America’s Daily NewsDelivered 100 Years Later
A Century Late
Monday, October 18, 1926
CrimeAs printed 100 years ago on page 1 of:Imperial Valley PressEl Centro, Calif.

MRS. M'PHERSON DECLARES SHE WAS POISONED

Context - explained by ACL:

Mrs. McPherson charged that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies, saying someone stuck her with a poison pin when she took her chair in court on Saturday.

An evangelist appearing at a court hearing connected with her own reported abduction.

The printed page, with the story outlined
[The story on the printed page. Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, Calif., October 18, 1926, page 1]

United Press Staff Correspondent) LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18.—Aimee Temple McPherson charged today that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies. The magnetic evangelist was suffering from a leg-sore when she arrived in court today to begin the fourth week of her hearing on charges of perjury and conspiracy to obstruct justice. "Someone stuck me with a poison pin when I took my chair in court last Saturday," she asserted. Mrs. McPherson said she brushed against the side of her chair as she seated herself in the courtroom Saturday. "I felt a sharp pain throughout the morning and when I returned home and called a physician I was told I had been poisoned by something placed on a pin or similar sharp object. "I believe the pin was placed there intentionally by someone seeking to poison me." The evangelist suffered severe pains during the night, according to her physician, and it may be necessary to postpone the hearing. The pin sore has become infected and swollen, it was said. Mrs. McPherson said she would not allow the hearing to be delayed unless compelled to do so. "I'm going right on smiling," she said. They can't get me that way." Mrs. Virla Kimball, of Oakland, twin sister of Mrs. Lorraine Wiseman, state's witness and self-admitted co-conspirator with Mrs. Mc-Pherson, issued a statement today denying she was the "Miss X" who made a sworn statement at Salinas, California, recently that she was with Kenneth G. Ormiston in a cottage at Carmel. "Aimee McPherson paid my fare and expenses from San Francisco to testify for her that I am the "Miss X" who was with Mr. Ormiston at Carmel cottage," Mrs. Kimball said. "This I will refuse to do, because it is false. "I don't even know Mr. Ormiston and I never signed any papers or affidavits that I ever did know him. "I am getting tired of having Mrs. McPherson drag me into the scandal, which is disgraceful to me and my five children. "Why doesn't she clean her own [illegible] The evidence to date proves that no matter who may say they were there with Mr. Ormiston, the court will know it was she and no one else. "I have retained Attorney S. S. Hahn to bring a slander suit against Mrs. McPherson if she keeps dragging my name into this terrible frame." When the hearing was resumed this morning, Miss Bernice Morris, secretary of the late R. A. McKinley, blind Long Beach attorney, retook the witness stand. Miss Morris continued her story of the alleged conspiracy between her late employer and the evangelist to produce fake kidnappers to substantiate Mrs. McPherson's self described tale of abduction.

Reproduced unchanged from Imperial Valley Press, October 18, 1926, page 1.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.

Yesterday's paper

September 30, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:New Britain Herald, Daily Kennebec Journal, Evening Star, Watauga Democrat, The Alaska Daily Empire, The Sauk Centre Herald, The Carbon County News, The Lambertville Record, The Bismarck Tribune, and Seward Daily Gateway.

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Today's paper

October 18, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:The Bismarck Tribune, The Washington Times, Imperial Valley Press, Seward Daily Gateway, and Evening Star.

A Century Late
Monday, October 18, 1926 Price: 2 Cents
Notice to Readers: Every story as printed 100 years ago: nothing added, nothing rewritten, our notes marked. They didn't know how it ends.
You do.
CrimeAs printed 100 years ago on page 1 of:Imperial Valley PressEl Centro, Calif.

MRS. M'PHERSON DECLARES SHE WAS POISONED

Context - explained by ACL:

Mrs. McPherson charged that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies, saying someone stuck her with a poison pin when she took her chair in court on Saturday.

An evangelist appearing at a court hearing connected with her own reported abduction.

