AIMEE M’PHERSON TO STAND TRIAL FOR CONSPIRACY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17995, 4 November 1926, Page 9

AIMEE M’PHERSON TO STAND TRIAL FOR CONSPIRACY.

EVANGELIST AND MOTHER BOTH COMMITTED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received-November 4, 9.55 a.m.) NEW YORK, November 3. News from Los Angelos states that Mrs Aimee Semple McPherson. the evangelist, whose disappearance last M»3* created widespread interest, was on Wednesday committed to stand trial after a preliminary hearing, lasting several weeks on a charge of criminal conspiracy. Mrs Kennedy, the evangelist’s mother, was also committed.

While surf-bathing at Santa Monica Bench, California, on May 18. Mrs Aimee M’Pherson. a famous evangelist, disappeared. Some time la.ter h)io appeared at Douglas. Arizona, where she stated that she had escaped from two men and two women who had kidnapped her from Ocean Park Beach. The kidnappers demanded £IOO,OOO ransom. From r what she had heard of the conversations of her captors, she said, they planned to make away either with herself. her daughter Roberta, or Mary Ph-kford, the film actress. Her story caused a sensation, which, however, was not as sreat as that created on September 17, when warrants were issued for the arrest of Mrs M’Pherson and her mother, on charges of intent to carry out a criminal conspiracy. Others charged numbered four, including Kenneth Ormiston, former radio operator at Mrs M’Pherson’s Angelus Temple. DistrictAttorney Keyes characterised Mrs M’Pherson’s story of the kidnapping as a hoax. Orniiston, when arrested, said that if his wife sued him for divorce she would probably name Mrs M’Pherson as co-respondent, because Aimee was his companion in a cottage at F'armel-by-Sea, in Mexico. Mrs Minnie Kennedy. Aimee's mother, was changed with criminal conspiracy and preparing false evidence in connection with her daughter's disappearance. Amazing revelations were expected at the preliminary hearing. ____________________