The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-05-28
CLEW IS SOUGHT
IN EvANGEL|ST'S
DRAMATIC CAREER
Missing Woman Rose to
Wealth From Poverty
Once Missionary.

UflCe WlSSiUlldiy-
BV Times SpecidI
LOS ANGELES, May 2S.-Ken-
neth-G. Ormiston, who was believed
to hold valuable information regard
ing the disappearance of Mrs. Aimee
Semple Mcpherson, widely known
evangelist, turned up unexpectedly
here Thursday and offered to aid
authorities.
Ormiston, former radio operator
at Mrs. McPherson's Angelus tenn
pie and a close personal friend of the
evangelist, denied, however, that he
had any information which might
lead to a solution Of her disappear
ance.
Left Last January
He said he left the Temple last
January, but that there was moth
ing mysterious concerning his
whereabouts since that time.
Ormiston joined with a group of
Mrs. McPhersons followers who re-
main at Venice Beach, where she
was last seen May IS. They believe
that she was drowned while swim
ming In the surf, and that she may
be washed up by the waves. County
Attorney Asa Keyes and Federal au-
thortties say they are convinced
that Mrs. Mcpherson was not
drowned. Coast Guards have stopped
searching for her body. =
Career Studied
The dramatic story Of the beauu-
full evangelist's career was being
pieced together by detectives in
their attempt to find something in
1t which would help them solve the
present mystery.
Years Of comparative proyerty
preceded her rise to fame and
wealth, the detectives learned. AL
though Aher 'Angelus temple here
had the largest congregation of any
church In the world-upward of
$4,000 were enrolled as members
there was a time when Mrs, Nc
Pherson's missionary efforts paid
her very poorly.
She was born thirty-f1ve years ago
at Ingersol, Ontario, the daughter Of
a farm family named Kennedy. At
the age Of II she attended a travel
ing missionary service and was con-
verified. 81 seemed to feel the par
doning blood of Jesus flowing over
me-" she said later Of this expert
@nce.
Several weeks later she was mar
RED to Robert Semple, the evangei.
ist whose preaching had stirred her.
BoileTmaker by Day
The Samples moved from charge
to charge, going first to Stratford.
Ontario, and later to Chicago and
Findlay, Ohio. Semple's flock was
often too poor to support him, and
he worked as a boilermaker during
the day and preached at night.
Later they went to China as mis-
sionaries. Senple died of an Oriental
disease and hin wife carried on in
the work, supporting her nttls
daughter, Roberta.
A year and a half after Semple's
death his widow returned to Call
fornia and married Harold Nc
Pherson, a grocer, who was not In
sympathy with her work. The Mo
Pherson's had one child, Rolf, born
in 1914 Six years later they were
divorced.
During War
Mrs. Mcpherson was by now
recognized evangelist. Her first not
able work was at Camp Kitchener.
Canada. during the World War. She
was then only "a years old.
The peak of her career was reached
in 1922 when she arrived in Los
Angeles and attracted thousands to
her -four square" gospel meetings
where she allegedly healed scores
daily by single touch.
So huge were her financial gains
as the result of these meetings that
several official bodies investigated
her operations only to report that
they were legal.
Three years ago she constructed
the immense Angelus Temple in Los
Angeles, where she preached twice
daily.
When she disappeared she was
pastor and supervisor over six
branches of the Temple, scattered
over Southern California and &C
knowledged one of the richest women
in the State.