The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 6, 1896, Page 10

10 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 182 EXPRESSED FAITH N THE PASTOR Some Insight Into the Feel- ings of the Church Council. DR. BROWN TESTIFIES. Lays Great Stress on His Early Home Life and Christian Training: SAYS MRS.STOCKTON KISSED HIM Touches But Lightly on the Overman Part of the Scandal—New Wit- nesses to Testify. RESOLVED, That it is the opinion of this council that Dr. Brown has never made appointments to meet ladics in the church for improper purposes, and that he never walked the streets with any lady, and that he was never seen to in- dulge in familiarities with any lady. Such, in brief, is the startling—not to say the unexpected resolution introduced | by Delegate E. C. Williams last night and passed unanimously by the council. It was all done so quickly that few of | the members of that deliberate body and scarceiy any of the audience fully appre- ciated its full meaning and scope. Mr. Nagle insisted on introducing testi- | mony showing that Dr. Brown was never seen in conversation with any other lady than his wife. This was kept up for quite a while, and when the attorney was about | to introduce additional similar testimony Mr. Williams sprang to his feet and ut- tered the words above quoted. Mr. Nagle insisted that if such was the feeling of the council it be expressed in some defi- nite way, Moderator McLean agreeing with him. Then followed the adoption of the resolution by the council, and the im- mediate retirement of that body into secret session. Dr. Brown was in the assembly room when the council was called to order by | Ths pas- | Moderator McLean at 2 o’clock. tor opened the exercises by a brief and | scathing attack on the press. He said | they had been urtterly unfair to him, that they had suppressed the facts favorable to him, and had placed the worst construc- | tion on everything that had appeared | against him. He cited some instances | ere he had not been treated fairly, one | that he had never made use of the -ssion, “I'm gone, anyway.”’ In spite of the announcement made that Dr. Brown was iil and threatened with | paralysis, he never appeared to better ad- vantage or in better voice than when he took the witness-chair. True, he was sev- eral times prompted by his legal friend, Mr1. Nagle, but in every other respect his memory seemed faultless, and he delved into details of minor facts relating to the case with an acuteness which seemed to deny any assumption that he was nearing a mental collapse. Dr. Pond occupied his usual seat just in the rear of the witness-chair. He ap- peared tired and sleepy, but he woke up once to ask Mr. Nagleif he meant the church study when that gentleman asked the pastor concerning some supposed visit of Mrs. Stockton. Once or twice during the afterncon he played the good Samari- tan by handing over to Dr. Brown, when that gentleman seemed about to give way to a fit of coughing, a few bronchial troches. Valley Brown wasnot present, nor was Miss Overman, the latter not hav- ing fully recovered from the terrible cross- examination administered by Mr. Tenney at Wednesday’s session of the council. Dr. Brown in his statement to the coun- cil admitted a good many things which gome expected him to de He assured his ecclesiastical jndgss that he had never kissed Mrs. Stockton nor, in fact, shown any other than a friendly interest in her, though he confessed that the winsome widow had on one cccasion made him the victim of her osculatory ambition. He admitted, also, that he had gone to Castro Heights in company with Mrs. Stockton, though his meeting with this lady was the result of an accident, not of his own making. The pastor began his statement by gzoing back to the day of his birth. By slow stages he traveled over his childhood’s days, relating as he went that his father was a blacksmith, and that he himself had learned the trade at the ageof 13 years. At the-age of 14 he-enlisted in the war, but was down on the payroll asa servant for his father. Twelve months later he joined the regular service as a bugler, continuing in the field until May, 1865. “In 1866, said the doctor, “I married the good lady on my right. I want to say right here that never at any time during my college career was there the slightest thing against my character. I was forced to leave colleze because there wasa rule to the effect that all students marrying should withdraw.” Then in rapid succession the doctor told of his admission into the ministry, and of his several pastorates down to the period of his connection with the First Congre- gational Church. Incidentally