brown-Da-
wilson church scandal" and in order
that the appetites of the audience might
be whetted in advance there were such
foot notes as Striking truths" and
That which was not given in the civil
courts"
From the standpoint of the box Office
Mrs. Davidson's effort was not start
ling success. There were just fifty
eight people in the house, counting the
ushers, reporters and two or three po-
licemen. who lounged in the back rows.
1t was few minutes past o'clock when
Mrs. Davidson appeared on the plat
form with a roll of manuscript which.
after an awkward pause until an usher
was thoughtful enough to introduce her,
she began reading. Her lecture was
principally recital of the part Mrs.
Davidson had played in the famous
church scandal from her standpoint.
Here and there the direct recital was
dropped TO make room, fer many Gueta-
tions from the Scriptures deemed apt to
the theme.
Ladies and gentlemen" began Mrs.
Davidson, ''or rather friends. because l
prefer to call you friends, as l know
your hearts beat in union. l am
pleased to see you all here tonight.
| am here with a motive, the purity of
which l believe you may judge accu-
rately as my recital of the iniquity OF
this man. such iniquity as devils would
blush to own, proceeds l am here to
speak the truth of the Brown Overman
cominstry You are the first to hear
thetruth from my lips. L am going to
show CO. Brown to you in his true light
to lift the veil of hypocricy from this
man and paint him in his true colors."
Having thus launched herself. Mrs.
Davidson took up the events connected
with the scandal from the beginning.
There was nothing in the story that is
not familiar to all newspaper readers.
She followed the thread of the scandal
until the time of her arrest on a charge
of eXtortion and her subsequent acquit-
tai.
The pastors visits to her were next
commented on. \ year previous to the
expose DR.. Brown. asserted Mrs David
son. had confessed to her his love for
Miss Overman. He told me- she said.
of his love for this poor, unlettered
dressmaker who loved not wisely but
tco well. He described it as a supernat-
ural passion which had overcome them
10th. He told me that he had sent her
away solely on account of his wifeS jeal-
ousy And prayed God to have mercy
on this Wretched pair And God in His
justice has seen fit to seal the fate of c.
O. Brown. c. o. Browns fall is the doom
of an angry God and my vindcation. |
believed all along that l would be vindi
Gated. God gave me a serenity that was
notable in the public prints God made
me sing in prison"
Then Mrs. Davidson proceeded to re-
view Dr. Browns denunciation of her
before the church council. Il never bor
rowed money from c. o. Brown she
continued. This is his adroit way of
cCncealng his guilt. 1tNvas hush money
he was paying-hush money to hide the
iniquity of one of these Sunday Chris
tians who airs his mockery of religion
once week in that framework called a
church. And through it all preserved
MY silence. waited Gods command
to speak. l felt sorrow for this poor fal.
len man. DIR. Brown even called me
mother. and pitied and prayed for him."
The lecture closed with a benediction.