The printed page, with the story outlined
[The story on the printed page. Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, Calif., October 18, 1926, page 1]

United Press Staff Correspondent) LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18.—Aimee Temple McPherson charged today that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies. The magnetic evangelist was suffering from a leg-sore when she arrived in court today to begin the fourth week of her hearing on charges of perjury and conspiracy to obstruct justice. "Someone stuck me with a poison pin when I took my chair in court last Saturday," she asserted. Mrs. McPherson said she brushed against the side of her chair as she seated herself in the courtroom Saturday. "I felt a sharp pain throughout the morning and when I returned home and called a physician I was told I had been poisoned by something placed on a pin or similar sharp object. "I believe the pin was placed there intentionally by someone seeking to poison me." The evangelist suffered severe pains during the night, according to her physician, and it may be necessary to postpone the hearing. The pin sore has become infected and swollen, it was said. Mrs. McPherson said she would not allow the hearing to be delayed unless compelled to do so. "I'm going right on smiling," she said. They can't get me that way." Mrs. Virla Kimball, of Oakland, twin sister of Mrs. Lorraine Wiseman, state's witness and self-admitted co-conspirator with Mrs. Mc-Pherson, issued a statement today denying she was the "Miss X" who made a sworn statement at Salinas, California, recently that she was with Kenneth G. Ormiston in a cottage at Carmel. "Aimee McPherson paid my fare and expenses from San Francisco to testify for her that I am the "Miss X" who was with Mr. Ormiston at Carmel cottage," Mrs. Kimball said. "This I will refuse to do, because it is false. "I don't even know Mr. Ormiston and I never signed any papers or affidavits that I ever did know him. "I am getting tired of having Mrs. McPherson drag me into the scandal, which is disgraceful to me and my five children. "Why doesn't she clean her own [illegible] The evidence to date proves that no matter who may say they were there with Mr. Ormiston, the court will know it was she and no one else. "I have retained Attorney S. S. Hahn to bring a slander suit against Mrs. McPherson if she keeps dragging my name into this terrible frame." When the hearing was resumed this morning, Miss Bernice Morris, secretary of the late R. A. McKinley, blind Long Beach attorney, retook the witness stand. Miss Morris continued her story of the alleged conspiracy between her late employer and the evangelist to produce fake kidnappers to substantiate Mrs. McPherson's self described tale of abduction.

Reproduced unchanged from Imperial Valley Press, October 18, 1926, page 1.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.

Reproduced unchanged from Imperial Valley Press, October 18, 1926, page 1.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.

Yesterday's paper

September 30, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:New Britain Herald, Daily Kennebec Journal, Evening Star, Watauga Democrat, The Alaska Daily Empire, The Sauk Centre Herald, The Carbon County News, The Lambertville Record, The Bismarck Tribune, and Seward Daily Gateway.

Newsletter

Receive the original news from the press of 100 years ago, daily, weekly or monthly. Subscribe by December 1, 2026 and get
20% off for life!

Today's paper

October 18, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:The Bismarck Tribune, The Washington Times, Imperial Valley Press, Seward Daily Gateway, and Evening Star.

A Century Late
Monday, October 18, 1926 Price: 2 Cents
Notice to Readers: Every story as printed 100 years ago: nothing added, nothing rewritten, our notes marked. They didn't know how it ends.
You do.
CrimeAs printed 100 years ago on page 1 of:Imperial Valley PressEl Centro, Calif.

MRS. M'PHERSON DECLARES SHE WAS POISONED

Context - explained by ACL:

Mrs. McPherson charged that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies, saying someone stuck her with a poison pin when she took her chair in court on Saturday.

An evangelist appearing at a court hearing connected with her own reported abduction.

The printed page, with the story outlined
[The story on the printed page. Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, Calif., October 18, 1926, page 1]

United Press Staff Correspondent) LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18.—Aimee Temple McPherson charged today that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies. The magnetic evangelist was suffering from a leg-sore when she arrived in court today to begin the fourth week of her hearing on charges of perjury and conspiracy to obstruct justice. "Someone stuck me with a poison pin when I took my chair in court last Saturday," she asserted. Mrs. McPherson said she brushed against the side of her chair as she seated herself in the courtroom Saturday. "I felt a sharp pain throughout the morning and when I returned home and called a physician I was told I had been poisoned by something placed on a pin or similar sharp object. "I believe the pin was placed there intentionally by someone seeking to poison me." The evangelist suffered severe pains during the night, according to her physician, and it may be necessary to postpone the hearing. The pin sore has become infected and swollen, it was said. Mrs. McPherson said she would not allow the hearing to be delayed unless compelled to do so. "I'm going right on smiling," she said. They can't get me that way." Mrs. Virla Kimball, of Oakland, twin sister of Mrs. Lorraine Wiseman, state's witness and self-admitted co-conspirator with Mrs. Mc-Pherson, issued a statement today denying she was the "Miss X" who made a sworn statement at Salinas, California, recently that she was with Kenneth G. Ormiston in a cottage at Carmel. "Aimee McPherson paid my fare and expenses from San Francisco to testify for her that I am the "Miss X" who was with Mr. Ormiston at Carmel cottage," Mrs. Kimball said. "This I will refuse to do, because it is false. "I don't even know Mr. Ormiston and I never signed any papers or affidavits that I ever did know him. "I am getting tired of having Mrs. McPherson drag me into the scandal, which is disgraceful to me and my five children. "Why doesn't she clean her own [illegible] The evidence to date proves that no matter who may say they were there with Mr. Ormiston, the court will know it was she and no one else. "I have retained Attorney S. S. Hahn to bring a slander suit against Mrs. McPherson if she keeps dragging my name into this terrible frame." When the hearing was resumed this morning, Miss Bernice Morris, secretary of the late R. A. McKinley, blind Long Beach attorney, retook the witness stand. Miss Morris continued her story of the alleged conspiracy between her late employer and the evangelist to produce fake kidnappers to substantiate Mrs. McPherson's self described tale of abduction.