he re- marked that he had met Miss Overman six months after reaching Tacoma, but that he never saw her except in the pres- ence of his wife. He took a keen interest in her because his wife knew her history. He met Mrs. Stockton through a corcial recommendation and introduction by Mrs. Cooper. One morning after service this young woman came up the aisle and shook hands with Mrs. Cooper, saying to him later on that she intended to join the church. Concerning the baptizing incident, the doctor said thatat the close of the evening service he went to the study for his hat and coat. Just as be was turning to go out he saw Mrs. Stockton standing in the door. Sne said that she had never been baptized, whereupon he had called Deacon Vasconcellos and performed the ceremony in his presence. Dr. Brown then told of the visit to Mrs. Stockton before that lady’s admission to the church, and of the kissing episode which followed. When he entered the room he found the lady Iying across the bed. fully dressed, but with a light cover. ing thrown over her form. After talking with her a while he rose to go, when the widow threw her arms about his neck and kissed him. This was his first experience ‘charges. | ber, and her testimony promises to be of a him on the following Sunday and begged orgiveness for her unusual act be thought it his Christian duty to let the dead past bury its deaa. He attributed her singular conduct on that occasion to fever, though he acknowledged that he bad some fear of scandal, and for that reason had not spoken of it. He could see now, however, that it would ~have been better had he done so. Coming down to the Turkish tea inci- dent the doctor denied that he ever had any improper relations with Mrs. Stockton or had met.-her on the street corners or corridors as she had stated. He told of a few occasions that he had met her, but they were all naccidental. He said that never at any time had he kissed her or attempted to curess her and that her story was false in detail and in fact. The witness said that he regretted thel little interchange of harsh words between i him and Mrs. French. The story told by that Jady concerning the Turkish tea w vractically correct, except as to hisintense | indignation, i The pastor then explained a remark made some nights before when he stated that he had no sooner left Mrs. French's | door than he became aware that Mrs. | Stockton was a dangerous woman. “We bad gotten some little way down | the street,” said the doctor, “when Mrs. Stockton turned to me end asked what I} was going to do about it. 1 did not under- stand her and asked if she was crazy. She replied, ‘You will hear from this again.’ Mrs. Stockton was in a perfect rage, and I contend that she did then and there men- ace me.” Dr. Brown then told how Mrs. Stockton had come to him for a letter of recommen- dation, which he had refused to give. On that occasion she grew quite angry, and repeated her former utterance that he would hear from her. Dr. Brown then touched lightly upon his relations with Miss Overman. Hetold how Mrs. Brown had arranged that she should come to his homie to do some sew- ing. He saw, however, that Mattie was in ill health end he asked her to stay. Miss Overman rerrained in his home until De- cember 10, 1894, when she returned to Tacoma, accompanied by the pastor. The young lady had announced her intention ! of returning home about that time, and some days later Dr. Brown mentioned at the breakfast table, so he said, that he had engagements in Tacoma and Portland which would necessitate his leaving San Francisco about the same date. Dr. Brown will be placed on the witness- stand again to-day, and he is expected to tell what he knows of the Overman-Tun- nell letters. The three new witnesses of Mrs. Cooper bave appeared before the committee oa Mrs. Barton is among the num- 1 sens: nal order. She is expected to cor- roborate all that Mrs. Thurston has said, and in addition to this give a good many details of Mrs. Tunnell’s visit to Tacoma, about which there seems to be so much mysterv. Her story has already been pub- lished in THE CALE.