Evening journal., 1922-06-22
EX-PASTORI IS
BRIDE SWINDLER
Donald D. Steward, Arrest
ed in Los Angeles, Had
Four Wives
MARRIED ONE HERE
FOUR YEARS AGO

Ipastor, former temperance and anti
Nvice worker, is under arrest in Lo
Angeles. Cal. accused of bigamy anC
as a fugitive from justice. and is saiC
% have married at least four wives
one OF them in this city.
In 1918 he married Mary BarabarS
lanes. OF Mt. Carmel. Pa, here.
$ said his real name is Robert Alar
McLaren Browne. and that he wa
born in Scotland. With him, under
arrest in Los Angeles as fugitive
from Boston. where Stewart is under
Indictment for larceny and con.
'uiracy. is Mrs. Ethel Turner Os.
)aldeson.
~ have gone down and down from
he time that I was unfrocked in
Oakland in 1914" Stewart said. but
men and women OF the underworld
we're kinder and more charitable "a
ne than members of the church
whose worship / had led. Not one OF
ny flock stood by me in my trou-
ole." Stewart denied the bigamy
charges.
During his career as a clergyman
The man had a charge in Paterson,
II. J.
The girl whom he married in Will
mington he took to New York, and
shortly afterward deserted her. IL is
said. A few months later he reap
peared and lived with her for a
.ime. Then he told her that an
other woman. Ethel VI. Turner
Osbaldeston. had entered his life.
The Mt. Carmel girl went with
him to Detroit, where he again de-
6serted her.
Mrs. Osbaldeston was arrested with
him in Los Angeles. where she was
posing as his sister. taking the name
Of Miss Jane McGregor. the police
say. Il is also alleged that she
helped him in his matrimonial
ascapades. all Of which were entered
nto. the police say. for the purpose
of swindling the deluded women.
This the woman denies.
Stewart came 10 this country from
Scotland in 1904. He was ordained
minister in New York in 1909 and
MS first church assignment was at
Dundee Lake, y. j., where he is al
legged TO have a divorced wife and
hree children living.
Stewart, under his real name OF
3rowne, was deposed from the min
stry in 1915. while holding the New
Jersey pastorate. when Mrs Maude
Hendricks. OF Hayward. Calf. shot
herself following the refusal OF
Browne TO marry her. Mrs. Hend-
-ichs, investigation revealed. had
previously lived with Browne as his
wife, in a hotel in San Francisco.
| Her husband was entirely ignorant
. lf the dual life his wife was living
until her body was found in an or
chard in Hayward.
With her body was found a note
addressed TO Browne, in which she
| ipbraided him for his failure to
marry her, and for breaking her
home ties. A coroner's jury caused
he arrest OF Browne on a statutory
charge. The jury fiayed him but
after hearing on the statutory charge
1e was discharged owing to INSULT
,ient evidence.
Following these disclosures,
Browne was deposed as a clergy
nan.
Stewart then became associated
with several New York banks. He
grew intimate with a few bank OIL
Gals who liked his personality ana
who predicted a great future for
oIm. Shortly after he dropped from
sight and nothing was learned OF
him by his New York acquaintaDces
| until two years ago.
In this interim he married MISS
James in this city.
About two years ago he bobbed
|up in indianapolis, married MISS
Bertha Ellen Grannis. Shortly after
his marriage he again disappeared
but not. it is alleged. before defrsud-
ling his father-in-law Of $3.50 on
| bad check. He also got $1,000 from
his brother-in-law, Bruce L. Gran
|nis.
Stewart then went TO Detroit.
where he met Miss Osbaldeston. He
married her March 6. 1920. in the
Ian Souls church in New York.
Stewart dropped from sight again.
|Tt is alleged. however. that he mar
|ried Mrs. Mary Mitchell. Of New
York. who later posed as his sister,
|ln-law. She later admitted to de-
tectives she had married Stewart
|and that she and her child were de-
pendent on him.
In June, 1921. Stewart courted
Gertrude Van Lopik. Detroit public
school teacher. She did not MARI
him. but he is said to have succeeded
n svindling her relatives OF $500.
On September "a, 1921, Stewart
went to Boston where he met Miss
Norma Ehrenseller, OF Jamaica
Plains. He is said to have stolen
81 900 in cash from her parents and
Isl 500 from the girl and then dis
appeared.
It is for the latter offense specifi-
|cally that Stewart and Miss Osbal-
|deston are being held. The latter
was with Stewart when he was in
Boston. The two Of them will short
by be extradited to Boston.