Reproduced unchanged from Imperial Valley Press, October 18, 1926, page 1.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.

Reproduced unchanged from Imperial Valley Press, October 18, 1926, page 1.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.

Yesterday's paper

September 30, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:New Britain Herald, Daily Kennebec Journal, Evening Star, Watauga Democrat, The Alaska Daily Empire, The Sauk Centre Herald, The Carbon County News, The Lambertville Record, The Bismarck Tribune, and Seward Daily Gateway.

Newsletter

Receive the original news from the press of 100 years ago, daily, weekly or monthly. Subscribe by December 1, 2026 and get
20% off for life!

Today's paper

October 18, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:The Bismarck Tribune, The Washington Times, Imperial Valley Press, Seward Daily Gateway, and Evening Star.

A Century Late
Monday, October 18, 1926 Price: 2 Cents
Notice to Readers: Every story as printed 100 years ago: nothing added, nothing rewritten, our notes marked. They didn't know how it ends.
You do.
CrimeAs printed 100 years ago on page 1 of:Imperial Valley PressEl Centro, Calif.

MRS. M'PHERSON DECLARES SHE WAS POISONED

Context - explained by ACL:

Mrs. McPherson charged that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies, saying someone stuck her with a poison pin when she took her chair in court on Saturday.

An evangelist appearing at a court hearing connected with her own reported abduction.

The printed page, with the story outlined
[The story on the printed page. Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, Calif., October 18, 1926, page 1]

United Press Staff Correspondent) LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18.—Aimee Temple McPherson charged today that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies. The magnetic evangelist was suffering from a leg-sore when she arrived in court today to begin the fourth week of her hearing on charges of perjury and conspiracy to obstruct justice. "Someone stuck me with a poison pin when I took my chair in court last Saturday," she asserted. Mrs. McPherson said she brushed against the side of her chair as she seated herself in the courtroom Saturday. "I felt a sharp pain throughout the morning and when I returned home and called a physician I was told I had been poisoned by something placed on a pin or similar sharp object. "I believe the pin was placed there intentionally by someone seeking to poison me." The evangelist suffered severe pains during the night, according to her physician, and it may be necessary to postpone the hearing. The pin sore has become infected and swollen, it was said. Mrs. McPherson said she would not allow the hearing to be delayed unless compelled to do so. "I'm going right on smiling," she said. They can't get me that way." Mrs. Virla Kimball, of Oakland, twin sister of Mrs. Lorraine Wiseman, state's witness and self-admitted co-conspirator with Mrs. Mc-Pherson, issued a statement today denying she was the "Miss X" who made a sworn statement at Salinas, California, recently that she was with Kenneth G. Ormiston in a cottage at Carmel. "Aimee McPherson paid my fare and expenses from San Francisco to testify for her that I am the "Miss X" who was with Mr. Ormiston at Carmel cottage," Mrs. Kimball said. "This I will refuse to do, because it is false. "I don't even know Mr. Ormiston and I never signed any papers or affidavits that I ever did know him. "I am getting tired of having Mrs. McPherson drag me into the scandal, which is disgraceful to me and my five children. "Why doesn't she clean her own [illegible] The evidence to date proves that no matter who may say they were there with Mr. Ormiston, the court will know it was she and no one else. "I have retained Attorney S. S. Hahn to bring a slander suit against Mrs. McPherson if she keeps dragging my name into this terrible frame." When the hearing was resumed this morning, Miss Bernice Morris, secretary of the late R. A. McKinley, blind Long Beach attorney, retook the witness stand. Miss Morris continued her story of the alleged conspiracy between her late employer and the evangelist to produce fake kidnappers to substantiate Mrs. McPherson's self described tale of abduction.