-~ James F. Pierce will also appear. His testimony is mainly in the direction of proving the existence of Mrs. Baddin. Jolin Bickford is the last of the new witnesses. If what he has told the com- mittee on charges be true his testimony | will be valuable in throwing light on the Overman-Tunnell letters. He is expected | to tell how they came into prominence, | and that he, on one occasion, saw Mrs. Tunnell leave a larze bundle of letters at the home of Mrs. Buckland, 27} La- fayette street. This lady, however, stated last night that she had never met Mrs. Tunnell but once, and then at a restaurant on Mission street. She was introduced to the missing witness by Mr. Bickford. Mrs. Buckland declares with great emphasis that Mrs. Tunnell did not leave any letters at her house, at least not to her knowledge. The council will meet this morning at 9:30 o’clock, and Dr. Brown is expected to resume the witness-stand. An adjourn- ment will then be taken out of respect to Deacon Frank until 7 o’clock. Coor gt DR. BROWN’S STORY. In Many Respects In Line With That Told by Miss Over- man. There was sunshine in the air when the council came upon the platform at 2:15 o'clock. Immediately afterward Mrs. Brown and Miss Ruby Rogers entered the room by the west door, and a few mo- ments later Dr. Brown came in by the east door and shook hands with half a dozen persons while on his way to his seat. After the usual preliminaries of opening the council, Dr. Brown addressed the council on a question of privilege. He complained that with one exception the newspapers had not treated him justly. “I say it in all kindness,” he added, ‘‘but the newspaper Teports. with the sin- flg exception of THE CaLL, have been un- air.”’ Dr. Brown called attention to the omis- sion in the Examiner and Chronicle of the questions which be had announced he would have asked Mrs. Stockton had she been on the stand for cross-examination. These two papers contained only a bare reference to the subject-matter of his re- marks on that occasion, while THE CaLL | contained a tolerably accurate but brief account. He wished to say also that the testimony of Mr. Seymour had been slight- ingly treated, if treated at all. The doctor continued : That incident at the corner of Sixth and Bryant streets was absoiutely new and it was never reported. Nor was it reported that on Monday following the publication of the lodg- ing-house rumor 1 asked Mr. Seymour to go with me to the lodging-houses on all the cor- ners there. Usaid, “I will spend a day with you, sir, and will go with you into the pres- ence of every lodging-house keeper on Sixth street.” 1said also to newspaper men that thoz could select two newspaper men to go with me to every lodging-house on Sixth street. These facis have been suppressed in the newspapers. I cannot understand why facts which are so material to my vindication have not been published. Iam told that this good man (referring to his friend, W. C. Pond) muade & speech in my favor last night and no report was made of it. If it was against me every syllable would be in the papers. Moderator McLean remarked that the press owed a debt to every man and woman in the community to give as fair a presentation of facts as they could in any case like the present. He had been in- formed by some of the represeutatives of the press that the men who write the re- ports have no control of the matter which they write after it reaches the hands of the city editor. He suggested that it would be in order to move that a request be mace to the newspapers to give a fair report of both sides of the case. r. Pond made the motion and it was adopted unanimously. Dr. Brown adyled: { want to say that I have it from authentic sources that a discussion was held at the close of the council of Friday evening of last week between the representatives of two of the lead- ing dailies, and it was determined either in this room orin the vestibule that the matter of my remaiks regarding Mrs. Stockton should be suppressed by them. It has been reported here, and it reached the ears of my deer, aged father in Cleveland that when I severely criti- cized the council at one of its meetings I turned to my wife and said, *‘We're gone, any- how.” That rumor was false and has done me very great damage, The moderator expressed the hope that Dr. Brown’s remarks would be given as {ully as the reporters could induce their superiors in the editorial rooms to allow. awyer Nagle then formaily moved that the testimony of Mrs. Cooper should be stricken from the minutesas being hear- say. Dr. Brown called the aitention of the and caused him great alarm. When. however, Mrs. Stockton came to council to the teztimony of Mre. Eaton as being not only second-hand but third-hand. THE PASTOR GROW> EXC > """‘"’filepem,s TO THE-MoDERATOR ) i ITED LET ME HAVE A TROCHE- DR BRownN HAS A CHiLL % RERD;NG'THE RocHESTER VERMCT DR. BROWN 'AS A WITNESS — FROM SKETCHES MADE IN TIE COUNCIL CHAMBER BY A “CALL” ARTIST. “Her testimony is,” continued the doctor, | episode of the kiss, and it was explained | at his side and walked along with him for | then went on to say that the reason he “that Dr. Brown and Miss Overman said to Mrs. Tannell ‘If you