Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-19
ORM|STON BRIEFLY
IN COURT CUSTODY
As Own Attorney, Gets Bail
Reduced, Then Fits Back
to Retirement. -
BY the Associated Press.

LOS ANGELES, December 1s-
Somewhere in Los Angeles or its
environs. Kenneth @. Ormiston. the
phantom key figure in the Aimee
Semple Mcpherson disappearance
case, tonight awaited the next move
of the law-his arraignment Decem-
Der q on an indictment charging
criminal conspiracy.
The radio man surrendered to
authorities here today. was in Gus
tody few hours and then fitted
back into the retirement he had pre-
served for seven months, while a
nationwide search was conducted for
him.
Ormiston was given his liberty on
bond. pending his arraignnfent. He
acted as his own attorney and sue
ceeded in having bail reduced from
$4,000 to $4,000. He posted surety
bond.
No sensational revelations marked
the fngitives return.
Not only has he refused so far to
tell the story which district attorneys
officers had declared they believed
would clinch their conspiracy and per
jury case against Mrs. Mcpherson,
but Ormiston asserted he has not
agreed nor bargained to tell any story.
Denies Agreement.
Seating himself at the district at
torney's typewriter, the radio man
| typed a short statement, which he de-
clared was to reftlte runners that he
had been paid by a newspaper to come
here and give out a story.
Intrigue and hokum,' he wrote,
ARE as thick as a fog adding:
II have entered into no understand
| ing, agreement or contract with any
| newspaper. l have not received one
penny from any newspaper nor will
| in the future"
However, the copyrighted first in
stallment OF what purported to be IAN
| authorized" story of the life and ro.
nance Of Ormiston appeared in a
| newspaper here.
While the radio mans unusual
method of return here after an alb
sence of nearly seven months, during
which he was sought from coast to
| coast, did not ripple the apparently
| calm surface at Angelus Temple, it
did rile up things at the district at
| torney's office.
Assails private CaptOrs.'
f. j. Dennison, who took a leading
part in presenting the States con-
| spiracy case against Mrs. Mcpherson
| and her mother, Mrs. Minnie Ken
nedy, at their preliminary hearing.
charged that he was double crossed
| by Omissions private captors,' who
have had him in tow since he was
| located at Harrisburg, Pa, more than
a week ago.
Dennison, after obtaining an in
dictment against the radio man from
| the grand jury, in an effort to facili-
| tate his extradition, was endeavoring
| at the time Ormiston arrived in Cali
| fornia, to bring about his arrest in
! Chicago on fugitive warrant.
Christmas at Home.
Ormiston told officials that he
| would like to spend Christmas with
! his parents in San Francisco and
! probably will drive his automobile
| there. The automobile was seized
recently in an Oakland garage, where
it had been abandoned last June, and
| was brought to Los Angeles by
representatives of the district attor-
| ney's office.
Harold Davis, chief deputy district
attorney in charge of the Office in the
absence of District Attorney Asa
keyes, told the radio man that he
could have the automobile back as
| soon as he engages an attorney to
make the necessary legal arrange
ments. Photographs of the automo-
| bile have been made, and its contents,
including portable typewriter, part
of radio set, an overcoat and pair
| Of goggles, will be retained by the
authorities.
Ormiston promised to produce the
automobile whenever demanded by
the district attorney.
Dennison UnmOllifled.
Although he expects to make the
| San Francisco trip, 1t is possible that
he may bring his parents to Los An
geles for Christmas, Ormiston said.
Dennison met OrmistOn cordially
when introduced just before the ar
raignment today, but was not entirely
Modified.
THE fact that Ormiston is here Is
satisfactory, but the manner In which
he was jockeyed around was at least
| undignified. as far as the law was
concerned" he said.
California weather held the interest
Of Mrs. Mcpherson today when asked
| What about Ormiston?"
I'm sorry Mr.. Ormiston came back
! to his sunny southern California to
| find it raining" the evangelist said.
II read where he said he was SO glad
| to get out of the frigid Middle West
and into the southland again. I
| thought 1t was a shame that he
| couldn't spend his first fun day here
| in real Los Angeles climate:
But, seriously. I suppose I'll have
| to repeat for the thousandth time