Reproduced unchanged from Imperial Valley Press, October 18, 1926, page 1.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.

Reproduced unchanged from Imperial Valley Press, October 18, 1926, page 1.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.

Yesterday's paper

September 30, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:New Britain Herald, Daily Kennebec Journal, Evening Star, Watauga Democrat, The Alaska Daily Empire, The Sauk Centre Herald, The Carbon County News, The Lambertville Record, The Bismarck Tribune, and Seward Daily Gateway.

Newsletter

Receive the original news from the press of 100 years ago, daily, weekly or monthly. Subscribe by December 1, 2026 and get
20% off for life!

Today's paper

October 18, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:The Bismarck Tribune, The Washington Times, Imperial Valley Press, Seward Daily Gateway, and Evening Star.

A Century Late
Monday, October 18, 1926 Price: 2 Cents
Notice to Readers: Every story as printed 100 years ago: nothing added, nothing rewritten, our notes marked. They didn't know how it ends.
You do.
CrimeAs printed 100 years ago on page 1 of:Imperial Valley PressEl Centro, Calif.

MRS. M'PHERSON DECLARES SHE WAS POISONED

Context - explained by ACL:

Mrs. McPherson charged that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies, saying someone stuck her with a poison pin when she took her chair in court on Saturday.

An evangelist appearing at a court hearing connected with her own reported abduction.

The printed page, with the story outlined
[The story on the printed page. Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, Calif., October 18, 1926, page 1]

United Press Staff Correspondent) LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18.—Aimee Temple McPherson charged today that she had been poisoned by one of her enemies. The magnetic evangelist was suffering from a leg-sore when she arrived in court today to begin the fourth week of her hearing on charges of perjury and conspiracy to obstruct justice. "Someone stuck me with a poison pin when I took my chair in court last Saturday," she asserted. Mrs. McPherson said she brushed against the side of her chair as she seated herself in the courtroom Saturday. "I felt a sharp pain throughout the morning and when I returned home and called a physician I was told I had been poisoned by something placed on a pin or similar sharp object. "I believe the pin was placed there intentionally by someone seeking to poison me." The evangelist suffered severe pains during the night, according to her physician, and it may be necessary to postpone the hearing. The pin sore has become infected and swollen, it was said. Mrs. McPherson said she would not allow the hearing to be delayed unless compelled to do so. "I'm going right on smiling," she said. They can't get me that way." Mrs. Virla Kimball, of Oakland, twin sister of Mrs. Lorraine Wiseman, state's witness and self-admitted co-conspirator with Mrs. Mc-Pherson, issued a statement today denying she was the "Miss X" who made a sworn statement at Salinas, California, recently that she was with Kenneth G. Ormiston in a cottage at Carmel. "Aimee McPherson paid my fare and expenses from San Francisco to testify for her that I am the "Miss X" who was with Mr. Ormiston at Carmel cottage," Mrs. Kimball said. "This I will refuse to do, because it is false. "I don't even know Mr. Ormiston and I never signed any papers or affidavits that I ever did know him. "I am getting tired of having Mrs. McPherson drag me into the scandal, which is disgraceful to me and my five children. "Why doesn't she clean her own [illegible] The evidence to date proves that no matter who may say they were there with Mr. Ormiston, the court will know it was she and no one else. "I have retained Attorney S. S. Hahn to bring a slander suit against Mrs. McPherson if she keeps dragging my name into this terrible frame." When the hearing was resumed this morning, Miss Bernice Morris, secretary of the late R. A. McKinley, blind Long Beach attorney, retook the witness stand. Miss Morris continued her story of the alleged conspiracy between her late employer and the evangelist to produce fake kidnappers to substantiate Mrs. McPherson's self described tale of abduction.

Reproduced unchanged from Imperial Valley Press, October 18, 1926, page 1.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.

Reproduced unchanged from Imperial Valley Press, October 18, 1926, page 1.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.

Yesterday's paper

September 30, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:New Britain Herald, Daily Kennebec Journal, Evening Star, Watauga Democrat, The Alaska Daily Empire, The Sauk Centre Herald, The Carbon County News, The Lambertville Record, The Bismarck Tribune, and Seward Daily Gateway.

Newsletter

Receive the original news from the press of 100 years ago, daily, weekly or monthly. Subscribe by December 1, 2026 and get
20% off for life!

Today's paper

October 18, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:The Bismarck Tribune, The Washington Times, Imperial Valley Press, Seward Daily Gateway, and Evening Star.