cannot stand by us you had better go out,” and Mrs. Tun- nell told it to Mrs. Eaton and Mrs, Eaton told it to the council.” The moderator remarked that ‘“‘for some reason beyond the ken of the council the presence of Mrs. Tunnell could not be se- cured. She was a witness of the utmost | importance, and any statements made by herto a truthful woman like M Eaton, whose evidence had not been impeached, was of weight and importance in the present investigation.” Dr. Brown then took the stand and vro- ceeded to tell the story of his life from his childhood up. In September, 1861, at the | age of 1314 , he went to the war as servant to his father, who was second licu- | tenent of Company ¢, Third Ohio Cavalry. | During the first year of the war he took | cara of hisfather’s horses and learned to play the bugle. At theend of a year he | went to Oberlin, Ohio, where he “studied | until December, 1863, when he re-enlisted | in the same company and regiment as a | bugler. There he remained until after the | close of the war and was discharged in | August, 1865. On July 25, 1866, he was married to his present wife and was de- | barred from pursning his college studies | by reason of arule prohibiting the further | attendance of students who got married. The witness madea lengthy explanation | of the anonymous letter incident at Rocnester, in which he had mistakenly charged Dr. Spencer with having been the | author of the scurrilous letters. discovered his error he made ample amends and publicly apologized. He, however, by the aid of experts in hand- writing very soon afterward ascertained the identity of the real culprit. Six months after he began his pastorate in Tacoma and about a year before he came to San Francisco he found Miss Mattie Overman at_his table at dinner one | Bunday and Mrs. Brown introduced bim to her. Miss Overman was ndt a member of his church and she did not afterward become a member. She sewed in_his family threetimes. He believed that Miss Oyerman was introduced to his wife by the | wife of an ex-judge in Tacoma. The witness saw nothing of her except in the presence of his wife. After his acquaintance began with her he used to see her in church, but not often. She was supplying the needs of her family with the larger part of her earningsand was studying 1n a Chautauqua course he be- lieved. That attracted his attention to her particularly and he remarked to his wife that Miss Overman was working beyond her strength. In June, 1892, Dr. Brown was called to his present pastorate, and he was intro- | duced to Mrs. Stockton either in the last | week of August or the first week of Sep- tember, 1893. She left the church the first week in May, 1894, The introduction was by Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper. ‘It was at the close of the morn- ing service,” continued Dr. Brown; “I stood by Mrs. Cooper’s side and this young woman came directly ugl the central aisle and shook hands with Mrs. Cooper. Mrs. Cooper said, ‘I want to introduce to you Mrs. Stockton, formerly one of my kinder- garten teachers.’” Mrs. Stockton said, ‘Yes, I am very glad to meet Dr. Brown, because I am coming into his church.’” Dr. Brown went on to say that Mrs. 8. E. Dutton, teacher of the infant class, wanted to take a vacation, and he sug- gested to Mr. Ray that Mrs. Stockton, who was used to little children, would be just the person to take charge of her class during her absence. ““It came into my mind when I was in- troduced to her, and 1 kept it ‘up after- ward that I would find ont ner character,” added the witness. “I told Mr. Ray that I would write to her former pastor at Port Angeles, Rev. C. E. Chase. He was then in Sonoma County, and from that place his replg was received. I did not know that he had one of her children with him at that time. The first Sunday in the fol- lowing November she came into the church with a number of others. I asked those who were to be baptized to step for- ward, Mrs. Stockton did not step for- ward. but she entered into covenant with the church. I assumed that she probably had been baptized in her infancy. ‘At the close of the evening service, after I had gone into my office to get my hat and coat to go home, { saw Mrs. Stock- ton in my office. She said, ‘Excuse me, Dr. Brown; I don’t feel satisfied with my reception in_the church because I was not baptized.’ I said, ‘I think some of the church members are here,” and Deacoh Vasconcellos said, ‘Let us get some water and she can be baptiz-d here now; I see no impropriety in it.” She was accordingly baptized thenand there.” 