The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-14
DlSS 0EBAR AT LARGE.
Ann O'DeIia Released FROM Prison for
Good Behavior.

London, Aug. liam O'Delia Diss
DeBarr, who under the name of Laura
Jackson was sentenced on December
20, 1901, to seven years penal servi-
tude for connection with an immoral
cult known as the "Theocratic unity, ="
Of which her reputed husband. Theo-
dore Jackson. was the head. has been
liberated from AyIesbury prison under
ticket OF leave, having obtained the
maximum reduction of sentence by
good behavior.
Nine. Diss DeBarr has been known
under many names in the United States
and Great Britain. but her greatest
nOtOriety was achieved as the perpe-
traitor of a so-called spiritualistic de-
ception by which Luther r. Marsh, Of
New York. was in his old age stripped
of the fortune he had accumulated in
the practice of law.
Though claiming to be the daughter
OF King Louis l., of Bavaria, and Lola
Montez. she was in fact the daughter
of Professor John c. G. Salamon. once
OF Washington and later of Kentucky.
She became the wife of General Joseph
H. Dlss DeBarr in the '70s and later
Travelled about the country represent
ing herself as the personification of
occult powers and the reveaIer of hid
den truths. sDiritualistic and other
and in this way while living in Wash
Marsh and by means of alleged spirit
materializaticns and spirit painted pic
lures. so infatuated him that he gave
her large sums of money and decided to
her his home in Madison avenue
About this time General Diss DeBar
LETT the adventures. who went to live
at the Marsh home, and also hired
apartments where she officiated as a
priestess of spiritualism and won great
notoriety.
Suit was brought to show her up
as an impOstor and SIZE was charged
with conspiring to defraud Marsh
Her trial resulted in her conviction
and she was sentenced to A term Of
imprisonment. On her release she
went to Europe. then returned to this
country and going to the West. got
into more difficulties through her
representations of bogus sniritualisn
Under the name of Vera P. Ava she
fell into the hands of the Chicago po-
lice. who sent her to the peniten-
tiary at Joliet for two years. Released
from that institution. she married
William J. MeGown in 1895 at Chi
cagO. Mr.. McGown. Ike Marsh was
a man Of wealth, but this did not de-
ter her from the practice of fraud
In 1899 she was run out of New
Orleans with Theodore Jackson.
whose wife she then said she was A
year later they turned up in Cane
town. South Africa. where Nine Diss
JGDdT Ed4leQ QeGSeH Helena and
Jackson called himself HOrOs Oc-
cultism and hypnotic performances
we're the order there, and one of her
South African dupes. a wealthy con-
tractor, gave his money to the woman
to establish a colony Of brotherly love
Soon afterwards the pair went to Lon
don where they promoted the Theo-
cratic Unity organization. scandals in
connection with which led to their ar
rest in September 1901. The trial.
which continued at intervals through
three months, developed facts of such
a loathsome character that several of
the London papers excluded from
their columns all reports of the pro-
ceedings in court.
Mr.. Justice Bisham summed up
strongly against the prisoner saying it
was difficult to conceive of more re
voting and abominable conduct than
that which had been attributed to
them The jury quickly returned a
verdict of guilty, whereupon the JUS
eice sentenced Jackson to fifteen years
penal servitude. and his reputed wife
to seven years penal servitude.