Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-06-10
Tho Rockford kedeemer.

The Rockford kedeemer.
George Jacob Schweinfurth, who
claims to be the second Christ, is be-
ginning to realize that all things are
not in his power, writes a Rockford,
Ill, correspondent. He is consistent
enough, though, to continue his prot
estations to his band of angels" that
he still has the whiphand of the uni
verse, and he therefore continues to
reign in their added minds as the
king Of kings and lord of lords.
His failure to sway mankind to his
liking in his recent futile attempt to
settle the three healthy damage suits
which we're brought against him
and his apostles by "angels" who for
tunately fell from their estate with
force sufficient to bring them to a
realizing sense Of their ineffable stu
pidity does not seem to sway him in
the least. He did buy up the COM
plainants in n Of the suits, and
thereby escaped the immediate
trouble of a journey to. court, where
the inner workings of his heaven
would be revealed, but the pieces of
silver offered to the others have not
procured the desired withdrawal.
Rockford people are glad. They
are anxious to see Schweinfurth
beaten. They have been waiting for
that event a long while, and it now
looks as If 1T was we'll assured. At
least the defendants have a remark
ably good show Of winning. Schwein-
furth doesn't want to come into court
and have his preposterous pretensions
subjected to judicial scrutiny. He
would much rather tax his angels a
few hundred dollars with which to
settle the cases
Schweinfurth has taken no action
as yet in the two suits instituted
against him by George F. Ostrander
and Matilda Pierce, which are pend
ing in the Rockford courts. They
each wanted $1,000. They entered
"heaven" several years ago, after the
usual remuneration which the impos-
tor requires from all his followers
namely, placing all their goods and
chattels at his disposal and consent
ing to work for him without money
and without price as long as he saw
fit. Before he had brought them
to that condition Of servitude,
Schweinfurth had incidentally prom
Used them golden harps, wings
and other appurtenances Of we'll
appointed angels. When they had.
toiled early and late with no other
result than making Schweinfurth's
condition more luxurious, their faith
wavercd and finally deserted them
entirely. They became convinced Of
the utter nonsense of the swindler's
pretended godship, and left the farm
in dudgeon to SUI for their lost prop
erty, claiming that Schweinfurth had
failed to keep his part of the contract
in furnishing the harps, wings and
crowns promised. The Godfrey suit
will be tried in Chicago. 1t is ex-
pected that when these suits are
tried the iniquitous community which
Schweinfurth' blasphemously calls
"heaven" will be fully exposed. 1t is
hoped by the good people of this
country, moreover, that it will result
in the breaking up of the establish
ment which has so long been u dis
grace to this portion of the State.
Pending such a elimination, how
ever, affairs are proceeding as usual
at the Weldon farm, as the "heavcn"
is known. The place is about six
miles southeast of Rockford. A de-
scription of the mar and his dupes
will be Of especial interest at this
time. They may not exist much
longer.
Although Schweinfurth was chary
about speaking of his peculiar estab-
lishment he made no objection to his
visitors inspecting the premises. 1t
was an interesting tour. The Weldon
farm contains about 500 acres Of the
finest agricultural and pastured land
in what may be termed the garden
spot Of Illinois," and it is cultivated
with the greatest Of care and skill.
The work is done by the five Weldon
boys and the twelve or fifteen other
disciples who make their abode at
sheaven." The breeding Of fine horses
is also carried on quite extensively,
and at good profit. By va