'he next stage of the testimony was the Aiter he | S 1n this way by the witness: Mrs. Stogkton's little girl brought him amnote one day from Mrs. Steckton con- veying the information thbat she was sick and would like him to call upon her. He called at 514 Sutter-street, and in response to his knock Mrs. Stockton bade him come in. He entered, and passing through a ortiere inio an jinner room, found Mrs. Rtockton lying, not in the bed, but on fop of the bed fully dressed. He stepped up to the bed and shook hands with her, ex- pressed the hope that she would soon re- cover, and was surprised to find that she had ot special business with him in rela- tion to the church. He supposed that she had sent for him for the purpose of learn- ing what would be required of her before she could come into the church. Said the witness: I offered a prayer and turned to go, and as I did so she sprang up in the bed, threw her arms around me and kissed me. That was the firai time in my life that I ever encountered anything of that kind. At the same moment he heard the door shut and saw a woman's dress disappear- | ing. I said to Mrs. Stockton indignantly in pro- test, “I cannot understand what this means.” She'said, “Oh, that was nothing; only some one coming in to call on me.” Then'Iimmediately leit the room. It was the very first experience of that kind that I had in & ministry of meny yvears, and I was not a little ularmed for fear ihat the wo- i upon me, but nothing trans- ckion came to me the following d that she hoped that I woul not lay that up ageinst her and that I would forgive her. 1 was willing to do so, as the Christian spirit calls for forgiveness, and as 1 thought she had done what she did thought. lessly and under the influence of the excite: ment of the tever under which she was suffe ing. Igreatly feared that if any word about the occurrence should be spoken there would result a scandal and I acknowledge that I was tly in fear of such a thing happening, Ten s or two weeks went by before she came nto the church. I thought deeply about it; whether it was not my duty to _speak about it, and I cansce now that it wonld have been much better if I had done so. As the days grew into weeks and the weeks into months I thought of itonly as a transttory and foolish impuise. 1 wish to say here in cou- nection with this matter that Mrs. Stoekton was modestly dressed when she was ntro- duced to me ‘on the first two months of our acquaintance. It impressed me that she was a. struggling young mother trying to earn her living and my sympathies wére aroused. She asked me once for assistance in ad justing some trouble she had with e certain iriend of hers who had been helpiul to lier in the past. | At her request I went to see that man. He was | a_ frlend of her father's in his youth and he told me that he had’ ma. terially helped her from time to time, buthad become very much offended with her. He said to me: “You may depend upon it if she has made a determination to join the church thai she s sincere,” All that { did was | to state that she was going to join the church and lead a Christtan life, and that she hoped | that this aged man who 'had been a friena of her {ather's would give her what assistance he could. Mrs. Btockton attended the meetings of this church in verfect decorum at the morning services and on Wednesday evenings fre- quently. She mingled with the young ladies and commended herself to the esieem of crit- ical people ltke Mrs. French, who named her first of all on her programme for the Turkish a. . Attorney Nagle—I want to ask whether you had any improper relations with Mrs. Stockton? Dr. Brown—No; no, sir (with aramatic em- phasis). Nagle—Did you in any way pecome familiar with Mrs. Stockton ? Brown—Not in a bad sense. Nagle—I mean in a bad seuse? Brown—No. Dr. Brown went on to sn{ that weeks afterward he and his wife called npon Mrs. Stockton twice. On one of these occasions she was not at home, He never went to see her alone. One afternoon, between 4 and 5 o’clock, she met him on Sutter street. She extended her hand for a warm shake; they had a few moments’ conversa- tion. Then he passea on down the street and she passed on up the street. & He was having a good deal of printing done at Brunt & Co.’s at 535 Ciay street and also visited Deacon Vasconcellor on ashington street, between Sansome and Montgzomery. The deacon was treasurer and the purpose of the doctor in calling on him so often was to get mon3y him to dispense iu charity among the de- serving poor. The witness declared that he was not sure that he had never been in the sub- treasury buiiding in this City, but he had | a distinct recollection that business in the early fill‘t of his pastorate had called him into the