Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-14
NINE DIsS DEBAR RELEASED.
Noted American Seeress Is Freed from
English Prison.

London. Aug 13.-Ann O'Dciia Diss
Debar. who, under the name Of Laura
Jackson was sentenced December 80,
1901, to seven wears penal sorvitudc for
come elton with an alleged immoral
cult. known as the "Theocratic Unity"
of which her reputcd husband. Theo-
dorc jackson, was the head. has been
liberated from Aylesbury prison under
ticket of leave. having obtained the
maximum reduction Of sentence By
good behavior.
Nine DiGS Dollar has been known
| under many names in the United States
! ana Great Britain, but her greatest
| notOrcty was achieved as the perpetra-
| tor Of a so-called spiritualstine decip-
| line 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 | of Bavaria and I.ota
MonteZ. she was in fact the daughter
| of Professor John G. +. Saloman of
| Washington, and later Of Kentucky.
After varying fortunes and prosecutions
by persons who would have had her
| confined i'll an asylum, she married
| a Or MeSsant. That was in 1871. Lat
| CT she became The wife of General
Joseph II. Diss Debar and by him had
Two children. She Travelled about the
country representing herself as the
pcrSoniticatiOn of occult powers and the
reVeaer of hidden truths and in this
way, while living in Washington
square, New York, she met Luther r.
Marsh, an aged lawyer. and by means
of alleged spirit materializations and
spirit painted pictures secured large
sums Of money from him and he also
decided to her his home in Madison
avenue. About this time Diss Debar
left the adventures, who went to live
at the Marsh home. and also hired
apartments where she officiated as q
pristess, and won great notoriety. Suit
was brought to prove her an imposter
and she was charged with conspirng to
defraud Marsh.
She was arrested and indicted by the
grand jury. Her trial resulted in her
conviction and she was sentenced to Il
term Of imprisonment.
On her release from prison she went to
Europe, then returned to this countrx
and, going to the West got into more
difficulties through bogus spritualsm.
Under the name Of Vera F. Ata she fell
into the hands Of the Chicago police, who
sent her to the Joliet pcnitcntiary for
two years Released from that insttu-
ton she married William j. MCGOWAN in
1893 at Chicago Mr. McGOWan, like Mr..
Marsh, was man of wealth. In 1899 she
was forced to leave New Orleans with
Theodore Jackson, whose wife she said
she was. They were playing the spirit
naturalization game there, and it was
said they were running a "Fruitaran'
colony in Florida. A year later they
turned up in Cape Town, South Africa.
where Nine. Diss Debar called herself
Helena, and jackson called ehimself
| HOros.
Occultism and hypnotistc performances
We're the order there and a wealthy
South African contractor gave his money
to Nine. Diss Debar to establish a colony
of brotherlY love. The institution that
she and jackson were running at that
[ time was called by them the college OF
! Occult Sciences" Later the pair appear
| ed in London, where they promoted the
] Theocratic Unity Organization. scandals
! in connection with which led to their ar
( rest in September, 1901. The trial devcl-
| oped facts of such a loathesome charac
ter that several of the London papers
| excluded from their columns all reports
/ Of the proceedings in court.
Justice Bingham summed up strongly
against the prisoners, saying it was diff
cult to conceive Of more revolving art
ahominable conduct than that which hat
hecn attributed to them. He added tina
he would not be doing his duty unless h,
prevented the male prisoner from prac
ticing such filthy acts under the cloal
of religion for some years to come. TIL,
jury was absent from the court room
five minutes and returned with the YER
dict of guilty, whereupon Justice Bing
ham sentenced Jackson to Is years pena
servitude and his reputed wife to sever
penal servitude.