Evening star., 1926-09-13
CONFESSES T0FAKE.
IN MCPHERSON CASE.
Seamstress Admits She Was
to Receive $1,000 for
Seaside Cottage Tale.

By the Associated Press
LOS ANGELES, September 13.-
The Examiner in a copyrighted story
today says Mrs. Lorraine Wiseman
Mcdonald Seilaff. S1S-aweek seam
stress has confessed that her story
of having shared a seaside cottage at
Carmel with a sister, the anonymous
Miss X" and Kenneth G. Ormiston,
former Angelus Temple radio operator,
was a fake, for which she. was to re-
ceive SIS, 900 from Aimes Semple Nc
Pherson, the evangelist.
Some time after Mrs. Mcpherson
reappeared witnesses were found at
Carmel, Calf, who said Ormiston had
occupied a cottage at Carmel, a part
of the time that the evangelist was
missing, with a woman who looked
like Mrs. Mcpherson.
The admission was made in a sworn
statement.
The alleged confession climaxed a
dramatic meeting between Mrs. Seilaff
and her twin sister, Mrs. Virla KIM
ball Of Oakland, and is said to have
been made at the direct request of the
latter. They met in the newspaper
office, Mrs. Seilaff having been taken
under guard from her cell in the
county jail, where she had spent two
days, since her arrest Saturday on
charges of issuing worthless checks.
Was to Send Telegram.
The sisters kissed, and after a con-
sultation with her lawyer, Mrs. Se1laH
announced her intention of making a
clean breast of the whole thing" She
then proceeded to dictate her state
ment. which was acknowledged later
by a notary.
Mrs. Seilaff began her affidavit by
stating that she was approached In
San Francisco on about July 80 by q
man who gave his name as Mr.. Mar.
tin" and who asked her if she would
come to Los Angeles ON some work
which would pay good money ana
would only take a few weeks or not
all of that time"
She said the man could give her
onlv a. few details, but informed her
the work offered was in connection
with the Mcpherson case. She stated
that she was instructed to send tele-
gram to District Attorney Asa Keyes
at Los Angeles, declaring that her SIS
fer. who was in the East, had been
with Ormiston at Carmel, and that she
had wired the sister to return 1mmedI-
ately.
The same day keyes received a wire
from San Francisco, signed belle
Owen" Mrs. Seilaff said she left that
night for Los Angeles. Unable to
reach Keyes over the telephone upon
her arrival here, she said she went to
Angelus Temple.
Met Mrs. Kennedy.
"I had some time getting in, because
no one knew me, but l told them II
was in regard to the Carmel case ann
that I had come to help Mrs. McPher-
son out" Mrs. Seilaff said.
II talked with Mrs. Kennedy and
Mr.. Veitch, one of her attorneys, her
statement continues. Il could not tell
them much, because / did not know
how to go about it until l had got
some information. 1 met Mrs. NC
Pherson for just a few minutes that
day" -
Mrs. Seilaff said she remained IN
town two DAYS, during which time she
went out to the temple quite a num-
her of times" talking with Mrs. KEN
nedy and Mrs. Mcpherson.
..During these two days l at no time
talked with Mrs. Mcpherson alone
With the exception of just a moment
when Mrs. Mcpherson told me it was
all right to go ahead" the woman re
lated.
continued to dictate, ana Lney Wouio
nav all my expenses, and that If
could do this l would be well paid.
Sought to Forestali Divorce.
Mrs, Seilaff stayed in Los Angeles
a few days longer, she stated, anC
then left for San Francisco 'and go'
in touch with the young lady she
knew to be reliable to appear as
Miss *"
THE reason of Miss x being there
was because Mr.. Ormiston's wife wa:
coming to Los Angeles to sue him fol
divorce and name Aimee Semple Nc
Pherson in the complaint. With 6
Miss x there, Mrs. Ormiston coult
not do this. I then came south ant
told Mrs. Mcpherson and her mother
that 1 could get in touch with Miss
X, and that, while it would take {
little while to get all the facts of th'
case and to produce her, it would no.
be advisable to rush in to it, Mrs
| Seilaff stated.
She next went to Carmel and SaI
| Francisco to see if any of the persons
who were reported to have seen Mrs
MCPHERSON in the northern cities