sub-treasury building. However, he would not be_positive about that. He never saw Mrs. Stockton in the bulding, but he saw her one day coming out of the building. He thought that he bowed as she passed, that was all. One day while he was walking on Mont- gomery street she came up unexpectedly a few blocks to Sutter street, wiere she left him and took a car. On another oc- casion she walked with him as far as Market street. Both these meetings were accidental and unpremeditated. On an- other occasion he wes visiting an elderly woman, one of his parishioners, on Castro Heights. When he got into the streetcar there was just room left for one person, and Mrs. Stockton, who happened to be in the car, moved up so as to give him a seat beside her, He leit the car on Alvarado street, near Castro, and visited his parish- ioner. Dr. Brawn could not recollect any other occasion on which he met Mrs. Stockton outside of the church. He said: I think that when Mrs. Stockton moved from 514 Sutter street to the Suther'~nd, and while she was in the midstof boxesan.. bales, I went in there to call on another person. He could not remember the name of the person upon whom he was calling at that time. In the April following, Mrs. Stockton came to the Brown home with Mrs. Brown and took lunch with them, and she went with Mrs. Brown to a meeting addressed by Rev. Dr. Henry in Odd Fellows’ Hall. The witness also thought that it was possible that after the Christmas enter- tainment of the infants, Mrs. Stockton came to his study door and remained two or three minutes. That was in the day time, Attorney Nagle—Did office at any other time! Dr. Brown—1 think not. Nagle—Did EO“ ever in your office attempt to kiss or caress her in any way? Brown—No, sir. Nagle—Did you at any other time attempt to caress that woman? Brown—No, sir; her statement is false. Nagle—Did {m! ever have any clandestine meeting with Mrs. Stockton at sny time out- side of this church? Brown—No, sir; I am not a clandestine man. I am not built that way. Nagle—Did you with any woman? Brown—No, sir. Dr. Brown_ recounted the Turkish tea incident, and said that Mrs. French had made two charges to him against a certain member of the church, which, upon inves- tigation, bad been found to be unfounded, except upon false rumors, On the next day after Mrs. Stockton’had shown him and Mrs. Brown the letter which she bad received from Mrs. French, he and Mrs. Brown met Mrs. Stockton casually near the Lotta fountain at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Deacon Eaton came up and they walked down Market street together, talking about the Turkish tea letter. Mrs. Stockton asked Dr. Brown whether he was going toallow Mrs. French to give the Turkish tea in the meeting- room_of the church, and he replied that Mrs. French had as much right to the use of that room as he had, whereupon Mrs. Stockton remarked, ‘‘You'll hear from this again.”” ‘‘She was in a perfect rage,”” added the witness. The next day Mrs, Cooper told him in confidence that Mrs. Stockton was an im- pure and disreputable woman and that it made her fiesh crawl when she saw Dr. Brown and his wife in the car in company “with that awful woman.” The next time I saw Mrs. Stockton was when she came into this room convoyed by Mrs, Cooper and her daughter, one on one arm and the other on the other. He next told about a visit made to his office by Mrs. Stockton in company with another woman. Sheasked him for a church letter. She satd that she was going to move to Chicago. He told her that he would cut off his right hand before he would give her afetter, Asshe went away she , “You will hear from me."”” Nagle (innocently)—Did you hear from her? Dr. Brown—Oh, yes, she has a way of making her threats good. Dr. Brown next told of the revelation made to him by Lawyer George D. Gear to the effect that Mrs. Stockton had made a roposition to him to blackmail Dr. rown, and how Mr. Gear had nobly offered to do what he could to assist the doctor. He declined to act as the doctor’s attorney. for the reason that 1t would be unprofessional. he visit of Mrs. Stockton and a lawyer to the witness’ house was next detailed. The doctor ordered the man outof the house, but afterward apologized to him when he learned that the man had not come on a blackmailing errand. After Mrs. Davidion’s arrest Mrs. Cooper wrote the doctor a letter, he said, in which she expressed symvpathy for him, and she continued in_ that strain of mind until the time when Mrs. Stockton’s name was mentioned in connection with his. Mr. Nagle said that the objectof this testimony was to show that Mrs. Cooper was persecutiog Dr. Brown. The witness ;ou