The Washington times., 1922-07-09
SUICIDE 'SGH0ST.
HAUNTED HIM,
SAYS STEWART.
Unfrocked Pastor Claims he
Took to Drugs to Escape
Woman's Wrath.


Stewart added, every time he used
It., until the habit became so strong
that he could not desist. His moral
strength was sapped. he says, and
what happened after is blamed by
him entirely on the ghost Of the
suicide.
Haunted by Creeping Presence.
Her spirit has fitted between me
and happiness" explains the cui-
tured, fascinating heartbreaker, as he
is pictured by those making the
charges.
Every night since that tragedy
the woman's wrath has trooped with
stealthy, accusing footsteps outside
my door. y \.
Women used to say had fascinat,
ing ways. They were the ways OF
desperation. Anything to counteract
that creeping presence. 1t followed
me everywhere. There was no peace.
1t was while so haunted that ] went
from bad to worse in marriage ven
lures"
There 1t is, a tale told in the Los
Angeles jail--one to intrigue the sue
cessors Of Edgar Allan Poe as well as
to interest the law. At the time he
was unfrocked, Stewart, II is charged
was married and the father Of three
children. He left them to go East
and in Wilmington, Del, married
again, he asserts. seeking forget.
fulness."
Then in New York met Mrs.
Ethel Osbaldeston. the most inspir
ing influence in my life, whom / aft.
erward welded.
Caring for her. yes. loving her
as l did and do. that deviish vam-
pire ghost Knocked me everywhere
II went, that irresistible postum
nous love of the woman who killed
herself for me besieged me day
and night" he declared. when !
married the three others who fol.
lowed Ethel | did not know what
I was doing. for day and night !
piled drugs into me in an effort
to try and throw off these damna-
BILE ghosts who haunted Ire. Ethel
knows that this is true, that l
kept taking drugs until l was sat.
urated with them. II it was not
true, she would not stick with me
as she has.
Promises Bitter Fight.
Not only can l prove that l was
constantly under the influence OF
drugs. but l can prove just where
! got them and the quantities /
consumed. Friends of mine who
knew my secret in those days. and
knew what | was doing better than
l knew myself. can vouCh for my
statements as being true.
Only one side of this terrible affair
has been made public. / have been
indicted most severely, but when the
details of my story come out far
different attitude will be held toward
me. OF that there can be no doubt.
''As to the Boston case, l shall
fight il bitterly, as / shall the rest.
l might have looked at things diff.
ferently II they had not brought
Ethel into this. dragged her into
prison and moved heaven and earth
to keep her there.
There are always two sides to
every story, but when one gets into
trouble Of this kind you notice only
one side appears, and the public.
fools that they are, grasp that as the
truth.
Il haven't anything to say con.
cerning Norma Ehrenzeller at present
except to state that IL I married her
it was when I was completely under
the influence Of drugs and knew
not what was doing"
The alleged wife. who was arrest
ed with Stewart, is declared by
detectives to have posed as his
sister and secretary. to have abetted
his subsequent marriages and to
have conspired with him in wheed-
ling money from various brides, as
Is charged.
These charges are as ridiculous
as they are false" asserted Stewart,
in referring to the complaints
lodged against his alleged wife"
accomplice.
Psychologists who have had Stew
art, alias Brown. alias MacGregor.
under observation declare his to be
a striking case OF dual nature: one
a Jekyll Of honor. integrity, brains
and honest desire to uplift his
fellows: the other a Hyde Of sin
lister promptings.
Perhaps I am" says he. "If so,
It was because OF the woman who
haunted me-"
DrnusIo uny,,o fov. WOvv,or