Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-09-01
OISS OEBAR RELEASED.
WHO CENTRALIZED
A FORMER FOND DU LAC MAN
FREED IN ENGLAND.
G00DBEHAVIOR REWARDED
Was Accused of Many Freakish Games
and Was Notorious in All
Parts of America.

0delia Diss Debar, who, under the
name of Laura Jackson, was sentenced
on December 20, 1907, to seven years
penal Bervitude for connection with an
immoral cult known as the 'Theocratic
unity" of which her reputed husband,
known to Londoners as Theodore" was
the head, has been liberated from Ayles-
bury prison in London under ticket of
leave, having attained the maximum re-
duction of sentence by good behavior.
StartleS All Chicago.
Ann Odelia Diss Debar, under the
name of Miss Vera z. Ava, startled
Chicago in the early '90s. Posing as a
rich humanitarian, she was metamor-
phosed rapidly from accuser Of the Jes-
uits, swindler of a trusting spiritualist,
convict, exhibit in a cheap museum, and
wife of a millionaire. She deserted the
latter to become the wife of a fanatic in
founding another of her numerous cults.
Diss Dehar first flashed on the horizon
of Chicago in August, 1891, as the 'sa
yior of this modern Gomorrah." as she
was pleased to term it. First she
stopped at the Wellington hotel, but
shortly transferred her base of opera
tons to 43S West Monroe street where
she became the guest of Mrs. w. Ii.
Bolton, wife of a doctor.
Would Redeem Slums.
From there Diss Debar--Or Miss Ava
announced her great redemption scheme.
1t embraced the saving of the children
of the slums in charitable homes. Diss
Debar called on Il number of Catholic
priests in the interest OF her charity
Each declared that her scheme was too
Chimerical.
Nude from her waist up, clad only in
skirt and stockings, she suddenly APP
peared in Cincinnati, driving from hotel
to hotel in search of shelter. Each hotel
declined to admit her. Then She turned
to the police. This was on September
IL. 1891, two days after her sudden dis
appearance i'll Chicago had been reported
to the police.
Relates Startling Tale.
To the Cincinnati police she related a
tale that made Poe's The Pit and the
Pendulum read like Mother Goose
jingle. In substance II ran;
In furtheranCe of her rescue plan for
the modern Gomorrah she had driven
with Mrs. Bolton to the Jesuit church.
N West Twelfth street, Chicago, ut the
command of Bishop Feehan. who, she
limited, hatched a conspiracy to do away
iercd her into Il nunnery. She refused
to go. Then he demanded that she sign
a paper giving over her property to the
church and renouncing her Methodist
faith, Upon her second refusal she was
struck down. her satchel containing her
money seized. and she was chloroformed.
After that she remembered nothing until
She arrived in Cincinnati.
Blames Cronin Murder.
Back of all the treatment TO which
she said she was subjected DiSS Dehar
intimated, lay her intimate knowledge
of the reasons for the murder of DR..
trouln. The Cincinnati police sent her
to the detention home. Later she went
back to Chicago, and in October, 1891,
appeared among the freaks ut mu-
scum. At the same time she advertised
herself as ''Nelled prophecies. Dominican
provincial, and last Roman astrologist.
Father Francis, ex-FrancScan monk,
was her assistant.
Shortly aftcrward she disappeared.
She next came into the public eye, ac-
Cused of swiudling Mrs. John Mitchell. a
widow, of Elgin, out of $3.50. Diss De
bar, now turned spiritualist. told Mrs.
Mitchell that Spiritland had sent a mes
sage that the WIDOWS late husband was
in need of little spending money.
Would she please remit. via D,ss De
bar? She RENTED. Diss Debar showed
her slate with Thanks" written OF
it.
But Mrs. Mitchell shortly became sus.
plc!ous. She swore out a warrant for
the arrest of Diss Debar, who was found
nj Quincy, and went to Joliet for tive
years.
Lands Fond du Lac Man.
On her release in 1895 She Infatuated
William J. McGown, n wealthy man
who married her. Shortly after the cerp-
mouy she abandoned him and was nevt
heard from in New Orleans, where she
went through maria ceremony wifn
lanes Dutton Jackson, a native of Ford
uu Lac WIS. who had gone TO Chicago
10 study for the PRESBYTERIAN njnjst,.,.
This Jackson is the same man who noscj