meet her in your bad not spoken concerning the revelation as to Mrs. Stockton’s character made to him by Mrs. Cooper was because that rev- | elation had been made to him under the most solemn pledge of secrecy. He denied having paid Mrs. Stockton §$600 or any other sum at any time. The Miss Overman episode was then taken up. When she came to his house to do sewing he saw that she was in ill health and he pitied her in his heart. He and his wife asked her to stay with them, and after Miss Overman had heard from her mother she consenied todo so: He never went to the seaside oranywhere else with Miss Overman. It was no unusual thing, he said, for young people to live at his house. At the time Miss Overman came there there was a voung medical student named Arthur Finch stopping with the Browns. The witness handed Mr. Woodhams a letter to read which he had recently re- ceived from Mr. Finch, Itexpressed sym- pathy for the doctor in his trouble, and when Mr. Woodhams read the following sentence: “I think it is another effort to bring disgmce oy all our Protestant churches,” Dr. Rrown interrupted Mr. Woodhams with the remark that he re- gretted that expression. *‘I have special reasons for regretting that this matter has been brought in."”” “Sh! Sh!” exclaimed Lawyer Nagle warhingly. ‘““That has nothing to do with this case.”” Dr. Brown made a special request of the reporters that they would not publish the sentence in the letter that had shocked him so much. ~ The Tacoma trip was then detailed. It corroborated Miss Overman’s statement in every detail. What was new in it was the | statement of Dr. Brown that Mr. Judabh of the Southern Pacific Company gave him the hali-fare rate for Mattie and himself. The witness emphatically denied that he had spoken of Miss Overman as his niece. ‘“‘When Miss Oyerman left this City with me for Tacoma it was with my wife’s kiss fresh upon her lips,”” added Dr. Brown impressively. Here a recess was taken until 7 p. ». % ——— THE EVENING SESSION. Deacon Willlams of Oakland Sug- gests a Resolution Favorable to Dr. Brown. ‘When the evening session convened with a large crowd present Moderator Mc- Lean was not present, but it was decided to go on without him. Attorney Nagle, who, with Dr. Brown at his elbow, occu- ied a seat in front of the platform, called Eirs. William E. Aber, who in answer to the attorney’s questions said that she had been a member of the church for two yearsand knew Miss Overman, Mrs. David- son and Dr. Brown. ‘When did you first meet Miss Overman ? gt u‘meenns of the teachers of the Sunday- school. hD&d you have frequent conversations with er? 1did. Regarding Dr. Brown? Yes, sir. Did she express any opinion of him? terms. She told me once that he was a man ]\vho carried his Christian spirit into nis daily . Did you have a conversation with her shortly before she went to Tacoma? Yes, we talked of her tri Did you give her any advice about it? Yes, I suggested that she wait until the next ‘week before starting. ‘Was Dr. Brown going north during the next week that you mention? So I understood. I thought she could wait and he could escort her. Do you know whether she took your advice? I believe she went north at the same time that Dr. Brown aid. Did you see her on her return? = Yes, I met her in this room at the close of s-bho:lh-whool one day shortly after she re- turned. What conversation, if any, did you have at that time? . She.told me that she had been very ill while in Tacoma. I asked herif she was still atop- fl“' with the Browns, and she said no, that rs. Davidson had asked her to come to her house and that she was staying there for a while. After that I saw her frequently. Mrs. Aber further testified that shortly after Miss Overman’s return she told the witness that she had made up her mind to unite with the church, but that she had never done so, as she waited for Mrs. Davidson to join with her. She said Mrs, Davidson and Miss Overman came to her house to take tea with her on the 19th of last December, and to spend the evening, and that after ten Miss Overman said she bhad a very important engagement and would have to iu:;. This caused witness great surprise, as the visitors had agreed o soend the evening with her, She after- | to Deacon Williams’ motion. Yes. Ehe always spoke of him in the highest | ward learned through the newspapers that ;bni: appointment was with Dr. Brown and Mrs. Davidson and concerned the black- mailing matter. In subsequent conversa- tions that she had with Miss Overman and Mrs. Davidson each tried to injure the other in the estimation of witness. She was asked to relate a conversation that took place between her and