Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-23
Missing Evangelist Identi-
fled in HospitaI-Escaped
Captors in Mexico.
CROSSED BORDER AF00T
FLEEING BACK TO u. S.
Story of Trip From Los Angeles,
Where She Was Reported
Drowned, Told From Cot.
BY the Associated Press.

DOUGLAS, Ariz.. June 23.-Posi
tive Identification of woman In a
hospital here as Aimee Semple Nc
Pherson. Los Angeles evangelist. who
was reported drowned there May 18
last, was made over the telephone by
Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, the evangelist $
mother, in conversation with William
F.. McCafferty, editor of the Dispatch
today.
Identification was established
through a long white scar on the sec
ond finger of the woman'S hand and
also by her giving the name Of pet
pigeon.
The woman in the hospital here
told the name of the pigeon. which
was Jennie. and also said that she
was injured on the second finger OF
her right hand in Durham Township
near Ingersoll. Ontario. The mother
told McCafferty the same thing.
Scar Result of Accident.
The woman said the scar was the
result of being accidentally cut by a
sickle years ago. She also gave the
name of a cousin. Mrs. Emma Nicker'
son. now dead, and described birth
marks on her babies. for McCafferty.
These statements led the mother to
the declaration that the woman was
Aimee Semple Mcpherson beyond a
doubt.
The evangelist from her cot in the
hospital told story of abduction
from Ocean Park. Calf. trip across
the border to Mexico, and of how she
escaped about noon yesterday. and
ran until she fell with exhaustion
Finally, sighting a mountain. which
has been identified by officers here as
the famous "Niggerhead" Mountain
Is miles south in Sonora, Mexico, she
headed for 1t.
Reaching the mountain about dusk
she found a road and struggled along,
falling from time to time with Ia.
tigue. She said she sighted the glare
from the Stag dumps OF the copper
smelters in this city as the night
She finally reached the. Outskirts OF
Auga Prieta, and. approaching a
house occupied bv Mexicans. called
for help. and asked that the police be
notified.
Ofered No Assistance.
The Mexicans, she said, offered no
a assistance, and she went on, railing
unconscious before another house.
An American, whose name was not
learned, and who was in Aqua Prieta,
brought her to hospital here. When
she told police who she was. guard
was esta blished about the building.
McCafferty. who had known Mrs.
Mcpherson in Denver, where he had
reported her meetings for a news
paper. was recognized. She greeted
him with a smile. and asked him to
notify Los Angeles at once. and to
ask Los Angeles police to protect her
daughter, Roberta. whom she feared
the abductors would attempt to kid
nap.
While she talked the woman lapsed
many times into semi.conscious
state, due to her exhaustion.
Story Told to Editor.
Mrs. Mcpherson told the story of
her abduction to Mr.. McCafferty as tol-
lows:
II went to Ocean Park with my sec
retary, Miss Schaefer, where changed
into my bathing suit and slipped on
dress over it. We went to the beach.
where we rented a little beach tent. I
went in swimming. l sent Miss
Schaefer to get the names of some
soloists and some music.
"Refore she returned l came back
out on the beach. There were life
savers drilling there. l went back into
the water a short distance, and while
I was watching the guards l heard
some one calling. Mrs. McPherson.
II turned to face woman who ex-
plained that her baby was dying, and
IN fnr n She
said her husband had the baby In a
car nearby. She had coat over her
arm. accompanied her to the car. In
which there was another woman with
a. bundle in her arms, which l thought
was the baby.
Pushed Into Automobile.
"The next thing knew I was
nushed into the car on the floor. The
woman threw the coat over me, and a
sweet. sticky odor assailed my nostrils
and filled the automobile, which was a
sedan.
.'That was the last I knew until I
came to. on a bed, like a hospital cot.
It was in a room with window al
most completely closed. | was Violent
ly i'll. The woman who was called
Rose was with me. 1t was dawn.
do not know whether or not 1t was
the next day, but she told me it was
the morning following.
The other woman came in. and
asked them what they wanted with
me. They said they were holding me
for half million dollars ransom. I
told them they were foolish that
did not have that much money, nor
did the church have 1t, but they
replied that they knew better. and
was kept there day after day.
Later they told me they had made
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