Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-06-23
SOUGHT |
EVANGELIST |
STACCERS IN
Was Kidnapped, Taken
to Mexico and Held
For Ransom; Moth
er Overjoyed 1

DOOGlAO, AIlL-s julie IOa
-(P)-Positive Identification
of woman in a hospital here
as Aimee Semple Mcpherson,
Los Angeles evangelist, who
was reported drowned there
May Is, last, was made over
the telephone by her mother,
Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, today.
The evangelist's mother made the
Identification in conversation with
William McCafferty. editor or the
DisDatch. Indentification was es-
tablished through a long white scar
on the second finger or the woman's
hand and also by her giving the
name Of pet pigeon. The woman
in the hospital here told the name or
the pigeon. which was Jennie. and
also said that she was injured on the
second finger of her right hand i'm
Durham township. near Ingersoll,
Ontario. The mother told McCafferty
the same thing
Was Abducted
These statements led 20 mother to
the declaration that the woman was
Aimee Semple Mcpherson beyond
doubt. The former erazRslist from
her cot IN the hospital, told story
Of abduction from Ocean Park. Calf,
a trip across the border to Mexico,
and NJ how she esaped about noon
Yesterday. and ran until she fell ex-
hausted. Finally sighting n noun
tain. which has been identified by
officers here rs the famous Niger
head" mountain. fifteen miles south
III Sonora, Mexico. she headed for II.
Reaching the mountain about dusk,
she found n 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 a. the night
wore on.
She finally reahed the outskirts of
Aqua Prieta. and approaching
house occupied ~ Mexicans. called
for help. and asked that the pole
he notified. The Mexicans, she said.
offered no assistance. and she went
on, falling unconscious before another
house.
Rescued BY American
An American, whose name was not
learned, and who was in Aqua
Prieta, brought her TO hospital
here. When she told police who sha
was, guard was established about
the building. McCafferty. who had
known Mrs. Mcpherson in Denver.
where he had covered ner meeting
for newspaper was recognized. She
greeted him with a smile and asked
him 70 notify Los Angeles at once
and to ask Los Angeles police 70 pro-
tect her daughter Roberta, whom she
tempt to kidnap.
While she talked the woman lapsed
many times into a semi-conscious
state. due to her exhaustion. The
story Of her abduction as she re-
lated il to McCafferty was.
II went ~ Ocean Park, with my
secretary. Miss Schaefer. There L
changed into my bathing suit and
slipped on a dress over it, We went
70 the beach where we rented a little
beach tent. j went I'm swimming. +
sent Miss Schaefcr 70 get the names
Of some .soloists and some music.
Caught BY Hoax
| Before she returned I came back
out on the beach, there were life
savers there. / went back into the
water a short distance and while II
was watching the guards heard
some one calling: Mrs. MCPHERSON
II turned TO face woman who
explained that her baby was dying,
and that she wanted me to pray for
IL. She said her husband had the
baby in car nearby. She had q coat
over her arm. I accompanied her to
the car, in which there was another
woman with a bundle in her arms,
which / thought was the baby.
"Thc next thing I knew was
pushed into the car on the floor. The
woman threw the coat over me and
sweet, sticky odor assailed my nos
triIs and filled the automobile, which
was a sedan.
"That was the last knew until /
came to, on q bed. like hospital cot
Il was in a room with a window al
most completely closed. I was vio-
lently i'll. The woman who was
called 'R.se' was with me. It was
dawn. do not know whether or not
IL was the next day. but she told
me il was the morning following.
Held For Ransom
The other woman came I'm and
asked them what they wanted with
me. They said they were holding me
for half million dollars ransom. 4
frnnlirnnd ~, urrn frun Il