Miss Overman on a certain day, but showed a strong disinclination to do so. On the sugges- tion of Mr. Nagle it was decided to hear this testimony in private. The following cross-examination, con- ducted by Mr. Kee, then ensued: Do you remember Dr. Brown calling on Mrs. Davidson during prayer-meeting since Noyems= e e Taet time I remember Mrs. Davidson tak- ing part in the meetings was when Dr. Brown, on there being a pause, said_that the meeting belonged to those present. Mrs. Davidson then arose 0 pray. It was a beautiful prayer. An- other time she got up and spoke and apolo- gized for doing so, and I think Dr. Brown might have said somethingin answer to her apology. Dr. Brown did not ask her to take part. Then Dr. Pond asked the witness if she had read the testimony of Miss Overman as published in the papers, and when she answered that she had he asked her if she stiil considered Miss Overman a Christian woman. 3 Dr. McLean objected to this line of ex- amination, the question was withdrawn end Dr. Pond desisted from asking any more guestions. Mr. Nagle then called for Miss Evans, Mr. Lovely and Mrs. Tyler, but none of these intended witnesses for Dr. Brown re- sponded. = The testimony of Mrs. Halligan, the landlady of Mrs. Davidson, and of Mrs. Meyers, the former partner of Mrs. David- son, was then read, it having been pro- cured by a committee of councilmen, who called on these ladies in company with Dr. Brown. Nothing of importance was con- tained 1n either statement. ? Attorney Nagle then read the testimony given by Detective Seymour during the })xeliminnry hearing of Mrs. Davidson be- ore Judge Campbell on the charge of forgery. i Deacon Vasconcellos, under the question= ing of Attorney Nagle, related the circum- stances under which Mrs. Stockton was bap= tized in the office of Dr. Brown. He entered Dr. Brown’s office on a Sunaay after the morning’s service, and was surprised to find Mrs. Stockton sitting or leaning on alounge. A few moments later Dr. Brown entered and asked the witness if he would assist in the baptism of Mrs. Stockton. Dr. Brown explained that Mrs. Stockton had not understood him when he asked all those who had recently joined the church to come forward and be baptized, ana wanted to be baptized then. The cere- mony was duly performed. Deacon Vasconcellos also testified that Dr. Brown had been in the habit of cailing at his office on Wasbington street, be- tween Montgomery and Sansome, three and four times a week, generally between the hours of 3 and 5. M. “He bad never seen Dr. Brown come to or leave the church with any lady other than his wife during all the time he has been pastor of the church, and could not remember ha ing heard Dr. Brown call on Mrs. David- son to take part in any prayer-meeting after November. No sooner had Deacon Vasconcellos left the stand than Deacon E. D. Williams of the First Congregational Church of Oak- land rose from his seat and gave voice to the sensation of the evening. “We are all convinced,” he said, “that Dr. Brown has not been unduly intimate with any woman at any time or any place, and I suggest that the council admit it. I move it be decided that the council be sat- isfied that Dr. Brown is not in the habit of meeting any woman in the church or on the street or any place, and not let us waste time in trying to prove what we cannot prove.” There was a murmur in the crowd and the people leaned forward in their interest. The resolution meant a great deal to both sides. Me. Nagle was the first to break the silence. “If such a resolution prevails,” said he, “the* defense has no more testimony to offer. Of course Dr. Brown will go,on the stand and make his statement; he|desires to do so; but if this resoiution be passed we have no more evidence to submit.”” Dr. McLean looked around for a second The second came indefinitely from one group of tie council members. *You have heard the motion,”” said the moderator. ‘“Those who favor it will raise their hands.” Then, after a pause, “Those opposed. The motion is carried.”” There was not a dissenting hand raised, NEW TO-DAY. At a recent test by experts it was found that the only popu- lar priced cigar not made by machine was the “ROBERT MANTELL.” Mantells shipped to country dealers on approval, subject to return at our expense if unsatisfactory. THE WERTHEIMER CO., Agents. + J’oi PHYSICIAN WHO HAS DEVOTED THIR- ty years to the trearment of blood disease, and who is in possession of a formula which has never falled to cure aypbilis In any stage, will take any case under & positive guarantee tocure orrefund money. Consult him at once. 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